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

[Veggiemummy]

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

Hey beans. Crikey - all that and an infected wisdom tooth. you poor thing. It does get easier (children I mean not teeth). If you ask the chemist they can give you some pretty strong mouthwashes that are ok when bfding etc and really numb the pain.
In attempt to be new organised selves are sorting stuff for holiday this weekend. Am so excited about it. 2 weeks in france. mmmm wine and cheese.
Am also supporting Netherlands for veggie. So glad you got a babysitter and can go and enjoy dutch people going crazy...
Right DH gave me a list of stuff to do on the computer and have done nada. Back later.

Hup hup Holland. I'm so excited I can hardly eat. I'm so glad we are going out. Win or lose it will be a good night but I do hope they win. Thanks Beans & Urbane. But don't forget it is also Kiwi's team so hup hup for her too, a childhood dream come true. I've found an orange skirt and I've cut off some of our window bunting and will be fashioning a kerchief with for my hair, brethren style. Now just have to get these boys to sleep.

Thanks Veggie! I am feeling rather nervous now...

Doc checked DDs ears and def no infection and she cheered up again this afternoon.
I think it was her sinuses maybe bothering her. You know how you get that sense of pressure ..? Maybe that's what the back thing was all about. She was on much better form
Tonight tho, insisting on spoon feeding DH some dinner and giggling whenever he said no

Glad she is feeling better Kiwi.

Lovely to hear from you Beans. I remember the first few weeks with two being a very steep learning curve. It must be even harder if poor Pru has colic and Whizz got flu just as your DH returned to work. You have had a hard introduction. Is it colic and not reflux? For some reason I watched a programme called "The Baby Whisperer" the other night and the woman worked magic on a baby with reflux by always keeping him tilted upright. She even bought him a special mattress and put a pillow under the head end of his changing mat. Anyway, hopefully its not reflux so I will stop now. I hope you get some sleep tonight.

Urbane - I loved that house you linked to. You have made me want to go to Deal. I have never really been to Kent. I mean I have sat on the Eurostar and watched it pass but thats it. I am sorry your trip was a bit stressful though. I wouldn't beat yourself up over missing the school trip, I bet DS had loads of fun with you. And now you have booked France as a result so every cloud really does have a silver lining.

We nearly lost DD2 today. We took her to Waterstones to choose a book and she marched right over to the Spot collection, grabbed "Spot Goes on Holiday" and legged it out of the shop. She was so fast that she was on two shops down the road by the time I caught up with her. She then had a massive meltdown when I took the book off her. In the end the shop assistant had to scan it while DD2 still held it. Since then we have never been allowed to read it to her as that would involve one of us touching it. She has held it to her chest all day and only relaxed enough to open it when she thinks we are all busy with other things. She is now sleeping with it.

Have a great night out Veggie. I am afraid I have to cheer Spain as DH has them as his sweepstake team, but I will smile for you when Holland score.

Avo that is such a great story about your DD2. I like the sound of her . I think she and LadyT's O would get on. We also have a strong willed one here. DH and I have taken to referring to her as 'The Don' - definitely capitals - as she has a godfather like stare/attitude to anyone messing with her world order. She's also started saying 'oh' like Nessa. Which I'm very fond of.

Spot I think that is the worst book title ever.

Kiwi I'm glad your DD is back on form. So frustrating when they can't tell you what's wrong. And yes - cheering for the NL for you too. Speaking of which somebody score...

Evening all, am watching footy without much great interest but will claim Dutch as my own via Veggie though the girl next door has Spain in the work sweepstake, so if they win I'll always have been supporting them

kiwi glad to hear the ears are on the mend. The feeding thing is v funny, dd does a similar thing where she offers some to me or dh on a spoon then at the last minute nicks it back for herself and guffaws. Cheeky beggars aren't they?! It's amazing to see they can have a real sense of humour so young. Well that and being tickled of course.

bananas - I did some nana bread in the end from a delia recipe and it's v yum. Another who's not usually a fan of the fruit on its own, very hard to catch them at the right moment between too hard and leaving that weird feeling on your teeth, and over-ripe and all cotton-woolish.

beans lovely to hear from you but sorry about the burping problem, the sloping upwards thing is meant to help percolate everything out over time so might be worth a try.

Avo thank goodness you caught up with dd2! blimey, what a speed demon. Very sweet about her fondness for Spot

right - she's finally asleep (very late evening, I foolishly took her to evening mass which finishes when she's usually in the bath but dh was singing some lovely music and I didn't want to miss it ) so time for tea. Am famished. Still. Ate the best part of a jumbo bag of doritos yesterday, not sure I can blame that on being clackered though, it's like Pringles, they really do put crack in the flavouring mix.

oh and finally - feet big and small. I get similar comments about my tiny ears, apparently it's a miracle I can even hear they're so ickle

hello all
Can't believe it's been so warm and sunny for so long. My garden is in need of some rain now! The DDs are loving being let outside so much
nolda glad the party went well. It's nice with a smaller number because it has less chance of descending into chaos! And dd clearly LOVED it - so you did your mummy job very well.
beans you have had a tough start - you are doing an amazing job, and it sounds like your dh has risen to the challenge and is helping you out, which is fab to hear. It's always great to hear how things are, but don't feel you need to post when there's a chance of a nap for yourself
urbane that house is very beautiful indeed and I want it. A bit far to commute to Selby though sadly. Where in France are you going? maybe you could get a third residence en France? And I laughed a lot at your dd doing a Nessa. Oh! Tidy
Avo that sounds very scary, almost losing dd2. I hate it in the playground if I lose sight of Phoebe, even for a few seconds, it's pure panic. So funny about the Spot book though We had a similar occurence not long ago. We were in a charity shop and P found a little jester on a stick jangly thing and picked it up, then absolutely refused to let go of it. I tried for ages, and eventually got it, P wailed and wailed so I bought it for her (50p!), gave it back to her and she promptly chucked it on the floor and has not wanted to touch it since! Something about forbidden fruits...
indith You are doing so well to be reducing the happy pills and still having a non-sleeping baby. sleep deprivation is truly awful and I think you're coping amazingly. Give yourself a massive chunk of cake pat on the back
How are all the preggo insomniacs? Hope the phase ends soon. You could always borrow spot's mum's book!
Summer are you ok? How's the tiredness now? Have you got your blood results? Hope you're alright.
Veggie have a fab time out tonight. I was in Amsterdam in '98 when Holland won some world cup match 5-1 or something like that (I'm not that into the football - can you tell?!) and it was AMAZING to be there. The whole town was orange and people were dancing and singing in the streets for hours.
kiwi I'm glad to hear dd has been a bit brighter this afternoon. Hopefully she's turned the corner now.
Well life here is a bit up and down. Things with dh not fabulous but not horrendous either. L is making me want to tear my hair out one minute (I actually cried for most of the day on Friday because I'm finding her such hard work), then making me gush with pride and joy the next, for doing so well in her school concert, getting the trophy for Pupil of the Week and getting a glowing year report. I find it hilarious how much the teachers sing her praises - the headteacher wrote "lucy can tackle anything" - yet she can't put a pair of pants on at home . Then when I'm struggling with Lucy I can't help slipping into negative thinking about everything - I'm a useless mother/wife/ can't keep the house tidy/clean/ can't keep up with the garden/ can't manage to get the shopping so we end up with no food in... I need to try to employ my new CBT skills! Only in the moment it's hard to do - I guess that's the point of practising. Phoebe is ultra cute yet getting quite a tinker. She's doing a lot of food throwing - and she know's she shouldn't because she looks at us first and grins. Then she goes to naughty corner, then is allowed back in her high chair, then she does the same again. She doesn't seem to be learning at all and I think Naughty Corner is having no effect. Not sure what else to do. It seems ages since L was this age and I can't remember how to discilpine them before they can understand sticker charts! Any suggestions? Ooh but she said "na na" (night night) this evening which puts her vocabulary up to 4! ("baa" - sheep, "ba ba" - bye bye and "babbo" - bubble). She excels in 'b's! Not sure why she says bubble with a southern accent but hey ho!
Right I should stop rambling. Hopefully back soon xxx

Brilliant idea Trace

Am sorry you're finding it tough. and I really hope the CBT helps. I've been going for some therapy recently - decided that it was about time I sorted some stuff out - and although it is helpful it's also hard work. so you have my sympathies. And not that unusual for DCs to be useless at home and fantastic at school - probably because she's so confident in your love that she doesn't feel she has to try. Am useless at disciplining DD. The only thing I do is put her down and tell her 'No' very firmly when she hits. Other than that I find ignoring her works sometimes. But other times she is a persistent little bugger and nothing I can do makes a difference - today she spent half an hour standing there shouting 'Oh' and waving a box of cereal at me.
Also it's not your job to do everything. And nobody is perfect. You sound like you're a bit tough on yourself sometimes Trace. I think you're amazing .

Right. Was planning to do some work whilst watching the football. That's not gone so well.

aw urbane you've made me well up now byt being too nice to me! Looks like you've got a while longer to get some work done - think we're looking at penalties... i wonder how vagina is handling the tension
I'm interested in this moon pig cup talk. Can you but them in a real life shop or just online? Does it just go up and catch the blood?

buy them. Not but them. Or butt them.

commiserations kiwi and Vaggie
Oh dear. 3 consecutive posts from me. I'm off

Helloooo everyone. Not going to do a big catch up tonight for the very good reason that my eyes are feeling vile - I am due to go for my annual eye test a week tomorrow in London and I only have this awful brand of lenses left which hurt my eyes, and then yesterday I went and left my glasses behind in my flat in London, so I have a choice of irritated eyes or very poor vision. It's making me very annoyed. And headachey.

Sorry to all the avid Dutch supporters on our thread...

It was absolutely lovely to see young Syb and Mom on Friday, plus Syb's DS and DD2 and Mom's DS, of course! What a gorgeous day. My DD was a bit of a whinging barnacle unfortunately and then she nodded off in the pram. Oh, and I had forgotten how nice St James' Pk is and went back again yesterday for another picnic

There's quite a bit I want to say to various people but I can't peer at this screen for another second. Love to all and more tomorrow when the old eyeballs have had a rest.

Bum poo bum bum. Shame about the result. Mainly because I really don't like Spain (it's to do with travelling around it too much several years ago & not finding there beaches much good, oh & nightmare of a country to be veggie in). But had a nice night anyway, drank a little too much beer & nattered away too much to my friend so missed a fair bit of the game. Had hilarious moment, i particular when DH seemed to be attracting the attentions of a barfly. DS2 stayed asleep until just before we got home when he was woken by all the fireworks. It turned out DS1 has been awake most of the night & playing scaletrix with the girls (there were 2 of them). Also they cleaned my livingroom & kitchen how cool is that. All for €20. We've booked them for next week.

Sorry that message a little rambled, & bad grammar. I might be a little tipsy. Made for a fun ride home in heels though.

Lady my sympathies, bad contacts are a nightmare. Hope it's sorted soon.

Trace, I have & will always find you to be amazing. Don't bear yourself up and also using the 'tricks' or tools you used with the first one doesn't automatically work with the 2nd. We've been finding DS2 quite a lot more challenging than DS1 & stuff we used with DS1 just isn't cutting it with DS2.

Thanks all - not sure what I said but db isn't here until tomorrow just o/n then back in 2 weeks.
Busy day and am knackered so must trot off.

Sorry Rubes, I think that was me. You were saying things were better with DB and I assumed he was there already. I feel a bit guilty for wishing for rain now!

Boo for the NL fans but well done to the human octopus!

Avo: that is scary but very cute. DS, alas, is the same with biscuits.

Oh and re telly, the DSs don't watch much during the week but I was so tired on Sunday that I sat them in front of cbeebies at some ungodly hour with a banana apiece and went back to bed for half an hour. Bad mummy.

Trace: you are doing such a great job. I know what you mean about things getting on top of you. Esp with work and children and household stuff. I feel a real sense of achievement when I manage something like cleaning the bathroom then realise most people would see that as the bare minimum!

poo bum willy, T up super early today, think maybe due to sharp change in temperature. Lucklily Teletubbies is on now and I think he would happily exchange me for La La or Po so don't have to engage too much. Should have got him to read mum's book, might have got him back for a few hours.

Drive back wasn't so bad, 3 hours this time, and T was pretty good, though 13 verses of Old MacDonald every few miles was getting a bit wearing for both of us...

Got home and DP was exhausted and in a bit of a grump and we ended the evening rowing about some misunderstanding so not great but I can see both our sides of it (where I normally think I'm 100% right).

Veg I am sorry about the match, I have to say I thought Spain were the better team (and Nth were diiiiiiirty), but I also wanted them to win from the start as they beat Germany who I wanted to win...So glad you had a good night though, and hooray for the great baysitters, they sound amazing. Do you think they'd come to Brighton for double their fee?

Sorry about your eyes, LT, hope you get some relief today. How is the insomnia?

Avo that is a top story about DD2. She sounds a proper little character and soo endearing. I would love to meet some of your DCs, I feel like I know some of them from all the stories and can imagine how T wold get on with them etc. Would be great. What happened to the great Brighton meetup?

Trace I can only echo what Urbaneski said, you are a fab mum and way too hard on yourself. It sounds like L is behaving pretty normally for someone of her age. I don't mean to dismiss your concerns but please keep in mind that the fact you care so much and are trying to do the right thing means you probably are.

Beans, poor you and your tooth, you have so much on your plate. FB me if you want to chat colic/reflux by the way.

Urbane am super of your holiday plans. Have a fab time, Whereabouts exactly are you going?

We have house updates but I won't bore you with them as I want to be able to tell you the whole sorry tale in one go but basically we're pulling out of getting the flat after all, for some pretty good reasons, now have to decide if time to look for/buy another or just rent somewhere cheaper from October.

Hello - don't feel too sorry for me - tooth seems to have abated and I managed to get.... 7 HOURS SLEEP LAST NIGHT!!! Not all in one go, clearly, but in bits and bobs, it all added up nicely.

Lady - I feel your pain re the sore eyes. My contacts give me so much grief, drives me potty.

Sorry about the footie result Kiwi and Veggie. Although I went to bed during the match, so have no idea what happened! But DH said it was a pretty drear game?

DD1 is being a bit of a star today. She's become quite clingy to me recently, probably because I'm not giving her all my attention. DH is a bit miffed, I think. I, on the other hand, am secretly rather chuffed. HEe hee! Makes a change!

Mum coming up again today - honestly, she is a bit of a star. She's coming up 3 days this week, then that's it - she's off for the summer! AAGH! Hope I manage!

xx

Beans hooray for sleep! And glad your Mum is being so brilliant. When can DD and I come visit and entertain Whizz/ coo over Pru??

And boo for the football. Though by extra time even my vehement defence of the, err, Dutch defence was sounding a bit thin to my own ears.

I bought DD some new shoes the other day - finally found some veggie ones (non-leather) so was very chuffed - and she won't wear them. Just cries if I put them on and goes to find her usual ones. Quite funny but slightly

Ooh, how about next week, Kiwi? I can do any day but Tuesday... Would be lovely to see you - we're down in Streatham-y area now... Could go to the Lido if it's a nice day? So lovely there, although it's a fiver to get in, which is a total rip off!

Hello kids

Have got the rubbish lenses in for now as I am fed up of blundering about. For any lenses wearers, I usually wear Acuvue Moist, which I hugely endorse as they are brilliant and so comfy, but last year they tried to persuade me to upgrade to the new and more expensive Acuvue TruEye and they are horrid and it's all I have left for now.

Indith, I think weaning yourself off those pills and having had 18 months of disturbed sleep sounds really, really tough, so please be very gentle with yourself and take your time.

Avo - I loved that story about your DD2 and the book. Priceless. I would love to see her, it's been ages (and you of course!) When do you break up? What are your summer plans? Oh, and very envious of Latitude, think it looks by far the best of the those festivals and the comedy line up is always so good. I am with you on the camping, though. If you get a mooncup, let me know. I have never heard anyone say they are anything other than brilliant but somehow I remain faintly dubious, I don't know why.

Sorry about the jam, Urbane. It would be far too advanced a thing for me to make, though (and macaroons would be off the scale...) Aw, sorry about your DS and the trip but don't be hard on yourself - I bet he still had a fabbo time. Tell us about the hols. I am keen to hear about people's holiday plans as I don't think we're going anywhere else this year so want to live vicariously through others

Kiwi - how is your DD this morn?

Beans, I am glad about your 7hrs last night. Thank heavens the tooth has eased off a bit. I think you are sounding very chipper and it gives me hope that I will cope with two after all. DD has started saying "aaaah" when she sees babies in books, and in fact I think she was frankly overegging it when she was stroking a picture of a baby in the Boots catalogue. However, in social situations she has become very clingy suddenly (she just wants to be on my lap unless we are at home), and I do think that will increase when there is a baby on the scene.

Spot - thanks for asking, I was up at 3.40 this morn and sat on the sofa for a while, trying not to descend into the SLough of Despond. I couldn't remember what Jolly's sleep inducing game was, must check back, but inspired by that I played R my name is Rosie - (R my name is Rosie, my husband's name is Ralph, we live in Rhode Island and we sell roses) but obviously you start with A and I tried to pick names I really like, places I would actually like to live in and items I would enjoy selling (A my name is Amaryllis, my husband's name is Aurelius, we live in Amagansett and we sell amber...) As for your 13 rounds of Old MacDonald, I could quite happily take a machete to him and his sodding farm. It's DD's new favourite. I let her choose which animal and 9 times out of 10 she whispers "Cow" and once in a blue moon she says "duck". She has started trying to sing Twinkle Twinkle to the tune of Old MacDonald. I should book her onto Sorry, I Haven't a Clue.

Trace, I am very much of the mind that trying to stop yourself from straying down negative paths in your mind is something that takes a lot of practice and a huge amount of hard work. Some days lately I feel like it's a constant arm wrestle. As we all know on here, the pressures we subject ourselves to are far more punishing than any external pressures the world can dream up. Any time I find myself berating and reproaching myself (which is many many times a day) I do try and take a breath and force myself down a more philosophical road. FWIW, from here it looks like you are doing a terrific job.

Rubes, there were no spots of cheerfulness on Friday, chilled or otherwise However, I anticipated I would have a glass or two when I went out for dinner with friends on Friday night, which indeed I did. Have a lovely bbq. It rained here this morn but now it's brightening up nicely.

My cricket team is going to Malaysia in early Nov. I have been turning it over in my mind, whether it's at all possible for me to go and sadly the compelling conclusion is no DD2 will be 6 weeks then, and though very portable, a) planes are germy places and b) I think one is at slightly raised risk of DVT after surgery. But it's not even that...DP will only just have taken off three weeks for paternity leave and more unpaid leave is pushing it, let alone the cost of the trip. It would be O's last chance to be free on the plane, but I still can't really justify it. And if we are spending that much on a trip, DP doesn't particularly want to spend it with the cricket team, even though he likes them - which I do understand. Am a bit cheesed off about it though.

Veggie, even though the Dutch lost it does sound like you had a blast last night. Heels! Tiddly! Sounds like my kind of night.

Beans next Monday would be great w me!

LadyT DD much better thank you, eating again and much more cheery though still v clingy at times - wouldn't go with DH for breakfast.

Am absolutely shattered today - I feel like I've got contact lens problems and I don't Even wear them! Eyes just sore with lack of sleep for past few nights w DD ill etc. Feel a bit down today too. Have big changes ahead at work which I'm starting to fret about (restructuring of my area but no idea yet what form that will take). Logically I know there's no point worrying about such unknowns but you know what it's like when you're tired.. Everything seems gloomier...

Hello everyone,
I am hopefully going to finally come on for a catch up!! We finally mananged to exchange, just a couple of hours before we were going to cancel our removals company and say it was all of at least until after the baby. Massively stressful though...we are moving on thursday so been busy all weekend decluttering various bits of the house. The removals company are packing for us as well as moving us. I am hoping that means we don't need to do ANYTHING! Except maybe make a cup of tea or two and supply biscuits.

I have still been really tired but the blood test results were all fine, including for anaemia which I really thought might be low. They reckon maybe I am bit ill as I was a bit sick last weekend. BUT I am on maternity leave now and DS still in nursery 3.5 days a week so I have had a sleep this morning. And every night I am going to sleep between 8 and 9:30 which is just ridiculous. But I figure I just have to go with it and maybe it will get a bit better or maybe it won't and I will be sleeping lots until no 2 arrives.

Very jealous of meet up!! If anyone fancies a meet up in Cambridge (I think LadyT was asking on facebook) i should be around next week, don't think I have much on apart from a hospital appointment on Weds.

Sorry about the game veggie and kiwi. I have to admit I started off supporting the Dutchies then decided Spain were playing better and so supported them, then went to sleep before extra time! I didn't think it was a very exciting game, though I didn't see the winning goal, and was dozing in the 2nd half! Veggie, your night out sounds ace, oh and cleaning babysitters - how good is that?!

kiwi I haven't been on properly in so long that I haven't even said I bet you are super glad your DH is back! And glad you had good time at spa even though DD has been ill. Hope she is feeling a bit better now.

Oh bugger I have to go, my super-crap cleaner is here, so I have to go say hello as this week is her last week (which she doesn't know yet!)

Proper catch up later.

Right, last time I tried this MN ate my buttons!

Summer: when are you moving? So pleased you have exchanged and what a sensible decision to leave the packing to the removal men. Hope you catch up on your sleep.

Lady: DS2 loves row your boat (known as 'woe woe' and baa baa black sheep (buh). Better than DS1's fireman Sam obsession. FS is a bugger to sing at the best of times and there are two versions ('talk with mouthies' and 'no talk with mouthies'). If I mix the lyrics I get told off.

Trace: you are doing a great job. Really. Sometimes I think keeping my own shoelaces tied is a bloody good achievement for the day.

Avo: I like your DD's thinking. I am still capable of clutching a new book to me and jumping up and down in sheer joy at its shininess. Pegging it obv less good. DS2 only does that with biscuits.

Spot: thanks for the email - just caught up on your flat news. If you aren't sure def the best decision to pull out. So about moving to Essex...