Soop's X Special Kitcheners

I agree janer. I'd make up the bed as he is considerate enough to strip it when he leaves. Galen - sympathy to your DD. Mastitis is miserable but if she can stand the pain of letting the baby suck, it's very quickly relieved. I had it when DS2 was only a couple of months old.

jane to pamper your children/grandchildren is a delight. Oh, I do hope that your niece has a lovely day. Photos are precious...they capture a moment in time.

soop thank you, I felt I almost needed permission to spoil him a bit! I do know what you mean about the albums. My DS tries to put a photo on of the GCs most days so that I can see what they are up to, and how they are changing. I take copies of them all for my online albums. As a result I have more of them by the age of three than I have of her over her whole 30 years! I keep all of the family photos that I see online. I have a 24 year old niece with a brain tumour that cannot be cured, and so save every one of hers, no matter how awful, so that I can have them made into albums should the worst happen. She is getting married this summer (hopefully), so zillions of photos will be taken.

Mastitis - dreadful, I had it for a little while and it was - well, I shan't go into the excruciating details but you still have to get rid of the milk!

janer I used to love having my son stay for a wee while when he was at uni'. I would make the bed up if I were you. He sounds like a very helpful and considerate son. Enjoy!

Galen Mastitis! That must be horribly painful. How lovely that you are there to stand in and help with the children.

We've been cleaning up our photo albums (on line) and it has taken an awful lot of will power to delete "yet another" image of Torben doing what wee children do. I needed to be ruthless and delete a vast number of files within files within folders blah, blah. MacSporran has been printing the cream of the crop and is making a fab job of compiling yet another "real" photo album. What I like is that he has noted the dates and locations. Some years hence, the family will spend an entertaining time looking back through our collection of albums. There are so many, I've lost count.

Went to help darling daughter with the two children yesterday for a couple of hours as she had an infected mastitis.
Tomorrow, we're going to Slimbridge for the morning.
I'm black and blue from their little ( very sharp) elbows being dug into me as they clambered all over me to get the best view of the iPad. I now know how a climbing frame must feel!

DS wants to come home for the weekend, and it's lovely, it makes me feel like a parent again! I rather like the freedom of not being one coupled with being needed now and again. What surprised me was how enthusiastic DBH was, he must miss him more than I thought.

I try to keep things normal when he comes back, so that he isn't treated like a visitor, but wonder if I am being a bit mean by making him have to make his bed up when he arrives - he strips it after he has packed to leave.

His Uni only breaks up for a few days over Easter, he only has two main terms a year with no breaks, so it's lovely to see him for the occasional break in between.

Bella Asking for help is a good thing. Not asking and soldiering on until you drop, is a bad thing. Please try to express your feelings and needs (in a kind way) to those who apparently are unaware that you are struggling. I cannot help but feel livid cross on your behalf.

As for you, Soutra aka "wonder woman" I am bowled over by your fortitude. VERY well done. Amazing!

number You've a lovely sense of humour...even though at times you must feel like jumping up and down on the spot and tearing your hair out. The note that your husband wrote was priceless. I tittered when I read it.

Sounds as if the nurses have got his measure numberplease!!

Bella, you`re too nice for your own good!
Soutra, well done, no way could I cope with 3 little `uns nowadays, I`ve had them one at a time though.
Hubby was rubbing at the tight stockings at visiting tonight, the nurse decided they were cutting into him and said he could have them off, but he`d have to have them replaced with the inflatables. He asked her what they were for, she went into a long, detailed explanation about DVT, then he mouthed something else, none of us understood it, so he wrote down "I wish I hadn`t asked now!" I notice his shaver is out of sight now, so there`ll be no more midnight shaves.

Goodness, I feel exhausted just reading about you two, Bella and Soutra.
Well done looking after the three 'tiddlers', it is unbelievably tiring even when they are good as gold.

Bella I think sometimes it's easier to keep going until you drop, because there is no time to think then. It's when you think that you go to pieces.
Look after yourself xxx

Mums are good at coming up with quotes like that, mine would say the same , however we can't foresee what 'extra' training for life's hiccups as there isn't a sort of checklist for child-rearing!
I do hope DH bounces back quickly and that your life returns to some resemblance of normality very soon.
Fingers crossed x

What a lovely lot you are Yes, I know I should say something, but it's not my way. I don't care for confrontation and on Thurs dear SiL will return to the States, so things will be a little easier. I've enjoyed his company but I am seriously concerned at how he will cope with DGD for three months in summer when he has her with him. Poor little girl. She is so confused and doesn't understand what's going on.

DH has had two bags of blood today and seems a little better. Fingers crossed for our trip to UK

Soutra you are a star. Three little ones is no joke especially with a poorly DH. Is he feeling better now?
I love that your littlest GD is called Pippa. My late sister was also Pippa as is her daughter.

Today was a little easier as my lovely vet said I could leave Zim there while I visited DH in hospital, which saved me a journey. People are so kind.

As for my selfish thoughtless family. I can hear my beloved Mum saying "it's your own fault. You haven't trained them properly"

Goodnight my dear Granspals. You are all such a wonderful support.

Gordon Bennett Soutra, you're another one who must have Duracell batteries!
I too wish I could help out you GNs up to your eyeballs in stressful situations; reading your accounts is all very well but beyond offering ((hugs)) and there's frustratingly little I can offer.
Perhaps we ought to set up a GN Flying Squad or create a Gransnetter's version of Superwoman!

numberplease and Bellasnana my heart goes out to you both. Accidents do happen more when we are stressed, don't they?(like the time I locked myself out of the car when it was parked in London and I was due to collect DH From his treatment at the Royal Free) So I really sympathise with your "in flight" meal incident and too. Bella it is time you either threw a strop or had a hissy fit and somehow told your family like it is. You are clearly seen to be coping, but that is no excuse for taking you for granted. Some tears might not come amiss, stop trying to protect them from reality, like all mums do, and get them on board to pull their weight.

My weekend was lovely but exhausting! We were patting ourselves on the back having all 3 tiddlers asleep by 5 past 7, and bless them they were no trouble. Toby had a dreadful cough which I could hear all night (although it didn't actually keep him awake) but I heard the boys' bedroom door open a couple of times and each time it was Toby sitting disconsolately at the top of the stairs-once because his duvet had fallen off the bad and he couldn't get it back in place, and once because he wanted a wee and had " lost the toilet!"
Pippa took her 10 o clock bottle and went back to sleep in my arms, and then slept through for 6 hours but that didn't stop me waking at hourly intervals ready to spring into action should she need feeding again. I gave up trying to sleep shortly after 5 and checking she was still breathing!
DD and SIL and youngest DD and her DH got here just before 12, both looking a bit fragile as it was DD's 40th birthday bash at the Hotel du Vin in Birmingham the night before and as DD said, when it's your own party you've got to be last man standing. In her case that was around 3am
We went out to lunch and then they all came back here so the boys could play in the garden and the ladies could have restorative cups of (peppermint) the and Simnel cake. I was in bed by 9 and apart from tending poor DH who was violently sick on the wee small hours, I slept through until 10 to 10!!
So all went well, but one night with 3 little ones is my limit -I just don't have the energy or stamina to function on little sleep and goodness me, 2 little boys and a very placid baby might have been a walk in the park when I was in my 30's , but 37 years on is another matter, especially with a poorly DH.

'Awesome' is the right word, soop. DGS (10), a world-class talker, was in the back seat and for once in his life managed to remain silent!

anno Wow! That must have been awesome (as my grandson says). Isn't it such a shame that you were unable to join the ATC. Who knows, your life in the sky could have been just the job for you. Your experience sounds marvellous. Such a clever Christmas gift.

number Darling, could it be that you are simply stressed to the limits. Oh how I would love to be able to be useful and help all our Granspals-in -need some real and welcome support.

Afternoon all. I demonstrated once again at lunchtime how flipping clumsy I can be. I decided to use up a roast pork dinner from the freezer for my lunch. Sat down to eat, the bloomin` tray slid from under my fork, I grabbed it mid air, and showered myself and the carpet in red hot gravy and veg! After a few tears of self pity, and loads of cold water, all`s fine again, but why am I such a clumsy idiot?

Bella, I feel affronted on your behalf at how unhelpful your family is. Have you spoken to your daughter about how you are feeling at such a trying time? I may be wrong, but surely you are being taken for granted in a big way. You shouldn't have all that ironing to add to the very justifiable stress about your DH's condition. I hope the blood transfusion has helped him.

On a lighter note, I have had a great weekend with the family 'down south'. At Christmas they gave me a present of a triall flying lesson at Blackbushe Aviation and the weather on Saturday was favourable. I loved it. I was able to take the controls and steer a course over Reading, up the Thames to Henley and back again. It felt like riding a bike although I didn't have my feet on the foot controls. I wish that I had done this fifty years ago. I read all the Biggles books when I was about 12 but they wouldn't let girls join the ATC in those days.

Did you have a lovely birthday weekend celebration Soutra?

Bella I hope you get some practical help soon. Sounds like your batteries are fast running out of charge

I rarely get but having read Bella's post, I'm livid. Someone needs a b*** wake-up call.

Bella I would be with you in a trice if I lived nearby. I would happily do all your ironing. MacS would happily take Zim to the vet. I have to agree with loopylou and suggest that you have a heart to heart talk with your ex son-in-law. Surely he must realise that you are totally worn out and need support. I feel so cross. The present situation is beyond unfair. For your own sake, dear Bella it is time for some no nonsense straight-talking. Flipin' wotsit...words fail me.

I've popped in to have a rest after clearing up from Mother's Day

I'm wondering how Bella, Soutra and Number are? Hope everyone's Dh's are well and that Soutra survived the weekend!

My thoughts are with you Bella, and with your family. I just wish I could do something to help.

Beel you must be frazzled and rapidly fraying at the edges!
I suggest D takes DGD in hand at, at the very least, takes on the vet trips.
I hope things start looking up soon for you and DH x