[ThatsNotMyName]

No problem at all Fee, I totally understand. I've been known to fend off social engagements on my few uncommitted days before, it's necessary to preserve sanity I have a standing committment on Fridays which is a little bit fluid in that sometimes it's morning & sometimes early afternoon, but I can put it off this week to see you as you have a limited timeframe

TNMN - Carys can't possibly be nearing one year????

No kidding! I can't believe it myself!

Mama PND or not you need to treat yourself very carefully OK? You have a lot on your plate. Lets arrange that visit so you can duck out for a few hours of head space OK?

Noisy tractor - hmmm, do it quick before you change your mind

It's STILL raining here! Enough already!

[Mamabug]

I am about to put the kids in their oldest clothes and send them out in the yard to get as wet and muddy as they want, rain and all, as long as they LEAVE ME ALONE. Three weeks of rain is sending us all slightly stir crazy!!!

If it clears up at all this afternoon I have told Himself we are going to the park with the bikes. Have been longing to do this, but I can't manage on my own as it just sounds like too much trouble to get three small kids with bikes and one baby in a pram to the park on my own.

With Himself, I can pouch the baby, push Little Bug on her bike (has a handle thingy) and we can juggle it all between us!!!

[Shadowess]

Mamabug, you're being rather optimistic there.... IF it dries up! Like you and Megan, totally over it here too. There can't possibly be that much left up there... My lawn has puddles now!

Megan, I'm sorry, but we've got a lunch date this Friday, so no can do... Any Friday after this week is fine though!

Trying out the Donna Hay packet chocolate brownie mix today... Will let you know what it's like! Got a friend coming for afternoon tea.

Fee

[with the goo goo...]

Fee , I always look longingly at that donna hay packet I the supermarket. Bit brownies are just too dangerous to have sitting around here!

I am sick of rain too... and we are running out if clothes! The airers are both full and there are damp towels draped all over the place. Mamabug, I think your idea to send your kids out to play in they rain and mud sounds fantastic. Then they can come in for a warm bath/shower and play a board game or watch a dvd.

I am laid up with mastitis - this is the first time I have had it and, geez, its horrible! Hopefully the antibiotics kick in soon because feeding is hell. Especially because elise has a snuffly nose and is having trouble drinking.

I have told work I'll be going back in April but am still tempted to back out.

Ok, that's it for me. Have a nice week.

Jen

[Shadowess]

Jen, I can HIGHLY recommend Donna Hay's brownies... OMG! possibily the best brownies I've ever made... if it helps, you use a 20cm square tin, not the usual size tray, so you don't get as many as say the betty crocker mix.. so, less temptation? although doesn't really justify the hidieous price...

Boo to mastitis!

Finally some clear sky... and Jen, I went to Kmart yesterday to buy another airer, but they were sold out- I figure half of Canberra is trying to get clothes dry in their lounge rooms!

[Mamabug]

IceGoose - I honestly, sincerely feel your pain re the mastitis. I hope it clears up soon for you. If you are having feeding issues due to snuffles, please, please, please also express to ensure you drain well.

I have had mastitis at least twice with each babe, the worst bout landing me in hospital for three days...it was the most excruciating pain I have experienced (including child birth and broken bones).

Keep your fluids up, rest as much as possible (yeah, I know! Himself took time off work to get me through a couple of bouts), cool compresses help with the heat/burning sensation (if you have that).

Damn it - I want brownies.

As for the kids - the rotters would not go outside, kept whining it was raining and they'd get wet...

[Dinosaurus]

Goosey - I hope those ABs have kicked in, horrible bloody mastitis

Rain - it's crazy up there, it was wet enough for us in Melbourne last week but you're getting another drenching. I hope it clears up soon.

Ted is having another change - seems to be juggling between two naps and three but not really wanting any! I finall got him down about half an hour ago so it's touch and go if he wakes up soon or in another hour.

Ok - trampoline duty calls, have great weeks all

[MarsBarSlice]

I'm here ladies and have made posting a priority today. It's bad that I can't even remember when I last posted here. I've been trying to keep up with you all but can't seem to get ahead at the moment. It's not that the boys are any trouble I just seem to have so many things on my "to do" list and quite frankly can't be bothered.

Goo Goose - gosh hope that heals up quickly for you, that's the last thing you need on top of everything else you are doing. Learning a language, I admire that.

Dino - It's hard when they don't have a sleeping pattern to work around. Sounds like you are doing a fantastic job

Mamabug - Wow, I always admire how much you have on at any point in time. I agree that it's probably time you did put yourself first and take some well deserved time out. I wish I was close enough to help you out and give you some "me" time.

A big hello and hug to everyone and hope that you have a great week with lots of highs.

Who mentioned brownies, now that's on my mind too. I haven't seen the Donna Hay ones, will have to try them out.

DS1 - has settled better into preschool as in he doesn't cry everytime I leave but tells me he is going to cry during the day cause "mummy doesn't stay". I look at that as a step forward. We're having problems getting him to sleep again, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Him and me seem to have gotten a lot closer lately which I'm loving (not that we weren't close iykwim).

DS2 - he is crawling around everywhere, pulling himself up on his feet and trying to walk. Of course we have informed him that he is not ready for that first step but he watches DS1 and thinks how cool is this walking gig. His eating has gottne a lot better. He is a carnivore; he loves steak, chicken, fish and even rissoles so we feed him the veges first and the meat last otherwise he grunts and screams at you. He has started sleeping through the night, yay, and all of his own doing. He has done a few 12 hours sleeps. This is a luxury for us as DS1 has only ever needed 9-10 hours sleep tops.

AFM: I'm really unhappy atm. DP has said definately no more kids and it has hit me really hard. I don't know how to cope with it. It's funny how until I actually heard him say it I could deal with it, I also didn't realise just how strong my desire for more kids was. It has changed our relationship and I'm not happy about that either but don't know how to go back to where we were.

I'm now not sure what to do with myself. Do I continue along just doing kids stuff, do I find a part time job, do I somehow work out where I want to be and what I want to be doing? Can someone just tell me what my path now is so I can follow it!

This post has been edited by MarsBarSlice: 05/03/2012, 10:04 AM

[Dinosaurus]

MarsBar - I only have two minutes but wanted to offer big hugs about how you are feeling. I don't know you (except that we are obviously twins) but I would recommend finding anything that you are or can be passionate about, be it work, study or a hobby. My acceptance of no more has quickly turned into a joy - I'm loving every moment of Ds2 instead of wondering about one more and I'm really looking forward to getting back to work and my career - I'm planning a PhD, enjoying finishing my GradDipEd (go figure) and have career goals that are real (ie driven by me) for the first time since Ds1's pregnancy.

I hope you can find a way to work through your feelings, it's very, very hard when the partners are on different pages. In other news, are you in Sydney? It's 90% likely I will be now so I'd love to meet up to see if the world explodes

[with the goo goo...]

Marsbar - *hug* I would be really upset if my husband said, unequivocally, that we would have no more kids. As it is, I am content with two but do like the idea of #3 at some time. But for once I am not super anxious to conceive, which is such a nice feeling.

As for what you should do with yourself? I wish I had advice. This whole mothering gig messes with your self identity doesn't it. For me, in an absolutely perfect world (yeah, right), I would love to work two days a week and spend the rest of the time doing kiddy stuff. I enjoy working out of the home, but have no particular career aspirations so two days would fill the need I reckon. Unfortunatley nobody apart from me is overly interested in me only working two days though

Jenosaurus - two sleeps sounds about right for Ted by this stage (I think??) Are you coming to Canberra? And if so, when? I can't say for sure who/what/where I will be at any given point in time as I feel like I have very little control over that at the moment with the lead up to China. It is birthday season coming up for us, and (me, FIL, Elise) and we will undoubtedly be in Sydney for at least two weekends in the near future.

Speaking of China, we've started on the hamster wheel of immunisations. Actually only Derek and Owen have started - they won't give most of the injections to Elise until she is one, and I too dodge the bullet while I am breastfeeding (and she is under one).

Poor Owen, he had his first lot last week and a second lot this week. We armed him with a chocolate milk in one hand and a chuppa chup in the other, but he was still one very unhappy camper. I am feeling super anxious about the TB innoculation (the one that takes up to nine months to heal and leaves a scar). I have been advised there is no point getting it as an adult, but I am tempted to get it with Owen as a solidarity thing.

The ABs have kicked in and there is barely any pain, even while I am feeding. Yay. However, it seems to be leaving behind a large hard lump much like the one I had to have removed a couple of years ago. I really don't want to go through that again! My GP seemed to suggest it did not feel "normal" for mastitis and wants to see me again in a couple of weeks. Sigh, even though I am not super vain about my boobs, there is only so much tissue they can afford to lose! So please cross your fingers that the lump drains by itself. I have enough to worry about!

Okay, I should go and supervise my children. I left Owen in charge and I can hear that they have been playing nicely but it sounds like Elise is starting to go into attack mode (she is tired).

Take care everyone.