When shall we three meet again? The not quite NT, not quite weightloss thread ......

[moosemama]

We were full up ladies, so we finally have our very own weightloss-ish thread!

Oh well done getting to grips with it. Nearly there! You won't know what to do with yourself when it's all finalised!

Glad dd is ok, and for Ds. Ds1 here was always resistant to one ab, but they insisted on using it first every time, because the one that worked was one of the 'old school' anti-b's. We always ended up on it anyway, but it did make me cross that procedurally he had to have something that wasn't going to work first, potentially worsening the situation. I think after about the fourth time we got a sensible doc, and when I asked for the old ab off the bat, he actually looked at the records and listened to me and prescribed it.

Right, boot camp today. Not looking forward to it. Tired and feel old and creaky!
Got back at about 11.15 last night with dd1

Good luck for getting the statement squared away today.

Well, I was up until 2.00 am and worked on it again from 9.30 until 2.30 today, but it's done and I've finally delivered it.

They said they are probably going to issue another proposed statement prior to finalising it, as we have so many changes and will call me to discuss any amendments they're really not happy about.

Statementing officer isn't in until Thursday now, so its just a case of waiting to see what they say/do. I'm still not completely happy with it to be honest, I'd like the objectives to be easier to monitor and for the the 1:1 bod to have clear reporting and responsibility/accountability lines detailed, but the content is all there and the for the most part the provision meets the needs - just a couple of needs not clearly covered by the provision and I've queried those.

I'm exhausted and the dcs are literally driving me up the wall. Ended up completely losing it with the boys this morning over their continued fighting, tale telling and refusal tidy their pit bedroom.

Ds1 is being an absolute nightmare, constantly on at the other two, correcting them, telling them to be quiet and stop moving/making a noise/breathing and regularly making ds2 cry with his vitriol, as well as being convinced every five minutes that he's accidentally eaten/swallowed something poisiononous, or touched something toxic - and that's not even getting started on how rude and cheeky he's been to me.

I can't wait for them to go back to school really, which makes me really because I was hoping we could have a nice relaxing break without all the school stress. I suppose its symptomatic of almost 3 weeks stuck at home with the dcs (because ds2 was off sick for a week before the holidays started).

It's ds2's birthday tomorrow and he has two friends coming over from 2.00 pm until 6.30 pm, but dh has booked the afternoon off, so at least I'm not on my own.

The house is a disaster area, I need to bake a birthday cake for ds2 and a gf one for ds1, because he can't and won't eat the chocolate, gluten-filled one ds2 is having and I haven't wrapped his presents yet either.

Congratulations to your dd on winning silver - loving the picture of her fully glammed up and flopping about in wellies.

I don't reckon I'll get another workout in until Thursday, so that will be five days since my last workout. Also have to confess to a trip to Druckers with Mum and the dcs after handing in the statement. Mum persuaded me I deserved a reward and weak willed as I am, I had an enormous piece of chocolate, cream cake.

There seems to be something every week that gets in the way of me getting properly back into things and I'm starting to get cross with myself and really frustrated by it. Roll on next week when everyone is back to school and my time (and my ears) will be my own again!

Mm, blooming rl getting in the way of everything. It's always us that end up not being able to do things we want to though, never anyone else....

You'll get there. Sometimes priorities just have to be worked out.

Hope the cake/s are perfect and that ds2 is enjoying his birthday. You should be mid - party at the mo!

I'm back off to the city with dd1 for dance this afternoon, and dh is coming home early to get the other two from school. Thank goodness, it was a nightmare on Monday night as Ds literally couldn't stand still. Or sit still. He spent the whole night charging around the foyer or sitting in the theatre flapping the seat of his chair up and down. It was his own fault. He hadn't eaten anything all day and was refusing to eat his lunch. The snack bar only sold chocolate, and he went and bought some whilst I was sorting dd1. So he was on a massive sugar high on an empty system, and flatly refusing to eat anything that might even him out. he doesn't help himself, sometimes. I know it must be a drag, but you'd think he'd realise when it has such a huge effect! And of course his meds had worn off as well...

Right. Better get on. No exercise today as I am feeling v creaky. Boot camp yesterday was hard. Earlier back tonight, so no bother about crap food either.

found you again! thought you had all gone v quiet over Easter. Sorry to hear about the various unwell children. House will I am sure virtually sort itself once your DS's are back at school Moose. Hope the statement review goes well.

Moose - what exactly is this bootcamp? How many hours a day how many days a week?

Hi, I'm hiding while dh cooks the tribe pizza.

Cheated in the end and bought a generic chocolate birthday cake for ds2 and a shop bought gf victoria sandwich for ds1. Couldn't face the stress of baking on top of everything else that needed to be done. Ds2 is such a sweetie, he just said "that's ok, especially as it looks extra-extra chocolatey". If I hadn't made a cake myself for ds1 there would have been major trauma!

Managed to get all the housework done with half an hour to spare. Good job I did as one of the Mum's had to come in when she dropped off her ds. Our house doesn't present itself well even when it's clean and tidy, because its very small and very full, so if the housework hasn't been done it tends to resemble a cross between a junk-shop and a warzone. Its just about passable when the housework has just been completed, but deteriorates very quickly.

Ds1 has been struggling with having a house full of children this afternoon. He came down to see me and got really upset. I gave him a cuddle and he was literally shaking, really anxious about them being in his room, all the noise and chaos etc and making excuses why he didn't want to play with them, but not in a state where he could choose something else to do.

We talked it through and it turns out this is what happens to him at school if his best friend isn't there. He perked up when they got the DSes out to play some multi-player games and then dh took them all to the park to burn off some energy. He seems to have come back feeling much happier, although he's obviously struggling to keep up socially. Only two younger boys here as well - reminds me why we haven't invited many friends around over the years.

Dh said he couldn't believe how rude, cheeky and bolshy the other boys were when he took them to the park. Not to mention the lack of toilet flushing and hand washing and coming straight out the toilet room to eat pizza with their hands! I'm starting to think we must be very strict compared to some of the other parent's around here.

Good luck to your dd again for tonight. Hope she brings back another prize. You should be able to enjoy it more as well with not having to supervise ds.

My boot camp? Tis spinning and something called boot Pilates and bosu. I only go twice a week, but it runs four times, for an hour.

Lol at you hiding, moose. well done on finding a stress free fix for the cake scenario. Quite right. Sometimes good enough is good enough. Doesn't stop the maternal guilt thang, but it really is good enough.

Poor ds1. But interesting that it put him in a position where he could relate it to other events, too? Lol at dh. Mine is exactly the same - he moans about how awful our kids are with behaviour and whatnot, and then when he comes into contact with other kids, gets a good dose of reality. . And I think that we have to remember that to an extent, rules and discipline regarding behaviour are what helps to keep interesting families sane. Imagine how hard ds1 would find it with no expectations at all? No routine, no order...

Well, hopefully the pizza went ok, and you managed to relax a bit after the chaos of the last few days.... Shred today?

How ya doing, tlp? Weighing tomorrow?

Hi TLP, hope you had a good Easter break.

Madwoman, I do feel really guilty for not doing the boys proper fancy birthday cakes, but it was that or collapse.

Ds1 didn't actually manage to relate how he was feeling to how he feels at school. Twas me asking gentle but probing questions that managed to connect up the dots.

He's been even worse today. Started on ds2 and dd first thing, didn't want to play what they were playing because 'its just stupid' but then wouldn't/couldn't find anything else to do because he didn't want to play on his own. He spent half of last night ranting because on of ds2's friends built a lego star wars kit ds2 had only had for his birthday that morning, then half of this morning complaining that ds2 wouldn't let him dismantle a kit he'd just spent two hours building just to rebuild it.

Had to stifle a laugh yesterday when he said the reason he won't/can't play with the other kids when his best friend isn't there at lunchtime is because "they just go round shooting at nothing with their fingers. There's not even a gun or anything and they're shooting at nothing for goodness sake Mum, they say they're shooting storm troopers - but there's no-one there!" cue emphatic hand gestures and then .... "and they get cross when I tell them that"! Shouldn't laugh, but sometimes he's just soooo blooming textbook!

Dd has been playing pretend schools this morning. She does it regularly when the boys are at school. First gets on the bench seat in the window and rows there in her little boat, then I have to be the teacher and she chooses a lesson, then lunch and playtime. This morning we had a music lesson involving a tambourine and a recorder. You can imagine how well this went down with ds1 today. "That is not a boat it's a bench." "No you are not at school, you are in the living room. You are not old enough to go to school." "That's Mummy not a teacher." etc ad nauseum. Dd was sooo not impressed with him.

Sadly no shred today. I had all these wild ideas about doing a shred and some bfbm between now and Legoland so I don't completely freak out about having to wear a swimsuit in the hotel. Complete denial about the fact I was almost certainly going to crash today - and I have. Been curled up on the sofa desperately googling swimsuits that you don't need a mortgage to buy, yet contain sufficient enough scaffolding to contain a 32 GG/H chest safely in place. I actually bought two suits last week. A sort of sports, boyleg full body one for maximum coverage and a cuter 1950's style poka-dot halterneck. Sadly - neither are anywhere near up to the job. I am now considering a shock absorber tankini top with a pair of generic boyshort bikini bottoms. Whatever I end up with I'll feel nekked in in public. Haven't worn a swimsuit since I was 17 and weighed 7 stone 4.

Hoping I'll feel better and manage some exercise tomorrow. Today I look like someone has blacked both my eyes and simultaneously drawn all the blood out of my body - such a good look!

Also weighed in this morning and am back up to 157 after that incredibly salty pizza last night. Drinking like a fish today in an attempt to flush it all out again.

You know, just do it with the swim suit. Just put one on, grit your teeth, and get in the pool. No-one will bat an eyelid. And once you're in the water no-one can see a blooming thing. Have your towel or a robe ready so that you can use it to transition to louder or whatever, and re-org when you get there.

The more you do it, the less scary it will be. What is the worst that will happen? The absolute worst? No-one is going to point, stare, or laugh, you might get a glance in the same way that you might glance at other people. and you are never going to see anyone again. Ever. Even if your swimsuit tore arse to tit with the incredible pressure of your unseemly body and you were stark nekkid until you grabbed a towel, no-one would know who you were, and it would be a two minute wonder whilst you shuffled off to your room clutching a towel....

I went to a naked spa place once in Hungary. It was freaking terrifying. I don't do nudity but to have been able to grit my teeth and get through it was kind of interesting. And you do realise that everyone has completely different bodies.

Just do it! No more swimsuit searching (you won't find one you are happy with anyway!) as long as one fits, just grit your teeth and get in the pool. you can do it!

But be very kind to yourself today.

Why does she row to school? and lol for Ds. Poor chap. Sometimes you have to smile. Does he understand the concept of imagination in rudimentary terms, even if he can't experience it in absolute terms? Can you teach him to just chalk it up to them being different?

BUT, what if the same poor people that see me in the pool, then have to eat their dinner in the restaurant at the same time as me - tis bound to put them off eating y'know.

Its not really about what other people might think though, more about me feeling comfortable and not exposed. I even felt embarrassed on my own in the living room when I tried them on. [ridiculous prude emoticon]

I think dd rows to school because she once saw it on Dora the blooming Explorer. She's going to be very disappointed next year when we have a two minute walk to get to her classroom every day.

Ds1 does understand about imagination, for example he's been getting quite good at some times of creative writing recently - although when examined it is all pretty much rooted in his own experiences, but he has zero tolerance for pretend play or overt imaginative behaviour by other people. He's pretty intolerant in general really, but this is one of his absolute pet hates and guaranteed to make him snarl!

Dora has a lot of responsibility in these sorts of situations.

Those people on the restaurant won't even recognise you with your clothes on.

I know it's about you, really. But gritting your teeth and just doing it. Once. And thn twice, and then maybe even a third time. And then after that it will get easier. Honest.

I do a deliberate 'zone out' en route from the changing rooms to the water. If I'm immobile on a lounger it isn't so bad. It's as though movement and being upright is far worse.

You will be fine. The world will not end because you wore a swimsuit.

Aw you are lovely - but I'm a hopeless case I'm afraid. I used to seriously love swimming, but the fact that I haven't been for nearly three decades kind of gives away how deep seated this is. Daft, but then that's me all over really.

I am going to have to get over it though, because there's no way dh can cope with three young non-swimmers all on his lonesome. Honestly, it's incredible what you will do for your kids that you'd never do if it was just for your own benefit. I used to suffer really badly from social phobia, never spoke to anyone and avoided every social situation I could get away with. Didn't even go to the doctors because I wasn't brave enough to speak to them. Yet now I can deal with paediatricians, psychologists, SENCOs, Head Teachers etc etc because they are children and they have no-one else to stand up for them, so I can't let them down.

Am thinking the two slices of chocolate birthday cake I've had today aren't going to help with my cozzie cowardice though!

Ds1 has cheered up by the way - because they are having a Lego Star Wars battle and they have models that actually shoot!

Oh - spoke too soon - apparently dd is spinning the cockpit on hers round too often and its unrealistic. [sigh]

Exactimo. That's how come I can drive without having a breakdown. blardy kids.

You'll be back to swimming regularly again soon, once you get the first few trips out of the way. And that will be great for your fitness, too! A non weight bearing alternative to the shred!! (for those Urgh days)

Ah. That does remind me of ds's meltdown when dd2 didn't turn off her iPod the right way....

Right, have done a fashion show of my three swimsuit options for dh and actually, I don't look as bad in them as I thought I did, which is good - I think.

The full coverage, boyshort one like this and the one underwired I bought before ds1 was born, but have never worn, were the best of the bunch, although I think I'd be more comfortable with swimskirt over the latter. Will take both and decide on the day I think.

Dd has been winding ds1 up to ridiculous proportions this evening by announcing that she is a guinea pig. Of course this involves a lot of scuttling and squeaking, not to mention refusing to answer to her name 'because guinea pigs can't talk'. She's still a guinea pig now actually. She was so emphatic about it, I was tempted to put a layer of straw in her bed for her to nest in.

DH was never one for pretend play either by his account, DS wasn't too bad once he got over the language delay side of things.

Swimsuits - shudder. If I can go to the pool occasionally at 13stone plus, you can do it too. As I am an apple resembling nowt so much as a pregnant weeble, I go for ruching and high legs. Greenpeace hasn't been called .yet

Think you need to try something less demanding than the shred. 10 minute solution or Pump It Up are quite decent and pacy, without being ridiculously knackering.

Madwoman - still confused about boot camp - is it 1h per day or 4h?

One hour!

Yay for swimsuits and no one fainting in horror it is good! Tis brilliant. Now get on out there

TLP, had to laugh at Greenpeace not being called. I know the shred is a few step/s too far, but I know myself well enough t know that if I don't go for broke, I won't go at all, iyswim. I'm my own worst enemy either way round really.

I am also at four hours. Actually I'm also at one hour - the shred might be tough, but at least its only 20 minutes. Even BFBM doesn't go on for an hour. Madwoman - you are well'ard!

No, mostly I am well knackered.

Sooooo, I am 11.13
Half a freaking pound off again.

I know it's been tricky this week what with dance etc, but a bit grr. I did eat an entire bag of cheese flavour popcorn yesterday, which didn't really fit with the whole plan (!) so maybe it's sodium .

Half a pound is still half a pound Madwoman, it's all going in the right direction. Look at the bigger picture - that's a pound since you came back off holiday.

I on the other am still blooming 157lbs and with the whole swimsuit thing to face up to - this is not good news.

I did manage a level two shred today though, so it's not all bad news.

We've been to a craft centre this afternoon. One we know doesn't do gf meals, so we gave ds1 a sandwich to eat on the way and then bought one each for the other dcs when we got there. Just a plain white roll with grated cheese each - nothing fancy. All three knew they could have icecream afterwards, but ds1 was not happy. Apparently their sandwiches looked delicious and it was unfair and what was he supposed to do while they ate theirs yadda, yadda, yadda. I of course pointed out how we always do our best to find him something to eat, but that it just wasn't possible on this occasion, which is why he ate before we went, but it was no use. Life is just horribly unfair and I favour the other two - apparently. Then when we went up to get the damned icecreams it turns out they actually had gf fruitcake, so we got him some to go with his icecream. It was massive, so I suggested that as his siblings weren't allowed anything but a plain cheese sandwich in an attempt to not upset him and to keep things equal, he might like to share a little of his cake with them - oops, what was I thinking!

I should also confess to have zero self control and eating a slice of date and pecan pie. In my defence, I did decline the cream to go on top though! Honestly, I don't know what has happened to my self control around food recently, but I seriously need to get it back.

Things were ok once we went outside and fed the ducks and Mum bought them all a miniature pottery mouse (well and one for me as well actually) though, so the afternoon wasn't a total washout - but would have been better if ds1 hadn't spent the whole time we were out frantically asking when he was going to get DS time and fretting that he might miss it.

Sorry to hear about the food issues with your ds. I think putting it into MFP is a good idea actually. If it was ds1, I would then show him where the computer says he isn't eating enough and will make himself ill, as I think he is probably more likely to listen to a computer than he is to me. Do you think that might work for your ds at all?

I have just realised that ds2 hasn't done his holiday homework, so that's going to be a lovely battle this weekend - great way to end the holidays.

mmmm, fruitcake. i wouldn't have wanted to share either.

blooming food. it was easier when ds was verging on gf, tbh. maybe the 'freedom' of the stuff he's eating is in some way causing his refusals? some sort of control thing as it's not being applied externally at the mo?

might do the mfp. it judst popped into my head, but i am quite interested now. either that or it will stop me flapping so much about what he's actually getting in...

he did make me laugh though. his math homework was one of those things wehere there are loads of questions, and then an answer chart where you translate each answer into a latter, and the whole sheet spells out a sentence. well, the title was 'why did the posh potatoes not want their daughter to marry the news broadcaster?' (which i thought was well odd for a math sheet). the answer they had to work out, was of course the punchline to the joke, at the bottom (the answer being 'because he was just a common tater'). ds did his homework, got the answers, wrote them all in, and looked completely baffled. completely. about two hours later he said 'i don't understand my homework', so he had obviously been trying to work out wtaf. i do love him, and he did grasp it once i explained, but the whole marrying potatoes and lord knows what else had sent him into a bit of blank. i think he was just grateful that he had got the answer right, even though he had no idea what it meant.

It was a ridiculously big piece of cake though - bigger than the plate in fact.

Poor ds spending two hours trying to fathom out his homework. Any homework that has you explaining about potatoes getting married is beyond requiring abstract thinking, imho.

oh, the learning support teacher finally called me yesterday (i sent his class teacher a bit of a shirty e-mail as they've had his dx and psych report for four months and the original idea was to move him up) to arrange a meeting for next week. she started gushing about how lovely and wonderful he is, and how motivated, and i had to jump in and remind her that 1-1 he is a doll, but the reason for his referral and assessment was because the school had huge difficulties with him just zoning out and not partaking in his education at all. there was a little pause. so i said 'i do understnad that mrs x thinks things have imporved significantly since he has been on his medication.' another pause. she said she was going to sort out soem things for the next year as he was so good at math, and i just said i thought that was probably a good idea, as there wasn't time left to anything this year, despite the original intention being to move him up to grade 6. she obv felt a bit more confident on that score and started gushing about social/ peer group etc and i said 'i totally understnad that, which is why the psychologist recommended in december that he just be moved up for maths, rather than across the board.' another pause. i said 'you have seen a copy of the report, with the results of the assessment and recommendations?' it was a leetle awkward, but she said 'ooooh, yes, well, we can talk about that next week, ha ha. we don't want to go through everything today, we won't have anything to talk about at the meeting!' in a bright and breezy tone.

she clearly hasn't read it. from what she said, i'm not even sure she realises he has any sn, and she wasn't just supposed to be seeing him because he was quite good at maths.... if she's just been doing a few math papers with him 1-1, which i think is the case, he would probably have seemed like the most engaged child that ever lived. which he is, in that context.

Can't believe she hasn't read his reports. Even worse that she thought she was just supposed to be doing extra maths with him.

I have a feeling she might need to be wearing body armour for next week's meeting!