Cyber Cycle Sisters !! xx

[hb1]

Hi Everyone

Well glad January is over! My gran's funeral was lovely but very emotional then Ollie was poorly and it was touch and go whether his party would go ahead but he was ok in the end so we did - was a fab party with boobie babies for the little one's and a lovely buffet and pass the parcel - and tons of helium balloons that I got off the tinterweb - was a blur for me and oh but everyone said they enjoyed it.

Just getting to grips with all the baby groups again so I have a toddler group monday afternoon, tuesday is free for visiting/soft play, Wednesday afternoon we go to a sensory group, Thursday morning is swimming and afternoon a under 4's group if we can fit around naps and friday is visiting again.

Having big clearouts at mo - we want to move as cottage is tiny and hotel nextdoor been taken over by neighbours from hell - had to complain to environmental health so that is going through. We will get a valuation for both sale and rental as we suspect to be in neg equity so might rent ours out and rent somewhere else.

Poss postponing starting business with sis as she is due in June and we want to ttc again plus a lot on with our house( so when we move will look for a bigger place ) so seems silly to start something that will require a lot of hard work straight away - bus idea is an art cafe - so doing painting pottery, mask making, textiles etc with children and a mummy friendly cafe - my sis lives in v affluent area which is as recession proof as you can be and lots of yummy mummies so it should be good but will be a lot of work to get off the ground. So I am going back to the idea of doing art for nurseries - like canvasses etc and selling on internet and at craft fairs etc - might have a go at doing little children's arts groups as we would in the cafe but just in village halls etc and see what the demand is - so less output and commitment poss also children's parties. Failing that might get a part time or weekend job once ttcing so I can get maternity benefit.....

Sorry about poorly babies Lou and Lucy - Ollie was I'll november and december non stop and it is so hard!

Jo - fxd for the job and good luck for your return to work. I can imagine how torn you must feel with the decisions you have to make -tis a toughy.....and all the other emtions about work no wonder you're feeling overwhelmed!

to Foley and his crawling ! Hope you find your new path post redundancy - it's a wierd time I can tell you! Had been in my job 11 yrs and it's surprising how much your identity gets swept up in your work!

OMG Toni ! congrats! 1st month too!

Lucy - get the baby led weaning cookbook - fab recipes in there and all baby friendly. Sorry about bfn but don't stress - get vit b complex to see if that helps? Ollie still bf all day too but when he was in nursery got funny about bottles so had my exp milk on his weetabix and took water fine from a cup. We started on a free flowing cup and are now on the ones wjth valves.

so Ollie's update as he is now 1- he is walking! Took 1st steps at 9 months but would only do 5 steps until last week when he just went for it. Still babbling loads but some definate words with meaning. He is a v contented, gentle little boy and a bit of a thinker. V good with his toys and v sociable. Still a mare with his sleeping though - and no way we can ttc till he sttn!

 

[Mummy2Angel.]

Hi girlies

Hope you are all well, finally back online!

Will get a chance tomorrow to do some catching up

xx

 

[cutelou101]

Hi everyone!

My boys are still all sleep (iincluding the dog curled up next to me) so popped on and loads of posts! (though i think i can hear foley now babberling in his room and playing with the cot bars!)

Toni congratulations!! First month!! :happy dance:

Jo - it must be so hard being away from your family. I'm sure it will all work out. Good luck on your return to work xx

Helen gald Ollie had a happy birthday and was well in time! Ollie sounds like he is doing great! Woohoo to walking now!! the new business sounds really interesting, fingers crossed for you with doing the research and setting it all up and going. Your week sounds like good fun!

I hope so too, so don't know if i'm doing right thing, i'm still working out whether to apply for my post grad teacher of the deaf course (and finding the money for the fees!) - i know of a head of department job coming up next year at a good school near the area we want to move too - but it would be moving away from my sign language i've started and career change. It was also mean DH going p/t and taking over as home parent. I'm not sure i want to go f/t, though would still get 13 weeks hols.

M2A - good to hear from you, hope all is well

Lucy - i love the cookbook, its great!!

Loads of snow here over night. Nice it's on a sunday as means we don't have to go anywhere! Foley is still army crawling but getting so much faster. Loves to stand but not pulling up yet, just crawls over and tugs at your legs!!

 

[hb1]

It would be a move up in your career though, it's a toughy! What does your oh think? Are you planning on baby number 2 in the future? If so would the increased responsibility fit with that? Is the dept head career progression still available in the future if you follow the sign language route?

 

[cutelou101]

I havent mentioned to dh bout it yet. Just know the person is leaving this year, so know there be job. Well it be slight promotion from my current as be bigger department. Teacher of deaf route be different promotion routes, you can end up being consultant for schools, but yeah could still apply for normal progression routes. guess at mo ill talk to dh and wait for job to come up. No plans for baby no2! not sure if the course and head of department be too much and no work life balance

 

[kanga]

Hello sisters! Sorry I have been awol for what seems like (to me!) a year. We have had broadband problems which were fixed finally today. the downside is that we are now with virgin and I dont know how to use the telly remote!

Going to catch up now. Hope you are all well. x

 

[hb1]

Yey Rach! How's young Charles?

 

[kanga]

He's great , thank you H. He is so big now, like an actual little boy rather than a baby. He's changing so much all the time.

He's 7.5 months now and has just mastered rolling back to front! Its so fun to watch. He seems interested in moving about now too and its fun seeing him try and get onto his knees like a frog.

Like the other CCBs, he was ill at xmas . He had a v bad bout of gastroenteritis which left him with a damaged tummy lining and now he is unable to process cows milk protein. So we are on 'special' milk. In the weeks before xmas he had severe dioreah that just wouldnt go away and eventually on xmas eve we had had enough and demanded lactose free milk from the out of hours doctor. He gave us a prescription but none of the pharmacies stocked it (this was 7pm on xmas eve!) so we ended up at the hospital begging the childrens ward to give us the milk. It fixed him straight away (turns out the OOH doctor didnt actually prescribe lactose free milk, but cows milk protein free). It should be temporary and hopefully fix itself in the next few months.

So his first xmas was a bit of an anti climax but i dont think he noticed. he looked cugte in his pudding outfit! He is so big now - gone from 9th to 85th percentile and he is really really long - 90th or thereabouts.

I have a pnd woman coming to see me on Friday as haven't been feeling great. Not helped by all the competitive friends I seem to have made whose babies do everything before they should. I've been down and its affecting my relationship with Ralph too so hopefully things will turn around now we have talked about it and taking action.

We are having a push on the house as its still not finished. Things take so much longer now we have a child to look after too!

Charlie fed himsself some food for the first time this week. He hasnt bene that interested to date but, *typical*, he dropped some pitta on the floor as usual so I just put it back on his tray thinking that he wouldnt eat it anyway. And lo and behold, he decides he will indeed eat it! So that was fun too. Later that day he choked on a spelt biscuit thingy in the garden centre. He was strapped into his pushchair at the time - lesson learned there.

I've read back through most of the pages. First a massive congratulations Toni! First month success, fabulous. H&H 9 months x

And congrats to Foley on crawling! Is your house ready Lou?! I've started to notice all the sharp corners around and ooo, I could make a cushion for this and that (yeah right). How do you feel about the redundancy? How can they make a teacher redundant ?! Surely the children still need teaching .. confused.

Very sorry to hear your Gran passed Helen. How lovely that you were with her though, you are very lucky to have had that, I hope you are feeling ok x

Lots of moving news too - Jo! Have any of the open house people come back with firm interest or is it just open market selling now? They have weird employment rules over there but hopefully you will be fine and get the job. Got everything crossed for you. How is Euan getting on with Livi now x

New year, new ttc journey. Hopefully you've done everything for this month Lucy. Keep us posted with the symptom watching!

 

[kanga]

Helen, your business plans sound really exciting, with and without your sister. I would love to do something like that but too scared! I have to start talkng to work re new working hours soon (can't really avoid it much longer!). I'm not expecting them to accept my 3.5 days proposal but we shall see

 

[kanga]

And happy birthday Thalia and happy birthday Thalia!

And happy birthday Oliver, Oliver, Kaiden, Olivia & Thomas (in reverse order!).

Mason's turn next M2A - hows everything hun? x

p.s. (sorry, keep spamming) bought a new pushchair today - picking it up tomorrow - v excited. Did you know that you can order anything you want from John Lewis online and then pick it up free of charge from your local Waitrose after 2pm the next day. Ingenious!

 

[hb1]

what pushchair did you get Rach?

I know you had a hard start so that prob didn't help, seriously ignore competitve mums - it's natural to want to talk about how lo is doing but some people are ott!

to Charles - sounds like you coped very well jn the circumstances - typical these things hit at christmas!

 

[goddess25]

Rach - you sound in fine fettle, your posts made me laugh. Competitive mums are evil. I had a few friends like that with Euan and he met his milestones mostly on time when he was supposed to, the only thing for him was his speech, while his friends were talking up a storm we had a word maybe and I worried too, and obviously these mums find the weak spots and go on and on about it.

This time with Livi I have not went to the same groups however I am way more chilled out this time, whatever happens will happen in her own time. In fact I think Olivia is a wee bit delayed in a few things mainly because Steven and I have over compensated with Euan and really not paid too much attention to her, poor poppet.

I am glad Rach that you are going to speak about your feelings, you may not have PND but its a difficult time nevertheless and you had a pretty tough go of things like Helen said. What a fab idea with John Lewis...not only am I super jealous of ordering fabulous baby items from JL but I am also super jealous about my lack of Waitrose too. What pushchair did you buy? Sounds like your little man is doing much better now with the lactose free milk, I can only imagine your anguish on Christmas eve.

Lou - sounds like you have quite a few plans on the job front and well done Foley on doing his first sign. Its exciting to have a few different roads that you can go down.

Helen - I wish I was arty and an art cafe sounds like a utterly fabulous idea. It would go down really well over here, you would make a mint at that here especially in the trendy areas. I wish I was arty and I would nick your idea. Better still why don't you move over here and I can be your partner.

Ok my news.

Euan will be 3 next Saturday and Livi will be 1 the following Saturday. We will just have a small party with the 4 of us so that will be very nice.
I have a new job. I have the same job that I had before so I am a transplant coordinator which I love, its temporary for 7 months but they are confident that it will be made permanent. The only downfall is its full time but just need to get on with it. I went to work this week to help them out as they have a huge health canada government inspection next week, but I still have some mat leave left so even though I worked this week I will start properly on the 27th.
It was a bit of a heart breaking wrench at the beginning of the week but towards the end of the week I started getting into it and enjoying it more. It was nice and way more relaxing at work rather than being home with the 2 kids. Its been a bit of an adjustment for the kids, Euan was struggling Mon-Wed being excessively naughty with Steven. When I got home on Wednesday night he was angry, ran up kicked me, burst into tears and then wanting the biggest tightest hugs ever. He told me I am not happy with daddy, mummy... then the heartbreaker I dont like mummy anymore. He was obviously feeling a bit abandoned however yesterday and today he was fine so 3 days it seems and he is over it.


We are interviewing for a nanny tomorrow which will be interesting, have lots of interview questions written down and we are interviewing 3 people tomorrow so not too many. Hopefully we like one of them.

We have all been sick, with vomiting bugs and now we all have awful colds.

Nothing to report on the house front, no one buying it. Apparently the back bedrooms are too small and its too close to the highway are the 2 big problems. Its only been 4 weeks though.

 

[kanga]

on the job Jo. I know its more hours that you wanted but hurrah never the less. Sounds like a great role for you, you'll be back into it in no time. Bless Euan, they show their feelings in funny ways bless them. Hopefully he will adjust soon too. Its nice to know how much he cares about you and misses you I guess.

Got a Phil & Teds buggy. Took him out in it today and theres loads more room for him but he's still cosy. And it just seems a lot better for him in the winter as it has more sheltering on the sides. I'm v pleased with it. And it was easy pushing him out in the snow today too! It can be made into a double too so not much expense when number two comes along (not yet!!).

Thank you for all the hugs Helen


Send positive painting vibes my way tonight! I'm having a push on the last of the painting! xx

 

[goddess25]

We have a Phil & Teds too, and I quite like it.

Hope you get some painting done.

 

[cutelou101]

Hi rach sorry to hear Charlie was also ill over christmas. Glad you got the right milk in the end. Fxed for a heathly christmas this year. big to the evil competitive mums! Not sure why people think it's ok to go on and on and then point out things that yours are not doing. I feel bad that Foley is moving before his friends, so don't mention it until they saw him move! Hope the pnd women helps, you may not have it but it is good to talk and get out how you are feeling. As Helen said you had a hard start xx New pram sounds nice, what one did you have before?

House is pretty much ok baby proof wise. He loves to crawl to the dog bowl, seems to be his goal. I have turned the handles round on the cabinets and have a room dividor for when the ovens on as we are completly open plan. He has currenlty crawled off to the kitchen, should go collect him! He also loves to chase the dog, poor boy runs everytime he gets close!

Redundancy wise, they have decided to take away my subject from the options from last year. So means i don't have a job. I'm not sure how i feel, scared really as really not sure what i should do for the best as have someone to provide for now!

Helen how is the art going?

Jo great news he return to work went well. Hope the nannys are nice that you interview. Glad euan felt better by the end of the week and you was enjoying going in xx Is olivia still enjoying crawling around? Hope both the babies enjoy their birthday fun!

I'm really not sleeping well at all. Dreaming far to much, and not good dreams. Been stuck in most of week due to snow. Can't safely walk fo and JD at the same time. So can't leave the dog very long as can't walk him till DH gets home. Enjoying watching foley crawl around places.

Hope everyone is well and having good weekend xx

 

[QueenieMurphy]

Hi Everyone

Congrats Mrs G - hope a lovely and easy 8 months ahead!! Whats your due date??

Hope I can join you soon but just on 3rd cycle TTC now(BFN last month girls obvs)(BDing beginning for this cycle tomorrow, uggh exhausting thought). Am disappointed it hasn't happened yet but I expect still going to take time, for some reason I keep picturing myself getting BFP in June/July.

Helen, glad Oliver had a happy birthday - its chaos isn't it. Sounds like you are very busy with all your groups, I take T swimming and a music class but I really need to find a playgroup for one morning a week as I think she'd love to have a good play with other LO's.

Rach, sounds like Charlie is doing great, one they start rolling there's no stopping them on the moving front - sorry about the competative mums - T has done everything late so I know how you feel, she's only just started cruising the last few weeks, however we have a real mix of friends and some the same age are only just crawling so I think just remember by the age of 2 they're all exactly the same and no one will remember who did what first.

Lou - sounds exciting about the job - you have options!! Though sometimes its easier not to have options. Sounds like Foley is going great guns with his crawling clever boy.

M2A . good to hear from you, hope all is well with you.

Jo - glad going back to work has been OK, and hopefully it will get easier from here on in. I hope Euan is settled now. Good luck with the nanny interviews!!!

Right am off to cook our roast, I love sundays as we all get to eat together and Thalia loves it.

So am starting ww tomorrow, feel so unhealthy, cant believe am still carrying an extra stone since before T came, I really want to lose it before I get pregnant so if no BFP for a couple months it wont be a bad thing. On the other hand I am still hoping for a BFP but this next pregnancy(if I get one) I will NOT be eating for 3 like I did last time!!!

Speak soon xxxxx

 

[goddess25]

Mrs G I forgot to wish you a huge congratulations on your pregnancy. Fabulous news. Hope you have a wonderful pregnancy.

Lou- love that Foley's challenge is getting to the dog bowl. Olivia seems to have the same challenge, her ultimate aim is getting her hand into the cat biscuits. Hope you manage to get your career sorted out soon, its really hard. Sorry to hear your having lots of bad dreams too, it doesn't sound very nice. Hope it stops soon.

Lucy - Good luck with WW. I need to do something too although I need to do a low GI thing eating every 2-3 hours due to my insulin resistance and hormone imbalanaces with PCOS... its a bloody pain in the arse. Good luck with the TTC this month..hope you get your BFP soon and you made me laugh with your enthusiasm for the BDing starting tomorrow

The nanny interviews were ok, we now have 1. A 20 year old girl who seemed quite mature, has been a nanny before and a babysitter since she was 14. She has first aid and a few other things and is hugely into arts and crafts which will be good for Euan.
The first women was a bit of a nut job... with a DUI, alcohol issues, she told us she is severely lonely and needs to be out of the house. I admired her honesty but really did she think we would hire her, she is from Preston and she seems to think the job is hers, she sent me a nutty e-mail last night about Euan and Olivia which was very sweet. She might have been the right person but can't really take the risk with her obviously.

Its Sunday morning and we have a viewer coming to see the house this afternoon so we need to do some cleaning etc. We need to have a big talk today about Euan, he needs some major discipline as he is getting difficult again. He so needs his boundaries but no matter what we are trying, its just not working. He is unbearable most of the time and I just want to see a happy little boy. It makes my heart hurt to look at him sometimes, he is just so angry all the time and sad I just dont know where we have went wrong. I cant help thinking its because Steven and I have spent the year struggling emotionally being here and struggling together. Can't believe I will be going back to work properly in 2 weeks and we will have a child (who seems lovely) as our nanny. Hope she doesn't quit after a few days.

ANy other tips please send them my way.

 

[kanga]

Knock me down with a feather, the painting is finished.

Sorry your dreams are keeping you 'up' Lou, I guess its anxiety about all the changes at the moment? During the day, if you ask yourself 'is this a dream' often enough, you'll eventually do it in a dream and them you can control the dream. Totally true! And weird.

I'm sorry to moan about the competitive Mums. I'm more than happy to hear about other peoples children and see them grow but sometimes wish I could say one thing about Charlie without someone else having to 'trump' it if you know what I mean. Rant over!

Good luck ttc this month Lucy, are you cbfm-ing or opking?

Huge Jo. Am sure all will be well with your nanny (well done side stepping the drinker!), sounds like she has experience and a good sense of responsibility. I have no toddler behaviour tips I'm afraid apart from watching supernanny, I am clueless. Hopefully it is just a phase. It's nothing you have done or not done so don't beat yourself up x

 

[QueenieMurphy]

Rach - I'm just doing opks - I never did cbfm first time round though I might have to invest - I got my AF back 5 months to the day T was born even though I was exclusively BF and it was my usual 28 day regular as clockwork cycle for 5 months then I had 4 months of 26 day cycles and panicked think something totes wrong with me(early menopause etc) then last cycle went to 29 days!!! Nightmare(obvs I thought I was pregnant even though BFN x 20).

Going to get back to the acupuncture and reflexology in 2 cycles time once I've lost some weight and been on hols - after hols I am TTC with a vengeance if no BFP by then. (Hols on 18th March - Mothers day AND my birthday on same day for first time ever- total bl**dy swizz).

So at the moment just selection of pills(prenates and EPO)DH on maca again, concieve plus every other BD and opks.

Congrats on finishing the painting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Jo hope the new nanny is fab - I know how you feel about the not so suitable one, I have to interview people a lot in shop and sometimes they are so keen and really nice and I feel bad not choosing them but I know they're not right for us.

BD#1 tonight

 

[cutelou101]

Morning ladies,

Should be doing my sign language homework (well i almost had a nap instead) but thought i'd pop on here for a bit. I can't seem to scroll up so i hope i don't miss anyone, trying to do it from memory!

Lucy good luck with the bding this week. Fxed it doesn't take too long to to catch your BFP. Have you done ww before? Thalia sounds like she is doing great, loved the recent vid you did of her on FB!

Jo the nanny sounds really nice, and sounds like she will be great with the kids, especially the art bits with Euan. No tips on the toddler front, only watched super nanny like Rach. I'm sure he will be great with the nanny, and hopeforlly settle into a nice routine. Dont' feel bad big

Rach congrats on getting the painiting done! Have you got much left to do? I'll try the tip for the dreams, it was crazy one night, i woke up 3 times, even really woke myself up but the dream just kept continuing from the same spot each time. I've always had a vivid imagination, maybe i should try some romcom books, rather the crime thillers! But think it is, as you say, all the change and uncertainity. Worrying too much and it's getting me down.

Fo is alseep, got him down early for his nap today as we are going to try get him down an hour early tonight as we are off to see regnald D hunter. He tends to be alseep for 7.30 to 8 now, but need to leave at 6.45, so it's project trick foley into bed early tonight! Means early dinner which he may not fancy, as don't tend to want dinner till half 5, and everything is going to be an hour early! I haven't expressed any milk for my dad, whoops, will try get an oz out later. Just need him to have his milk from me really before i go, he will go asleep once tired as long as he is full. Wish me luck!