Would a camel cape be entirely wise? Or a pair of houlihans a bit too avid?? Who cares!

[notyummy]

Please join me ladies. Don't want to be too sad and lonely on a Friday night.......

Erm, hello ladies- just wondered if you'd noticed the camel cape here (centre, bottom AW10) methinks 'tis a good one.

FGM - v nice! If was going to succumb, then that might be the one....but I'm not.

Meant to say - Whelk - well done. Was that your first 10K? Respectable time so you must v pleased.

Bunny - twin girls. HOW gorgeous!

Dolcee, no sorry, but got an email from them just now for £15 off when you spend £50 or more: 5422

Hells - these were the cords I got. They're a good shape and were cheaper than I remembered.

I'll keep my eye out for you as am sure they'll have some more soon.

And £42 is topshop prices really.

Sorry for multiple posts but forgot to say that VB - I love those footglove boots. They will be a very wise buy as bet they're super comfortable.

Bloss - hope Cardiff was fun.

LTEC and Dolcee - do you ever sometimes feel that you're the only other mother of 3 doing stuff on your own. It just struck me at swimming today that a couple of other mothers who I knew had either brought husbands/grandparents along to help or had left other children at home with family/nanny.

I'm treated as a bit of an oddity at school because I don't have 'help' and do sometimes have to remind people that its actually quite normal as a SAHM not to have an au pair or nanny.

Just ruminating really . . . After 25 more 'oooh you've got your hands full' comments today .

DH said tonight though that various people at the wedding had said how well behaved our children were. Always lovely to hear although I suspect they don't realise that its because I was running round/distracting them like a mad thing.

Right - next meet-up - Hells - when are you free in october/november time?

Evening all,
Tracey - That wallis dress is nice - only and 8 left now though and if that fits you then it sure as hell won't fit me!

Love those outnet j brand cords. Gap used to do good cords when I was a student - I wonder if they'll have up to date versions?

MM - chloe boots and leather jacket both gorgeous. Jacket infinitely more wise though

Found some orange and silver earrings today that go well with dress (I think) and have decided that Ash shoes fit after all so am pretty much sorted.

Also got DD some startrites (but will also look out for some pedipeds) as she tried them on and was so thrilled and fascinated by them that I couldn't resist [push over]

Had a slight embarrasing moment in the shopping centre as put my shoes on the pushchair as I was trying on more boots only for DH to wander off with pushchair (he is very impatient) and leave me searching for him & DD like some lost shoeless hippy.

Hello! Having a quick peruse as DH is having a 'guitar lesson' in the sitting room! ... It's his age I think.... Actually he had a bit of a nightmare at the weekend...came a cropper off his bike and is black and blue...bruised collar bone, ribs, cuts and grazes....! I was not sufficiently sympathetic apparently, i.e. I opened the door to The Injured One, and am alleged to have basically said WTF when he said he'd hurt himself, and proceeded to 'nag' him about assuming a more responsible attitude! Oh dear.....

Traceyb - yes...feel like that too! Also, I'm treated like an oddity because I have 3. In the park this afternoon a woman came up and said, 'Are you that lady with 3 under 3?'... 'Quite possibly I was, but the eldest is 4 now!', I said, and walked off....It's like having oooh, 3 kids, is amazing or something...weird!

And yes, almost all others have grandparents helping out/husbands taking time off work for swimming lessons...etc

And the thing that really gets my goat is when someone feels you need a hand to do something, because, 'you've got your hands full now love'....aaaarggghhhh...Shut up!!!!!

Just remembered that last week in the same park a neighbour with teenagers walked past and said hello etc, then 'ooh, how are you coping?'...I just frowned and said, 'why?'...and she looked confused...and said lamely, 'well, it must be such hard work!'...I contrived a surprised expression, and just said...'no, little one is so easy, it's easy....your's must be so much harder!!!!'

Oh, sorry to harp on - so boring for everyone, but it's so bloody annoying and stupid of people to question your sanity, mental state and ability to cope just because you have 3 small children...so there!

I suppose it starts in pregnancy with people feeling generally able to say anything, pat your tummy etc etc...

Hello been away for weekend and must go to bed so will catch up properly tomorrow but just wanted to say LOVE the all saints leather jacket but those Chloe boots are RUINED by that ugly zip, I know it's the 21st century and everything has to be now now now but if you are into fashion surely you can take 30 seconds to lace up some boots.

Thanks btw Carciofi!

Quite right Libra! Off to bed now......!!!!

My wise thing for the season is to get out my ancient Helmut Lang brown cords, straight leg, more boyish fit, but they are teeny (26)and I tried them on and they fit! Woo hoo!

Just ordered some black wool cropped trousers from Boden...and La Redoute have some lovely black suede heeled Oxford Brogues, which may sound funny, but I think are gorgeous...which I intend to get and will wear with said trews...

Anyway, have spent rather a lot lately, especially whilst away on hols on all sorts of things, so will need to be really wise... They are plans afoot on a house but have to remain zip lipped...it looks lovely from outside...v v old, but we've yet to see inside...although its where we want it, so who knows...if it comes off will let you know!

DH still strumming...lesson supposed to be 1 hour!!!!!

Evening all. 20 days to holiday eek. Have moved up to Level 2 Shred tonight, which is much harder. Those plank exercises are tough - have not come across them before. PS Has anyone tried Rodial Tummy Tuck Sticks? Would they work or are they a fad?
Tracey Thanks for comments on DD. She is my pf(and only)born so I think she is quite special.
Cake Glad party went well and congrats on job.
A friend has just come over from NY and she bought me US Vogue (the Age issue). Haven't read all the features yet - been obsessing over some of the models in the ads who have fantastic skin.
Good to see you back OWW
Loving the Chloe boots Hells
Bunny Twin girls how lovely. Congratulations.
Have been more avid than wise lately. Got these choos in the sale.
this for the pool and this splendid dress for the airport run.
Watching Britain's Next Top Model - my guilty pleasure.

Tracey stunning CK dress. When is your birthday?

tracey - yes, definitely an oddity, the more so as having children seems, apparently, to mean that I should weigh 16 stone, wear trackie-daks and host my kids' b'day parties at Maccas with a cake bought from Greggs or Asda

Was at friend's birthday drinks do on Fri night and surrounded by mums-to-one having a chat about the difficulties of parenting and then one turned to me and said "so what do you have, boy or girl" and I was like, um, I have 1 girl and 2 boys and she was like "THREE children!!!????" The more so when she found out their ages etc. Anyway, by the end of the night, she came up and told me that I was her hero . Plenty of comments made post-party yest too "oh you put us all to shame, you;ve got three and yet you've blah blah blah" And if I had a £ for every time I heard "blimey. you've got your hands full" or, the other one "gosh, how do you do it?"

Incidentally, marsha I met someone on Fri night who also raved about that plane thing at Tate Britain, I will deffo take the dc, thanks for the rec!

Birthday madness over TG, now just have to find homes for all of the stuff lovely gifts that Miss P received (hate doing that ...hate clutter .. I feel a cull coming on!!) Took them cycling this arvo and then to jamie's Italian for dinner so all happy.

I know that Jamie is not my fave person at the mo but I must say that I think his menu could be just a leeetle more non-wheat friendly .. even the risotto had breadcumbs in it!! Prob good in the end as I may have eaten some wheat free cake yest so plumped (literally) tonight for a broad bean salad.

Not a scrap of fashion in this post so will close by saying that today I wore See by Chloe garden print silk blouse with Zara stone shorts. Thank you and good night

Evening!

Cakey - I was stunned by your DD's birthday cake - had to show DH who grimaced for me (he, rightly, realised that this is what I will be expected to do - yikes!!). Sounds like Miss P had the most wonderful birthday! But if shoes is all it takes to impress DDs, I am so sorted. I won't worry about cake efforts after all

OWW - and a welcome back to you! And a happy birthday for Mini OWW (unless I have stuffed up and confused your DD w someone else's DD!!)! Your holiday sounds fab!

CHOO - love your holiday dresses!

Tracey et al re childcare - DH wants me to get more help w DD but I am resistant (keep on nodding and saying will think about it, but I want to look after her). We will get a full time nanny the month before the twins arrive, though. It's been a struggle for me to get any help at all (feels like failing and I actually believe no one looks after DD like I do), but won't be able to look after DD and twins solo. Which is a shame, as could have (w some part time babysitting) if we were having 1, but twins change everything. Still, on the bright side, I will have a little gang of 3 DDs close in age. Poor DH - DD is quite besotted w him so if they are all like that he won't get a moment's peace.

Oh no, DD stirring/crying - must be teething...

OK, she just downed a bottle. DD (13 months) drinks a bottle in the middle of the night, most nights. Am guessing this is not normal and should try and put the kibosh on this before the babies arrive and I am destroyed?

OWW - that would be happy birthday to your DS!

Re meet up, as can't go to Australia any more, I can meet up whenever. Although think babies will arrive mid-late November (consultant says at 36 weeks by C section).

Thanks for all the congrats on twin girls! I was hoping to have 1 boy at some point, but that's not going to happen now (no more pregnancies after the babies are born). Imagine I will be so in love with my baby girls won't care at all.

Re comments from mums-of-one, if they are like me, they genuinely are in awe and don't know how you do it. I guess the problem is everyone making such a big deal about it, but I sincerely take my hat off to mums w a few or more young DCs. Err, which will be me. But, big difference - I will have help.

Yy it's very good. Inspiring. But remember it's Tate Britain, (not Modern) don't want you all going to wrong one

I can't comment on the three children thing yet but lots of sahms I know do get help, but stay looking good too. So much like TraceyB's experience. I thought about the odd hour here or there to get on with some work at home but it turns out I am incredibly picky (surprise surprise on this thread really ). So dh will step in for a couple of weeks in August. Will be great.

Hello everyone. Cake will you put a pic of the cake on your profile?? Tracey I'm not the derma roller girl - I think it was Rufus, but lord knows I could do with it too. I'm definitely getting droopy, and you can't go around grinning the whole time, can you?!

How lovely bunny, twin girls is my dream. My 3 boys play together brilliantly now they're a bit older. I must say that I wouldn't much have wanted to look after them all the whole time without a nanny when they were all under 5 though. But then, at the time I barely knew a single other parent (at our kids' rather chic school) who didn't have a full-time live-in nanny housekeeper. Seems to be the first thing Italians choose to spend their money on after essentials, and the going rate was only around 750-800 euros per month.

Waves to Hells, oww, and those who've been on hols and those who haven't. Have convinced dh that south of France is too crowded to be fun in mid-august, so are going to some Swiss mountains next week instead. He's convinced that a summer holiday has to mean the beach, but he hates hot weather and loves Switzerland , so fingers crossed he'll thank me in the end.

How are things vin?

Sounds civilised Roman How is work going?

About help with kids btw. I think the key is to have someone to do absolutely all of the housework, cleaning, tidying, washing, ironing, bed changing, cooking (unless you actually like it) etc so that you can look after the kids and avoid the drudgery. Then if you can leave the kids with said person too when you need to do kid-unfriendly stuff, like job interviews, or just want to get your hair cut or whatever, then the children are happy because they know their babysitter, and you're happy too as have some flexibility. Great system.

Do you all know that there's a chicken pox vaccine? If they catch it anyway they just have a few spots.

Much better today thanks Marsha. Tis finally quietening down a little bit, thank goodness. For the most part it's been like being hit on the head with a hammer the whole day. Nonstop 30 min deadlines. Got terrible cystitis as didn't have enough time to go to the loo often enough. Absurd! And all for peanuts. I still think in some masochistic way I prefer it to being sahm with kids at school all day though. The content is actually very interesting. But I'm on the lookout for something better, there must be a happy medium.

Yes I get nervous about being a sahm with school age children too. I seem to have developed two careers (two good CVs) and don't want to let either go, so may do a quick freelance stint to keep cv from debunking.

30min deadlines sheesh! That is tough. I remember you have a brilliant collection of skills and background, the next job will be better I think.

Housekeeper helping with drudge stuff sounds fab btw.

pic on profile Roma

agree re: help btw. I've been doing it solo for 4 years other than a cleaner for 2-4 hrs a week bc we couldn't afford help but, as Roma says, the kind of help I would've welcomed was of the drudgery type, so that I could've just had fun with the kids. Amazing how you end up making things like hanging out washing into a game - more amazing that they enjoy it!! ("and now .. pass me a RED peg!!")

Having mum here has made a big diff as she picks up groceries, hangs out laundry etc (although sadly cannot/ will not cook ) plus I/ the dc trust her as babysitter by night - so it's been nice to go out with girlfriends and dh again, plus extra opps for running etc. LAst week we met at the park and she walked with dc3 in the buggy while the big two scooted and I ran laps around the park for 30 mins - was good as I was right there and passing every 5 mins or so so could have abandoned run if anything had gone wrong. Having said that, I don't think she;s up to looking after all 3 solo (to be frank, neither is dh, not for more than an hour or so anyway) or maybe I am just used to working under my own steam, but in any case, I wouldn't have considered this new project with LA if it involved childcare or a full day of work per week ... C will be at nursery 2-3 mornings a week come Sept and they are happy for me to make up my hours as and when over the course of the week, so I will still burn the midnight oil, as is my wont anyway, really!
gosh rambly post! Glad you are enjoying work Roma but blimey it sounds exhausting.