Karl, Marc and Oscar might be three WISE men, but if it's AVID women you're after, this is the place

[PlumSykes]

new thread

Hello Ladies, glad to hear that your Christmases went well, just the NY to get through now. I have spent many an hour on the internet and have half filled baskets on many sites but I just can't seem to make it to the checkout.

I think I'm having the same dilemma as you donkey. At least you've managed to master classic. In an attempt to look 'trendy' this past season I bought a grey biker jacket, a boyfriend blazer, some skinnies and a few breton tops, oh and a bit of leopard in a scarf and bag . I am sure you could rock that look - if you wanted too . Agree your hair looks lovely, don't have it cut.

I am loving the NYRs. I finally got around to shredding. All 5 of us jumped around to Jillian this morning. I wore my old aerobics outfit reminiscent of the green goddess. What a laugh.

About Dukan, I'm much more of a carb person than a protein one. Does that mean it's the wrong diet for me? Is Atkins the one I should be thinking about?

Oh, I can now empathise with those of you who have IL 'trouble'. Well done cake on remaining composed and not rising to the bait. I am afraid I did not and the floodgates to years of resent have been opened .

Tracey, I must try and catch Upstairs Downstairs.

Just poking my head around the door to say hi. V pleased to report I made it to BD with no probs (flight was a doddle compared to my first attempt!)...soooo glad I re-booked, I just love it here. Having a fab time, being totally looked after, wonderful weather etc...not caught up, but hoping you're all making the most of the sales

Hello! Can catch up now...

My New Years resolutions are like Bloss's, and actually, so is my style summary. So perhaps I should just say "what Bloss said" and sign off? Ha ha, Bonsoir love that your DP is so excited about more "love" he has found a personal trainer! DH is also v much looking forward to, ahem, resuming normal services. Once I have stopped breastfeeding will be shredding and Dukaning. Really can't wait to be a normal size again!

Hello petitdonkey (btw I think keep your hair long - but I like/have long hair so could be biased. Experiment w wearing it up/back to see if short looks good?) and MrsSB (so sorry to hear about the divorce, BTW ). *

Zembo - delighted you have made it to Bangladesh!

Tracey - I can't wait to watch Upstairs Downstairs! How wonderful to be rich in the Edwardian era (bad luck if you were one of the vast majority who were poor, but let's not think about that...).

Cakey - def get the Marant jumper - 'tis beautiful!!

Fritzi - all 2 year old dresses sold out on Zara website - madness! Well, I will just have to try harder . Had lovely time w DH anyway, lots of strolling, getting coffees, relaxing chats (whilst feeding babies). V nice. Not too many places we can take small babies in this weather.

Oh pickled you poor love! this can be such a trying time of year, so sounds like every now and then a little IL spat will happen. Unless you live on the other side of the world...

OK, something have been wanting to offload about...

This breastfeeding malarky - so mixed up about it!! I swore I was not going to get stressed about feeding the babies and would follow "path of least resistance". BF was going well, but has been interfered w right from when babies were a few hours old (had to force feed formula due to low blood sugar, then again to meet weight reqts). So have been mixed feeding since Day 1, which was upset about. Only have continued mixed feeding and now I can feel that I am slipping further and further away from BF so that in a matter of weeks these babies will be pretty much FF. For a few reasons:

1. it takes forever to BF them (and unfortunately I don't have the patience/energy to spend so much time feeding them on demand, esp as will get out of sync). Maybe would be different if only had 1 baby?;
2. my milk supply and their milk demands are diverging, so would need to work v hard to up my supply to meet the demand;
3. I am too embarrassed to BF in front of visitors/when out; and
4. last but prob not least, I actually don't love BF that much - I get so frustrated w endless latching on and off, having a little drink then sleeping then wanting to feed again (honestly, even w a bottle some of their feeds take 2 hours!) and having to wear nursing tops.

So now I feel like a big fraud (esp since you and others are all so complimentary about how well I am doing) and a slacker (no real reason not to exc BF). So despite my resolution that I wasn't going to get hung up on feeding, here I am AGAIN, just like w DD1, feeling unsure about which way I am going to go and feeling guilty about not just resolving to exclusively BF.

God, do skip straight past this post if you don't have 3 hours to read it - and I don't need any replies, just thought some of you might understand and needed to share!

hi bunny!

thanks for marant feedback everyone, will consider further

pickled sorry about your Ils. sad] If you are carb-happy I recommend the Carol Vorderman 28-day detox. I did it after dc2 and dropped a stone in 28 days, and kept it off until dc3!! It's vegan but lots of food so good if you prefer large portions and restricted foods to unrestricted foods but portion control a la WW

right work done, kids bathed and baby has only had one sleep (this am) so will hopefully go to sleep pronto. Need to crack on make dinner and get them off to bed so we can go partay. I do love a wedding!! Actually, I fond weddings really boring. But I do love a wedding party Esp for a love story like this one (involved but lovely)

have good evenings all

Bunny I was exactly the same,and I haven't had twins!
I mixed fed both my younger two,and fully Ff the elder two.
Yes,it would have been nice to breastfeed exclusively,but it didn't work for my lifestyle and I got over it.
None of my children have any allergies/bonding problems/digestive problems etc etc.....
It is a cliche but the baby stage is so fleeting that it is a shame to fixate on the feeding issue when in reality it is such a small part of motherhood in general.
Do whatever works for you.

bunny just read your post.

I did bf all of my 3 for close on a year BUT IMO (feel free to ignore, obv) feeding by whatever means is one of the first and most significant ways of nurturing your LO. If it is not enjoyable for you then that is 'felt' by them. Much better a relaxed bottle-wielding mum than a tense bfing one.

As someone with various food hang ups, I also believe that feeding must be a positive experience, for all concerned, from the get go. As the mother of a daughter I am even more conscious of that. As the mother of three daughters, I think you have every reason to make feeding as positive and comfortable an experience as possible for you and them.

HTH
and you are doing brilliantly. Never forget that.

Hi bunny, don't be too hard on yourself.I was in your position a few years ago(my twins are now five and their big Sis 7)I breast fed my eldest and was determined to do the same with the twins.that didn't work out as I just couldn't get ds to latch on and we were both getting very frustrated.in the end my ds was bottle fed and dd breastfed..I even tried to express but as I'm sure you know,when do you get the time to do that.
Anyway,the point im trying to make is do what makes life easier for all of you.twins and a toddler is bloody constant and at least your dh can feed one of them.
The ironic thing is my twin dd is the one that has had eczema and other skin problems.

bunny Do what feels right for you and your gorgeous twins

bunny, it doesn't matter how you feed them! They'll still grow and if you're happy, they'll be happy. Heroic effort thus far though!

Bunny - you've done amazingly well to do any bf with twins and an 18 month old you know

Feeding is just one small part of parenting and you've given them a tremendous start. And purely anecdotally I know quite a few people with twins and none have excl bf and very few have bf at all for as long as you have.

Zembo - so glad you're there and having a fab time

LTEC - what are you wearing?

bunny, you are doing well, ever so well. Be kind to yourself .

petitdonkey, wow what a figure. Although I can see how netaporter would be of no use whatsoever!
I have scoop neck Bretons from Boden that would suit you. I also imagine an indigo denim, dare I say bootcut, like Paige Pico would look great. I have a pair, 31, lowish rise that I was about to eBay which I could send you if you like. Definitely get a smart blazer that nips in at the waist. You probably need a heel too to balance things out.
You can be mire fashionable with accessories like statement necklaces, bangles, rings, nail varnish. It's a womanly shape that suits classic shapes though isn't it?
Re colours I would say Autumn. Useless as can't link to the kettlewell colour story chart, but I see you're wearing gold jewellery and do you have redness in your hair? Do you suit cream better than white?
Let me know if you'd like to give the jeans a go.

Kettlewell colour story (just bought a few 'autumn' basics in their sale).

Aargh, I couldn't do it either, bloss! Petitdonkey, you can click on the colour story at the top of the page.

Thanks apuski. How did the appointment go?

I am finding the sales very uninspiring. All I have bought is a scarf from Fat Face and these shoes from Jones. I am waiting for the Brora sale to get my Christmas present from my mum.

Hope you and your DH had fun testing beds, fritzi ; did you reach a decision?

I had a really lovely afternoon - I dropped DD at her friend's house at 1.15 and didn't have to meet DP until 2.30 (he was having lunch out with his father), so walked over to Lô (ex-Lô Sushi) and had a fabulous meal of three noodly-algaey starters, a bowl of Miso soup with mushrooms, grilled eel, rice and a plate of vegetable tempura. Heaven . Then walked down to meet DP and FOL at their (trad French not my scene at all) restaurant for coffee. When we left FOL, DP and I drove over to the sixth, where we first changed the shoes his parents gave him for Christmas and then for a major browse in Le Bon Marché, buying DP a Borsalino hat in the process, picked up some tights for DD, a desk lamp for DSS2 and browsed lots of furniture and wound up having a very serious browse in the lingerie department (no saleperson disturbed us ) and I got a gorgeous new set of deep pink lingerie in La Perla. Then we went for a quick browse in the new Hermès store before fetching DD.

DP wants to go out for... sushi! DD wants to stay at home. Must run and negotiate/arbitrate!

Thanks for asking bloss - Baby A has been signed off by the paediatrician, having reached the heady heights of 14lbs and broken through the second centile line! I need to carry on with the prescription formula for the next couple of months until we're established with solids, then can revert to normal formula - its been good getting it free for a while!

Didn't manage to get ds1 into the GPs today, we'll go tomorrow morning - only he's started vomiting in the last couple of hours, so don't know if we'll make it. So I'm on the laptop sitting next to him whilst he watches back to back Octonauts (obsessed!).

Bunny, I just wanted to add to what others have said, do what works for you and then try to relax about it. I've now stopped expressing for A, so he's on all formula, and I feel OK about it - I did the best I could with the circumstances I had, which included having to look after ds1. Hope you're feeling OK about it.

That is great news re baby apuski. Not so great re vomiting ds1!

Right, have done my best to catch up!

bunny - I can say the same as everyone else. You have given your girls the best possible start so far, so don't beat yourself up over whatever decision you have to make that fits for you and your family.

LTEC - Marant is beautiful. Am of the sales shopping - no chance/inclination at the moment, so just living vicariously through you all. What are you wearing for the wedding party?

*Petit - I am sure many men have been lost in those curves!! You have lovely hair, and I think it would look better longer tbh.

Zembo - delighted you made it out and hope you are enjoying a much needed rest.

Pickled - sorry to hear about the IL issues. I am relatively lucky in that department. MIL and her DH have just left today after a stay and all went relatively well...although she arrived saying that she had 'no appetite' and proceeded to ignore most of the food I had prepared, but mainlined the wine. I have to admit I was a bit when she then claimed to have 'vertigo' and feel ill this morning. Ermm, tbh, thats what happens when you claim to only want about 8 prawns and some salad all day and then drink a bottle and hald of wine to yourself.....

blossoming - Your hosting of all those people sounds fab - and DH LOVED the apron. TY so much!

Bonsoir - Yes, I will also recommend the Shred. It is gard - but only 20 mins...and you will have MORE energy in the longer term. I have just been given 'No more Trouble Zones' for Xmas...and I suspect her 'Burn fat, Boost Metabolism' is on its way for my birthday next month!

Roma - delighted you are having a lovely time, and also pleased to hear that baby Apuski is getting bigger.

We are relaxing having either been staying with my parents, or having DHs parents with use all week. It was great - but tiring! DD is THRILLED with some utterly unsuitable plastic highheeled shoes she got for dressing up, and has minced around the house for the last 2 days in them.

I was very spoiled, and as well as my personal shopping thing, also got perfume and necklace from DH, plus some By Terry stuff. DPs got me Jigsaw vouchers (haven't been in for a while, but obviously will now!) and also vouchers for a weekend break for DH and I! Got some books that I had wanted, plus a couple of DVDs/CDs and htese - that are actually supposed to work and are much cheaper than Botox.... The joys of a DH working away from home for 5 nights a week, everyweek, are that I can wear this stuff in bed without scaring him!

Right off to see who I missed! Am receiving my next food order tomorrow morning for the NYE get together fopr friends that we are hosting. Just got to decide what to wear. Am doing salmon/procuittio blinis, chicken thing with cous cous and salad, followed by that 70s classic - Nigella's Yule Log!! And lots of bubbly, natch.....

super quick

great news on baby A Apuski and on reaching your destination zembo!!

about to go wearing this

Have put a photo of baby A from today on my profile to show you all!

Oh Apuski - super cute boys! And well done ds2

Stunning indeed LTEC!!