40 + yummy mummies with baby tummies and those who've 'popped' - come hither!

[jeanjeannie]

Come join our merry (talkative) band of ladies who lunch - feel sick - are getting fatter - sleep deprived or run off their feet with babies! Some of us suffer all of the above - while trying to retain an air of calm and mystery

All we ask is you play nicely, eat cake and indulge in the occasional gossip and moan about our ills....or anything else that we can think of.

We're like grumpy old women....only not so grumpy...

Hello all.....mrsB...thinking of you
Oh - I forgot - she won't be reading this she'll be working chatting by the water-cooler telling everyone how FAB D is and showing them pictures

Off to playgroup - see ya later. BTW are period pains supposed to be SO vile ater having had LO? WHAH!

MrsB Thinking of you

JW Lol at your DHs lack of adventure in the cuisine dept and rofl at his belief that the uvula was his tonsil(s) ... having said that, my Dh has eaten and enjoyed mincepies and christmas cake for the first time in his 40 years since discovering that sultanas and raisins were just dried grapes (not dead flies!)!... what is more, Fil (63) was also gobsmacked to told the same fact! Hope your cross comes off the door soon.

JJ Your garden looks like mine!!!!!
Dh is in the paper industry and the industry has been in decline for a while now...poor love is worried sick... and I'm no help, the first thing that people feeling the credit crunch do is stop unnecessary private tuition, like singing lessons and even if I could go back on the boards trailing a 16 month old, it usually takes well over a year for even a sucessful audition to pay actual dosh...oh well, if it becomes necessary, Tescos shelf stacking, here I come... if they'll have me....

Morning all. Quick post as it's busy here with first day of half term and a recovering sore throat that requires attention and lots of it

mrsb hope you're settling in well and more so, D is having a great day at the nursery.

K's gobbling up solid food (well, mush) like it's going out of fashion so seems we're on the road to weaning

Will post more later when I get chance.

hullo all

It's me!! Thanks for the good wishes. Not blocked for now (yay) and have survived the first morning back - just reading emails and making like I am doing stuff.

Don't know how D is getting on but he was all smiles when we arrived at the nursery this morning. Will pop in at lunch to see how he is.

jw good to hear the throat is recovering without need of recourse to antibiotics - tonsilitis is a truly horrible thing. Oh and good on K with the weaning - D will now eat absolutely anything (so long as its banana)

Ohh yes - sleep - there was sleep! sleep was had!D was such a good boy and slept from 10pm until 5.40!! that's practically normal sleep!. I actually had five or six hours so was able to go into work feeling half human - which was nice.

chat later xx

Hey mrsb huzzah for the interweb at work. And for banana boy putting together a proper night of sleep before you go back to work - thoughtful boy .

It's lovely weather here - kids in the garden with comics and sweeties, sun shining, quite looking forward to the rest of half term now.

JJ sorry to hear about nasty period pains. . One of the best thing about b/feeding for me was holding off their return and even when they came back I think the continued b/feeding still helped my endometriosis, not to mention the pregnancies themselves. Hope you can take some effective drugs and get into a cosy bed early with a hot water bottle.

JW great if you can avoid the antibiotics and that K is fighting it off herself. What a trooper

We're back and covered in mud! Weather is gorgeous - even warm

mrsB hurrah - back in the work-place and just 'looking' like you're doing stuff...ah,,paper-shuffling, it's the way forward Good news on smiles at nursery and a bit of sleep!

floria I've got a few friends who teach music and they say it's got quite difficult too Ah yes, the paper industry has had a hard time for a while - I used to edit magazines and the paper-buying became a minefield back in 2005 - costs etc went nuts and mags started to fold just through sheer production costs. Hope your DH will be ok. My old business (Hair & beauty PR) was doing really well but my former business partner has just said lots of clients can't afford to renew - they're spending money on direct advertising with discounts for bums-on-seats in the salons. Scary stuff.

Once we're all looking back on this recession it'll be interesting to see what emerges to be the way forward....what jobs will be the ones with longevity. The high street may well end up looking a very different place

ermintrude the paracetemol have just hit the spot - I'm a happier bunny now!

jw good to here K is wolfing down the mush Not so good that poor DS's tonsils are giving him jip

I'm with ermintrude on the period pain. Mine didn't return the same but they didn't come back until 6 months when I started weaning - andhten I was bf until 17 months when I was already 2 months preggers. dreading them next time but ... ahhhh that's at least a year away.

Florida - meant to say what a bummer about your hubby - hard times for everyone. My hubby was amde redundant int he middle of my maternity leave last time - really traumatic - but we muddled through somehow. Just worried as he's only on a temp contract now - tat ends in the middle of this next lot of Mat leave. Here we go again?

Wetting myself at the hubbies - the flies and the tonsils! You wonder how they dress themselves sometimes don't you. My hubby was up at 6:45 with sprog yesterday so when I bounced down at 9:30 and made some witty comment he groaned " you're trying to have a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent!" Ahhh poor boy.

HI there everyone. I went off the air for the weekend due to visit from DP. I won't see him for another 3 weeks so it was quite sad. He bought me an engagement ring though, it is being re-sized as it's a bit big for me. Nothing fancy just a 1920's style pre-loved diamond within diamonds square cut. It's not flash but tasteful (well I thinks so). Hope everyone has managed to get into the sun a little bit today. The vitamin D does you good. I am looking forward to this week with my little daughter- I might actually take her out somewhere for a change.

Gosh - wish my period pain would observe BF protocol and slack off!! They only came back 2 months ago - once weaning kicked in - and Woah - nasty...grrrr.

bonzo how stressful for you - fingers crossed for an extension of the contract. Such uncertain times.

neddie OOoooo how lovely Ring sounds beautiful AND tasteful. Have fun with your little girl....I think mine will be wanting to go back to the adventure playground!

Daily Mail news! OMG HOW camp does Gordon Ramsey look with the bleached hair cut and leather jacket

neddie your ring sounds lovely. Tasteful every time for me. You'll have to come on here lots over the next 3 weeks so that we can try and cheer you up.

Haven't managed to get out yet today as we were waiting in for a friend of Grace's to be dropped off. They have headed off to Brent Cross shopping centre together and I'm sitting on the bed having just stuffed myself with 2 pittas filled to bursting with tuna, mayo, apple and cucumber. E is asleep, was a bit moany this morning which is not helped by her seeming to have completely gone off breakfast. She has a bottle first thing, drinks about 6oz. She loves it and we have a nice cuddle while she drinks it so I am in no hurry to stop it. Trouble is I'm now running out of ideas of what to tempt her with. She likes pancakes which I don't mind making on weekends but I'm loathe to start making them every day, especially as deaf playgroup and speech therapy are both 9am starts. Any ideas?

jw glad it's no longer Emergency Worf 10 at your place. Well done Katherine for fighting off the bugs and glad to hear that dss hasn't developed tonsilitis. I too laughed at your DH mistaking a uvula for tonsils. That combined with his refusal to try Japanese food makes it sound like he's led a very sheltered life! I was running a maths catch up class recently with a small group of kids and we were doing a bar chart of their favourite foods. Half of them said they loved sushi! These were 8 year olds. I've been on school trips where some kids have brought it for their packed lunch. I only ever had egg sandwiches!

JJ poor you with your nasty periods. I had a Mirena coil for about 3 years and only had it taken out so we could try for a baby. I know it's had mixed reviews on Mumsnet but I thought it was brilliant - my periods were so much lighter, I never needed more than a regular tampon plus I had hardly any pain. Before that they were very heavy and painful. I had it removed during one period, had one 'normal' period then conceived Elizabeth, so it obviously didn't affect my fertility. Will definitely be having one fitted after this baby as my periods come back within 3 months no matter how much I breastfeed.

ladymac LOL@sushi packed lunches! Whatever happened to corned beef? Hahaha conversation you'd never hear in a 70s comp between two kids in snorkle parkas..."Tarquin is that mackeral maki? oh, I only like an avocado hand rolls and they must have wasabi with them"

I'm terrified of the coil....my mate came to see us the other evening and told us how she'd embarrassingly passed out at the gp's after he tried to put one in!! How we laughed Poor thing.

Oh why isn't the garden ready yet *stamps foot. I'm desperate to be able to chuck Iris outside to play. It's such a trek to have to leave the house just so we can get fresh air. I know, I know, it'll be ready soon. But I want it Nooooooowwww

Hi all

Still feeling pretty bluerghy, so stayed home and slept today.

ladym you can make pancakes in advance and freeze them individually, then pop them in the toaster to heat through. YUM!

Glad that it sounds like everyone else is on the mend.

neddie your ring sounds lovely.

Hi ladies. Well it was a busy day of nothingness. First day of half term and DSS is overcoming his sore throat with lots of being spoilt and eating everything that's bad for him - just so we can get something down him. Still, he's much perkier today and I think by tomorrow he'll be pretty much back to his usual self. Hmmm. Ah well, it couldn't last forever!

K still has a bit of a cough but she's packing the food down her. She's had a breakfast and a lunch + pudding today and all the usual milk she has on top Can't wait to wash that nappy tomorrow

bonzo sorry to hear that your OH has been laid off. Seems there's lots of it about. Sadly. Think positive though and hopefully your OH will get something more permanent very soon.

JJ have you tried hot water bottle on your tum? I never have period pain myself. I dread to think what my downstairs lady dept is like but I'm pretty sure that it's rather spacious these days which may explain why my body doesn't have to squeeze my period out. Mebbe it's cos you've had 2 x CS?? Dunno just a guess.

Ramsay looks a complete plonker imho. He's losing the plot. And grabbing the hairdryer? Purlease!

Change of plan on the japanese front; we're having a chinese banquet instead but that still wouldn't entice DH. He doesn't like Chinese either. Isn't that a surprise? LOL @ the 8 year olds having japanese though. I know my 9 yo DSS wouldn't touch it! Unless it's been made at by the fair hands of Captain Birdseye, forget it. Yes, he takes after his father too.

mrsb hows your first day back at school gone? Knackered?

Spent last evening until late buying up lots of clothes from ASOS and Oli for DD#1 b'day. She sent me a list of things she likes. Most of the stuff is awful imho, way too young for the likes of me. Mini dress? No thank you. Show my pancake cleavage off? No thank you.

evening all

Well first day back wasn't too bad - whizzed through the 1100 emails that I shouldn't have had waiting for me- not too tired really as I had sleep last night. Mr D was adored and coddled all day and the nursery lady reckons she wants him there every day or to take him home with her. I passed by the nursery on my way back from lunch and could hear him wailing inside - but sensibly, or cruelly, I don't know which, I resisted the urge to go in and see what was wrong. I thought I can't go running every time so they might as well figure him out themselves.

He has been in great form since he got back - full of smiles and chat. Really animated.

Hope you all had a good day ladies. Back to normal chats tomorrow hopefully.

mrsb glad that you both survived your first day back Sounds like D has a fan and that's always good as he'll be her favourite and get preferential treatment. Hurrah! I wonder if he'll sleep like a log 2 nights running after all the excitement of the day? Sounds like you're back into the swing of it all as well

Hello we both have colds, Kez is sort of off her solids (few mouthfuls won't even finish her baby yoghurts) and boob feeding what feels like all day and night

Kezzy she is trying to pull herself up and stand feed her self with a spoon (bloody messy that one) and getting cheekier by the second

ok change that Kezzy has just pulled her self to standing then fallen over and bumped her head

poor Kezzy hope she hasn't got a lump on her head. My grandma would have smeared any bump with butter, heavens only know why

MrsB you did the right thing not popping in it would only have made him worse, I know it is tough but he will settle better in the end.

Neddie your ring sounds lovely, so you are an engaged lady

Today was not too bad O was much better so we got out of the house, hurrah. Went to the library, park and Tesco what a day!

Evening.
hedgepig I was just about to put out an APB (I believe the US cops say) to see where you were. Good to see you got out and that O is much better

kaz am totally amazed by your pics of Kezzy on FB - boy oh boy is she ahead of the game or what Verity is doing quite well with the spoon - but like you say - it's one heck of a mess!! Hope life in new abode is going well

mrsB excellent new on the work/nursery front Fingers crossed for a good night's sleep! Bless him, what an exciting day for the little chap and well done you for holding strong when you heard him crying.

tee sorry you're still not feeling good - day in bed sounds the right thing to do.

Am taking my gnarly tummy to bed soon

JJ much sympathy for the gnarly uterus, if it is not too much info we are cycle buddies I have the same problem. I'm seriously thinking about a meniva coil thingy the idea of lighter or even no periods is very much appealing.

just doing online grocery ordering it is so much better than going to the shop and no impulse buys.

my online shopping is always about £30 cheaper than when I go instore hedgepig

morning (I think) O has been up since 4:30 what bliss!

Morning. hedgepig what a silly time to get up Awwww....poor you....I sympathise. One of the few (very few) times Verity has slept through and guess what? Yep, restless, in agony with period pain that paracetemol didn't touch

Not sure what we're doing today - nowt on for pre-schoolers - looks like the soft play place....again! Oh well, make the most of the year pass I suppose.