The Fantastic Forties Forum

[johnworf]

Pregnant or Popped. Partial to Cake. Thrills, Spills & Bellyaches....and SO much more. Come on in for 'mature' chat (go on, I dare you!)

morning all - just of to collect prescriptions & stuff for DS and find some cheapo post baby knickers & mattress pads for me . I had a bit of a panic last night as I'm totally unprepared (and I really need to sort out where the boys are going to go if I have to go in unexpectedly!!). Not that it matters too much,yet, I'm only 32 wks but I occasinally go into ultra "have to be organised" mode and today is the day for it (so glad it's hoofing it down with rain then - not!)

Triggles - goodness your Endo team are harsh!! I take it you're not on insulin (I'm not either - yet) I have to be under 5 pre meal and under 8 post. The grotbag pizza I stuffed my face with the other night pushed it up to 9.1 but as a one off I'm not overly concerned since I'm normally within range. It'd be useful if all the health auths had the same parameters though I feel.

Tee - are you ready yet? are you being induced at 38wks or are you 38wks now? (I got the gist that you've only 2 weeks to go somewhere but got confused) Also - just to add, DD was an only child for 17yrs and is perfectly normal, happy and well adjusted (though the fact that she's training to be a mental health nurse may indicate otherwise )

mrsb yay - go for another!now! We could have a valentines day baby on the thread if you get cracking

jj good luck with the shopping

OMG the rain's stopped and we've suddenly got some blue sky - better get off to the shops myself!

Did someone ask what it was like to have a big gap previously? Sorry to be vague but brain has died somewhere along the line.

iris I am supposed to be under 6 prior to meal and under 7 two hours after meal. And they raised eyebrows at me when I had a 7.1 which is a bit silly, IMO.

johnworf

I asked... How did you find it starting all over again? I'm excited but also anxious too.

I have a 20 yr old son and an 18yr old daughter

lol dont worry I have got mummy mush brain syndrome, had it for 20 yrs now lol thats my excuse anyway lol

morning all it is a grey day with rain here today. hardly slept a wink last night thinking about what school to choose for DS1. he is currently at a montessori school. in jan next year we are going back home. he has offer of place from 2 schools. one is a montessori school. the other is a traditional prep school. both are good schools. it is a big decision to make which school to choose. DS1 loves the montessori education system. having said that, that is all he has known. he is thriving and has learnt a lot. we have high hopes and ambition for him to get a place at a selective secondary school. so i guess that is what is worrying me. i worry that if he does his primary schooling at a montessori school, he might not do well at sitting for exams. i just dont know enough about it. the thing i love about montessori is that at this young age, there is no memorising of tables etc. the focus is on process rather than product. he is allowed to imagine and explore etc. while also learning the ABCs and numbers.

we need to choose now because the schools are asking for our decision and of course, the deposit.

wonderwitch I'm not johnworf, but we "started over" again as well - our older two were 22 and 20 when we had DS2 - he's now 2yo and we're expecting again in August. Honestly, it's soooo much more fun for us this time around - we've got the experience behind us and aren't as stressed over everything as we were when we were younger. And we're in a position where I can be a SAHM, which I couldn't years ago. Plus our older two each have a toddler as well (DIL & I were due a week apart!), so we have lots in common to chat about and laugh about - and getting the kids together is lots of fun! Chaotic, but fun!

heron I'm interested to know more about why you chose Montessori and what kinds of things your son does there. I am thinking of sending K to one nearby to us but DH is totally against it (he's a qualified teacher). I know a little about what they do but not much. Arm me with some facts so that I can talk DH round!

wonderwitch my older 3 are 23/20/17 (almost 18) and so it was very much like starting over again. In many ways like having a first (absolutely nothing left over from the older ones) but experience wise, then it's like riding a bike and you do remember The older ones have their own lives now and are either working or at university/college. I don't expect them to be visiting me all the time but we try and catch up at least once a week. I see my DD#1 everyday though as she lives around the corner and I drop her at work each morning. I worry they won't be as close to K as they are to each other but I can't expect them to put their lives on hold and be here all the time. They love little K to bits though and when they're here, they spoil her rotten It's weird as when I was my DD#1's age, I already had 2 of them and I look at her and think there is no way she would cope with kids of her own. Anyway, she's told me that's there no chance of grandchildren ever as LO's 'do her nut in'! I'm in no rush just yet though

We have the patio man coming this evening to give us some inspiration and a quote. DH is saying that there's no need for a patio as we'll be moving in 2 years (floria, you listening?????!) but I said it'll put a bit of value on the house and as we're not having a holiday this year, then the garden is where we'll be. Not sure he'll go for it though. Have to wait and see what the damage is later.

Lovely dress jw - very cute - and ahhh at the non-C thing. Now I understand.

Tee sooooo close and so short left at work [very jealous emoticon]

Feel shattered today. think I've over-used that word recently - M was eating breakfast this mornign then looked at me and said "shattered". Ho Hum!

Loved watching The Apprentice last night - yippe at who got the boot! Arrogant git!
Sat watching it stuffing my face as had to call at Tescos on the way back from a "Book party" and there were fresh cream chocolate eclairs ... waving at me from the cold cabinet - it would have been cruel to leave them there!

Eeeeks at the V Varicose veins - didn't know it was so common. As if we don't suffer enough!

I meant to say also - talking of trying to be a "good mum" - I was going to use washable nappies for M and was even given a load from a friend. But basically DD poo-ed 5 or 6 times a day and I couldn't be doing with dealing with all that muck. Once or twice a day and I think I'd have stuck at it. She's still on 2 or sometimes 3 a day at 21 months - and they're not nice little discrete ones you can plop down the loo but massive Jackson-Pollocks. [tmi I'm sorry] So despite best intentions I'm on disposables - but assuaged some of my guilt by going for Naturecare biodegradable ones (made from corn starch too so less impact making them) - plus I use Waitrose baby wipes which are biodegradable and fragrance free - and cheaper then the branded ones! Still feel really guilty about all the landfill issues though

I sort of knew about the potential veins issue but thankfully never suffered from them. I never knew about hyperemesis though until I joined on here! It explained the young woman I saw in the EPAU unit one day calmly vomiting into a bowl five or six times in about 20 mins while waiting for her anti emetic medication. I don't know how suffereers of this cope - nor how they can bear to get pg again after having it once.

There are so many things that if you did know about them in advance it would put you right off ever getting pg!

Yeah mrsb the sex part put me off..Arf arf.

Just joshing.

Anyhoo, just returned from K's hearing test and she got 99/100 so they want her back There was so obviously nothing wrong with her hearing it pisses me off but hey ho, we'll do the box ticking and play along with the bureaucracy.

bonzo I've used cotton nappies since K came out of hospital. I don't think it's about being a good mum or not just another one of those parenting choices. Landfill issue is really why I do it. Yes, it'll be a public flogging for you young lady

Oh god, chocolate eclairs I can dream.

jw the reason i chose montessori for DS1 is i wanted an education style that encourages independent thinking. the child is encouraged to make his own decision. also i like the mixed age class. for eg, DS1 is in the 3-6 yr class. he is nearly 5, which means that he has responsibility for looking after the little ones. helping out and setting good examples. also the educational materials are excellent. there are numerous "toys" that teach the number system, maths (eg fractions). also toys that trains the young hand in preparation for writing later on.

my explanation is less than ideal, check this out. "look at this this page"

HI!
I have been trying to catch up with you lot since Tuesday but dh is home for the week and every time I come close something drags me away before I can post ... I'm now in serious danger of losing you altogether, so before you all breathe a sigh of relief and say 'thank heavens we have shaken her off at last' I'm posting so I can find you again.
Now got to go to work while Dh does his abysitting stint with ds at the pub ...oh the joy of a 19month old who can say "beer, hmmmm!" with more passion than Homer Simpson

heron - wish there was Montessori round here. I remember looking round one years back and was very impressed by the independence of the children. Having said that, it must be hard to look ahead and decide on the next school. I guess you have visited them both - any gut feeling on them? Instinct is often right I think.

(haven't been posting, just lurking for a bit waiting for the morning/evening/all day sickness to wear off which it is beginning to now. Lovely dress for K for the non-christening - jw!

Hey floria. Great that A loves a pint Drinking buddies with daddy already. Cute We'll have to catch up now that A is better and once your DH gets back to work

heron I've read that wikipedia explanation of what Montessori is about. I like the way that the children are encouraged to think and problem solve for themselves. I've still to work on DH re this but he's very adamant at the moment

Thanks stormfly. Sorry to hear you're still barfing It does come to an end.....usually.

Is it tonight that Dreary finds the letter from Ken?

Hi Girls!!

iris I start my maternity leave now in 5 working days. That was the 2 weeks I referred to earlier! I still have 7 weeks until baby is due.

triggles They looked askance at 7.1?? I hope you rolled your eyes on them really hard. I mean, my endo is picky, but even he understands that 90 - 95% good numbers is good! No one can be perfect all the time! Well, maybe if you ate nothing but lettuce...

DH asked me what I wanted to do this week. I replied 'lie on the sofa.' So that's my big plan.

Tee ooh blimey! I didn't realise we were due so close! (me first though please? )

On the "starting again" front. Has anyone else found that looking back they were not only uninformed but blissfully ignorant of a whole host of things that we worry about now? I know a lot of things have changed (ie weaning at 16wks on farleys rusks, baby in an unsecured carrycot on the back seat of the car, putting them to sleep on their tummies for less wind, less than 6 immunisations in the first 5 years instead of the 40 odd they get now etc etc) but I never questioned anything like I do now.
Repeating the process 15/20 years later certainly has its advantages(experience, financial security, ability to make more informed decisions)but also disadvantages too (the tiredness, responsibility for decisions if you "buck the norm", tiredness, memory failure, tiredness )

mrsb - I never knew about hyperemesis either. ex DH has my MS with DD1 and I've only ever had slight nausea with the other 3 (I've always ended up having an anti-emetic jab in labour though, so I feel for anyone who's like it all the time )

Afternoon all. Well, I flew into town and got a simple black dress from H&M - refused to spend ££$$££ - I've livened it up with a thumping great flower and an old sequinned bag that can fight another day I have NO idea about staying awake though...I've already been up since 5am

Oh and it's Corrie tonight - bah - silly night to go out when we have no sky/virgin plus facility!

I was quite set on Montessori but our local one was so rude to me I thought bum to them! The woman was horrified when I told her how old Iris was...she said "my dear, people have their names down when they are TTC"..????!! Must remember that for public school eh

floria I wondered where you'd been. LOL@ A liking a pint with his dad...ah, male bonding, it's a special thing!

JJ at the moment I think any public school would be more than happy to have your child as parents are leaving in droves due to the economic climate (there probably isn't even a waiting list anymore).I would like to home school but I don't think it's very good for their social skills- I am just horrified at the language used in my 2 dds schools- but it could be the same in Public schools now I don't know. We were humiliated on a regular basis for bad behaviour at my boarding school and I still say this is the best method of chastising children too big to batter (only kidding!!)Having stood in a corridor holding the bible (for several hours) and telling everyone you were sorry for throwing a board rubber at Sister Anne you soon realised the error of your ways - this is probably seen as child abuse now- maybe I could sue?

Yeah, but were you really sorry neddie. (Yes, I am going to burn in hell. .

iris what is your due date? I'm 26th June.

stormfly hi, thats the biggest problem! i have not visited either schools, cos i am in London and the schools are in sydney!!!

so, if i want to have 2 schools to choose from, i will have to pay for 2 deposits. the prep school wants around £250, the montessori school wants a term's fee. argh. if only money grows on trees!

neddieur right, kids are just not disciplined enough these days. not that i am condoning beating them up ! i think we have gone too far the other way.

Tee - i'm due on 6th Jul but if my sugars continue to creep up they want to induce a couple of weeks before. If that's the case then I'm going to go hell for leather to get started a few days before then - I managed it last time poor DS2 was bounced on an exercise ball to within an inch of his life to get me started whilst I was in hosp waiting to be induced (that was at 38+2). Fingers crossed eh!

I think that the lack of discipline seems to stem from childrens' belief that they deserve to be respected before they will give respect to anyone else. A few generations being overindulged perhaps It's not automatic for them to respect an adult (or indeed anyone) anymore. Very sad.

Sadly neddie where I am there is a plethora of wealthy types for whom the recession really doesn't seem to have touched!

Places at the top girl's school are still as rare as hen's teeth and because there are a massive lack of school places, people are still queuing into the next county to get into independent primary schools.

Thing is we're a grammar country. If you get into grammar then it's as good as going private - they're that good. Sadly it's over 65% of privately educated kids that get into the grammar system here. The places for the decent state schools is ridiculous. I now know FIVE parents who've got nothing...zilch....zero schooling for their DC this coming sept, despite one couple having moved to be near good schools! Plus, most of the church schools take from within the diocese, so we get buses pouring in from Oxford and Berkshire most mornings. In the neighbouring village there are three schools not taking any new children next year as they are already full on siblings due to be coming up

We have a hit list of 3 schools and if we don't get one of those, then it's getting onto the waiting list and going privately till they come through!

Our county got the dates wrong for the next round of applications....told us it was this year - we;ve been going nuts....and no, it's next year - phew! May win the lottery before then

Sorry - that was a rant. Memo to self...must write to next Prime Minister about my concerns...lack of places, lack of standards, blah, blah, blah