belgianwaffle

Archives for April 2005

More consequences


Posted in: Boys

Since we have announced that we are going to have twins, a lot of people have asked whether we have been having IVF treatment.  People have no shame. Mr. Waffle and I had a chat about this the other night.

Me:I can’t believe that people keep asking that. I feel vaguely resentful at the assumption, though I can’t imagine why.
Him: I suppose it’s like if you make a cake for a dinner party and people ask you where you bought it – you get indignant and say, “I made it myself”.
Me: No, it’s not like that at all, I mean there is an intrinsic merit in being able to make your own cake but being able to get pregnant or not is just luck,
really.
Him: I suppose.
Me: I don’t know, it must be some primitive thing where you feel that it is bad to have your fertility impugned.
Him: Well, I’m obviously fine, but non-identical twins suggests that your eggs must be getting on a bit in the fertility stakes….
Comments
poggleon 28 April 2005 at 17:13

Ooh dear, Mr waffle is pushing his luck …… bad lad.  

belgianwaffleon 28 April 2005 at 17:29

Thank you very much, Katy. Yes, pog, he deserves to suffer horribly..

dmtson 28 April 2005 at 21:29

There’s a lot of pregnancy around on 20six at the moment and various stories abounding about what happens to people in pregnancy. I cannot imagine any other ‘state of being’ where people ask the most intrusive questions or where there is a sense of ‘ownership’ about your body within the wider world.
I can fully understand and empathise with your resentment. In my opinion it would be worse if you had had a pregnancy as a result of assisted conception because then the bastards asking the questions would think they owned that too.
I blame everyone from Margaret Thatcher onwards because that’s quite an easy thing to do. It’s very easy for me to make these suggestions, but the next time someone asks if it’s IVF (or whatever the question of the day is), I think you should give your reply and then ask them about the state of their erections, sex life, bowels or whatever. I’d definitely go for the erections. Please blog any replies.

Friar Tuckon 29 April 2005 at 02:08

Yes, h, that will certainly silence the women who are asking those intrusive questions.

Minkleberryon 29 April 2005 at 07:23

Mr Waffle!

beachhutmanon 29 April 2005 at 09:41

Yep. Give em a blow by blow account of how you made em! (Hmmmm. Maybe “blow by blow” was unfortunate)

Locoteson 29 April 2005 at 16:42

The hormones are obviously kicking in, poor Mr. Waffle is getting the blame for everything…  

belgianwaffleon 01 May 2005 at 14:37

Heather, thanks for this, of course, I am sure that in my past I have been equally bad, however, advancing years have, I hope, increased my sensibility and, for example, I have learnt to stop asking women who’ve been married a couple of years when they are going to have children, mostly because I realised how deeply irritating it was when it started happening to me. Apols for mild digression. FT, it’s only men. Minks, I know! BHM, do you realise that this is a family blog? Loc, eh, what’s that all about? Be off before I beat you round the head.

Something we will pay the price for later


Posted in: Princess

….others may wish to avert their eyes as this is an almost unbearably smug entry.

We get a great kick out of chatting to our little girl now that she talks.  It worries me mildly that she only talks in French other than to say “open this” and “yes please” but it is fun to hear my child do a French r.

The other day we were out on the tram and I explained to her how the tram ran on tracks. She wanted to walk on the tracks but I said no, they were for the tram so she called out to the man crossing the road “Non, monsieur, c’est pour le tram!”

She likes to give instructions and inform. For example, this morning, I was lying prone in bed and she said “Debout Maman”.  I protested feebly. “Non, je suis pas d’accord” said she.  I protested feebly some more. “Non Maman, il faut t’habiller!”. This from a girl whom we have to chase round the house to dress.  At the weekend we visited a farm and having spoken to her father about the eating habits of chickens she turned to me and told me “Maman, les poules ne mangent pas de l’herbe, ils mangent du maïs”. When crossing the road
she turns to me and says “Attention Maman, il y a des voitures!”

A big favourite at the moment is doing things herself. She has just learnt to take on and off her trousers and no one could be more pleased “Regarde, Maman!”. We just can’t wait for her to start trying it out in public. However, there are some things she can’t do herself and this leads to deep unhappiness and frustration “Can Mama help you?” “Non, non, c’est moi!”�

She has taken to my make-up bag in a big way and goes through the contents regularly. The other day doggy had a makeover involving application of mascara and perfume, behind his ears and on his paws, and a certain amount
of fur combing.  When the task was complete the Princess picked him up and took him away “where are you going, sweetheart?”
“Doggy look in the mirror”.

She has a song for every occasion. They seem to learn hundreds in the creche and she picks up the ones we teach her really fast. Frankly, you haven’t lived until you’ve heard your 2 year old lisp “Day-o, day-o, daylight come and me wan go home”. Obviously, she is a musical genius.
Her recent birthday celebrations have made a deep and lasting impression on her. In quiet moments we catch her crooning “happy birthday” to herself. Yesterday, we met some friends of Mr. Waffle’s who very kindly brought her a present. When we were leaving she said “bye, bye” and strolled away. I said “wait there’s a present for you” and with indecent haste she came skidding back to the munificent donors “birthday present for me!”

She is learning to run and she loves it. She insists that we run with her “Cours, Papa, cours!”. Her loving father jogs along slowly bent double to get down to her level and I notice that now when she runs, she tends to bend over in imitation.

She is fascinated by video material taken on the camera (which, alas, sustained some damage at the weekend – I’d really rather not talk about our poor record on digital cameras). She peers at herself and repeats whatever she has said on video giggling uproariously the while. Then she pushes the replay button. This can go on for hours.

When I read books to her, she knows some of the words so if I say “And that Zelf up on the shelf”� she goes on “I have talked to him myself”. I read to her sitting on the beanbag in one corner of the room and she trots off round the corner to the bookshelf to pick out her book of choice, but just as she gets around the corner, she turns around and says to
me anxiously “ça va, Maman?” Poor mite, her Mama has been out of action a lot recently. As I lay moaning weakly on my sick bed (hey, morning sickness, rash, migraine – is it any wonder I’ve taken to my bed a lot recently?), I would hear her saying to her father outside the bedroom door “Maman est malade, Maman se repose”.

This is enough smugness for today.

Comments
dmts

on 27 April 2005 at 21:07

Yes, you blog about it while you have the time and just the one child…

Sibling

on 27 April 2005 at 22:05

enough smugness for a year I would say

DruidX

on 27 April 2005 at 22:38

Wow, I understood some of that french. La Princess ce manifique 🙂

Locotes

on 28 April 2005 at 02:27

Hmmm…I’m sure I would applaud if I had any idea what she was saying.
Maman means ‘chicken’ right?Ahem.

poggle

on 28 April 2005 at 10:57

Awwwwww …..
Does she know that the twins are coming?

NorahSplog

on 28 April 2005 at 13:58

Justifiable smugness if ever I saw it. Bless.

belgianwaffle

on 28 April 2005 at 17:14

Thank you Lexy. Hmm, take your point Heather. Of course, her personality may, um, change when she has to fight for attention. Sibling? Which sibling?
Thanks DruidX. Yes, Loc, well done, you are entirely correct.
Pog, we tell her, but she’s ignoring us. Norah, you are very kind. My loving spouse says if he weren’t related to the Princess it would make him want to vomit, so you are clearly a better person than he is.

poggle

on 28 April 2005 at 17:16

Ah yes – but we know about her hidden depths – ‘farque’ for instance.

belgianwaffle

on 28 April 2005 at 17:28

I’d say she’ll be using that a bit, pog.

beachhutman

on 29 April 2005 at 09:45

MOst excellent. I always found “Maman” a horrid word, but then I never got on with mine. At all.

Minkleberry

on 30 April 2005 at 20:05

So terrifying!! In blog years she seems to’ve grown over night into a young lady. And bilingual!! She sounds adoreable. 1
Sweetie(s) given

belgianwaffle

on 01 May 2005 at 14:32

BHM – Thanks – sorry you didn’t get on with your Maman, though.
Minks, you are most kind. And a sweetie too. Ta.

Consequences


Posted in: Boys

Some random things:

My favourite dermatologist (when you have 4, you can pick favourites) has told me about friends of hers with 3 children who decided, what the hell, let’s go for a fourth, and then had triplets.

Multiple births break down barriers; a colleague of Mr. Waffle’s said to him “oh twins, IVF babies then?” Um, actually, as it happens, no, but thanks for asking.
In Mr. Waffle’s team (I know, stupid term, what are they draught horses?) of 12 people, 3 are already parents of twins. It looks like our double buggy needs are met.  Also, I am now the proud owner of a book entitled “Jumeaux, mode d’emploi”

In fact, people are very nice to you – they offer you lots of things. The Dutch Mama has already offered to drive from the Hague with a carload of goods.
My mother has pointed out that one car will no longer be sufficient to collect us from the airport once the new infants arrive. I have realised that, if we have guests, they will have to take public transport because once our family is in the car, there will be no room for anyone else.
The French Mama has offered by way of comfort, the information that her neighbours who live in a 2 bedroomed, 80 square metre appartment and are already the parents of a 4 year old and a 20 month old are having twins next month and have no intention of moving.  Apparently the mother plans to sleep with the twins until they are weaned and the father will sleep on the couch while the other two children have the second bedroom.� Ah, the joys of living in Paris.
A friend told me about her aunt who had IVF twins at 50 and breast fed them (she was a paediatrician, she felt obliged) and my friend’s abiding memory is of seeing her aunt half naked feeding two babies.

I won’t be able to fly after mid-July or drive very far for that matter. The Belgian coast beckons for our summer holidays. Mr. Waffle is bitter “It’s so unfair, neither the Princess nor I want to go to the Belgian coast.” “Well, firstly, neither do I and, secondly, I represent a majority of this family and what I say goes.”

That’s enough for today. Thanks again for all your congratulations.

Comments

Locotes on 23 April 2005 at 22:36

Am I reading that chart thingy wrong, or are you just about halfway through the pregnancy? Blimey – you kept that quiet. Surely us lot should have been told first, who cares about parents?
😉 Oh, and I agree with Norah, twins have always seemed a great idea to me.
(yes I know I have pontificated here about my future fatherhood only taking place in my 50’s – but even I can wonder every once in a while. Just don’t tell anyone…)
😉  

Minkleberry on 25 April 2005 at 07:46

my Dad is a twin, my husband is a twin and my maternal grandma is a twin. Ay Carumba!!  

poggle on 25 April 2005 at 11:03

I too love it that you now outvote Mr Waff and her maj …..

Peggy on 25 April 2005 at 11:25

Congratulations!
At least, going from 1 to 3 children, you won’t have to argue with hubby about going from 2 to 3 like we do. (I’d like 3 but I can’t stand being pregnant. Makes me too nervous.)
The Belgian coast can be a lot of fun especially when the sun is shining. I’m sure the Princess will enjoy, kids are spoiled there.

jackdalton on 25 April 2005 at 23:00

Hey ‘waf… did you see what they said about Loccie here? 😉

Angela (Homepage)

on 26 April 2005 at 05:25

Augh! I just tuned in! Congratulations times two! Very exciting news, indeed. May the coming months find you healthy and full of energy!

belgianwaffle on 27 April 2005 at 20:43

Norah, Loc, hold off on the twins until second time round, I am sick to the back teeth of doctor’s visits, the ante natal care is, um, trying and I suspect post-natal care presents its own difficulties also.
OK, Minks, I’m holding my breath here.
Pog, not as much as me.
I see your point Peggy, but still a bit scary. Will try to see the positive in the Belgian coast.
Jd, nothing we didn’t know already.
FP, most unlikely to do so as you know…trust tomorrow afternoon will be fine.  

beachhutman on 29 April 2005 at 09:48

OK the belgian coast pretty much sucks, but moules and frites is OK – for a day or three. 

belgianwaffle on 01 May 2005 at 14:31

Beachhutman – it sounds as though you know whereof you speak.

Yes, of course I am


Posted in: Boys

Remember when I had my rash and couldn’t take any drugs?  And some people, in fact quite a lot of people (oh you’re all very smart) speculated that I might be pregnant. Well you were right. Let me tell you how I found out.

I thought that I might be pregnant for the usual reasons and I went to see my gynaecologist.  And she asked me whether I had taken a pregnancy test. Because I am mean and I knew that I was going to see my gynaecologist anyway, I hadn’t.

“Well” she asked “are you sure you’re pregnant?”
“Well, no, I’m not”
“OK, we’ll do a scan and see”
She looked at the screen with a frown and said
“You really think you are pregnant?”
I thought “oh dear, this is so embarrassing, I’m not pregnant, oh Lord” and I said “well, yes, maybe..”
And then she started to laugh
“You’re pregnant alright. It’s twins.”

Comments
dmts

on 21 April 2005 at 20:53

Oh my goodness me. How absolutely terrifyingly wonderful. Big congratulations…very big…doubled, in fact.

Mikeachim

on 21 April 2005 at 21:19
(
Comment Modified) Yowzers!
YAAAY 🙂 🙂 🙂
Congratulations!!!!
*imaginary letting off of fireworks, actual clapping and whistling*

Mikeachim

on 21 April 2005 at 21:23

*and giving of congratulatory sweeties* 2
Sweetie(s) given

kitschenette

(Homepage)

on 21 April 2005 at 21:33

crikey!
congratulations!

OliviaJoules

on 21 April 2005 at 21:44

Awww…that’s sooooo sweet! yay! 🙂
I really am so excited, although its the first time i am reading your blog 😀

boiledorfried

on 21 April 2005 at 21:52

Congratulations!

jackdalton

on 21 April 2005 at 23:49

Holy Cow, Batman!!! Well done You!
So who’s the father… 😉

morethanluck

on 22 April 2005 at 02:58

cowabunga. congrats. heres a sweetie:) 1
Sweetie(s) given

Austrian

(Homepage)

on 22 April 2005 at 07:02

Congratulations from Austria! 🙂

Locotes

on 22 April 2005 at 08:20

Bloody feckin blimey O’Reilly hell. Many congratulations! So how are you feeling about all this?I admit I wasn’t one of the smart people – a rash means a rash to me. If you had mentioned the normal tell-tale sign, I might just maybe possibly have figured it.
Doubtful though.
😉 1
Sweetie(s) given

Bobble

on 22 April 2005 at 08:32

Twins?! No one could say you do things by halves Mrs Waffly. As Locotes said many congratulations, hugs and tanti aguri! xxx

NorahSplog

on 22 April 2005 at 09:39

Congratulations lovely waffly!
That’s SO exciting!

Kate_Sith

on 22 April 2005 at 09:57

Oh what exciting news! Congratulations and hugs all round. 2 Sweetie(s) given

Minkleberry

on 22 April 2005 at 10:06

WOWZERINOS! Double congratulations!! I can’t WAIT to read all about these two!! 2
Sweetie(s) given

poggle

on 22 April 2005 at 10:39

You big show-off …
xx 1 Sweetie(s) given

Floatykatja

on 22 April 2005 at 12:00

Congratulations! How terribly exciting. Even deserving of my last sweetie, in fact :o) 1 Sweetie(s) given

Jordana

(Homepage)

on 22 April 2005 at 13:01

Congratulations!!! How exciting! More princes/princesses for the royal abode.
I found your blog via Fluid Pudding, and have been lurking ever since.

chintzybling

on 22 April 2005 at 13:09

Brilliant! Well chuffed for you! x x x x x

lauren35

on 22 April 2005 at 16:37

Bloomin’ marvellous! My sister had twins last December – they are wonderful. Lucky you. 1 Sweetie(s) given

midwifemuse

on 22 April 2005 at 17:16

Multiple congratulations to you!!!
When?

[anonymous]

on 22 April 2005 at 18:57

Oh wow! Congratulations!

Beth

(Homepage)

on 22 April 2005 at 21:41

No. Way. Twins? Really twins??? If the Princess is any indication, I’m not sure the world will be able to withstand all that additional cuteness.
Congratulations!!!

jackdalton

on 23 April 2005 at 12:43

Mind you, this could put our royal nose rightly out of joint.Have you considerd yet how to break the joyous tidings: ie we love you so much we’re gettin two more instead etc…
😉

belgianwaffle

on 23 April 2005 at 14:12

Wow, a comment and sweetie bonanza, cool!
Jojo, thank you very much for your comments and sweeties, how come you always know everything first?
HJB, many thanks. Doubled is appropriate, accurately describes my girth also.
Mike, thanks for sweeties and imaginary fireworks in particular, these are the only fireworks I’ve got so far.
Thank you kitschenette. Great name.
Olivia, thanks, stick with this blog for more non-stop twin news…
Thank you boiledorfried.
JD, thank you, as for your first comment, well, if they look anything like the Princess did as a small baby, then Keith Wood is a likely answer. As for your second, out of joint isn’t in it.
Oooh a sweetie, thank you morethanluck..
Gosh, Austrian congratulations, all very nice.
Locotes, that is entirely as it should be! Am feeling a bit bewildered. Thanks for sweetie.
Thanks Bobble, and two sweeties too!
Aaah, thank you Ms. Splog, exciting and unnerving in about equal measure.
Kate, 2 sweeties and hugs too, yay.
Minks, hmm, don’t know how fascinating my blog will be with this new material. Am anxious that another 20sixer produce twins for comparison purposes – would you be in the market at all? Thanks for sweeties.
Pog, you are, of course, entirely correct. I mean let’s face it 2nd pregnancy is dull but you can really give people a jolt if it’s twins. Thanks for the sweetie.
Oooh Katya, a last sweetie, you are the essence of goodness. Thanks.
Jordana, a lurker, I didn’t realise I had lurkers, I am so proud. Thanks for your congrats.
Thanks Chintzy, for one so young you are very kind to the childbearing!
Lauren, thank you for sweetie and congrats, may be emailing you under separate cover for advice.
MDW, September 23 apparently. Am going to be size of a house.
Thank you Hana.
I know, Beth, extraordinary – do you mind if I use your pregnancy counter too? And will you add me to your pregnant people list? And thanks for your congrats.

DruidX

on 23 April 2005 at 20:46

Okay so I’ve found out late but, AIYYYYYA! Congratulations 😀 And best of luck 😉

Beso

on 25 April 2005 at 17:35

Blimey!
Congratulations, ‘waffle.
Have a sweetie for each. 2
Sweetie(s) given

belgianwaffle

on 27 April 2005 at 20:45

Thanks DruidX, will need all the luck I can get.
Beso, 2 sweeties, you are too kind, no idea what I will do with this positive bonanza!

Sick child


Posted in: Princess, Siblings

When I took her out in her slippers, I didn’t think she’d insist on walking all the way to the book shop.  We went to a local cafe and got her favourite lunch which she found untempting. We returned home. I put her to bed.  She looked up at me and said “Lunch Mama?”. Extracted her from bed and offered all that our humble fridge contained, all of which she rejected with contumely. Back to bed where she is sleeping the
sleep of the just.

Incidentally, our day was supposed to be enlivened by the arrival of my feckless brother over to inspect his goddaughter. However, he phoned this morning to say that he had slept out and missed his flight. See, he really is feckless.

Comments
poggle

on 20 April 2005 at 14:50

I now imagine him kipping in a doorway. Or possibly a field. Which sounds about right for Mr feckless ….

poggle

on 20 April 2005 at 14:50

ps poor mite

Locotes

on 20 April 2005 at 14:56

Hmm…you sure you didn’t just take a handy day off? Didn’t leave herself out in the rain on purpose last night or anything? 😉
How is the job going by the way?

jackdalton

on 20 April 2005 at 19:13

That’s just plain cruel. Dragging a poor, sad child from her sick-bed and force marching her to the local Amazon. And you complain about lack of sympathy among those around you… !

belgianwaffle

on 21 April 2005 at 20:02

Pog, feckless, but concerned for his own comfort, he will be looked after like the lilies of the field. Poor mite recovered, thanks. Loc, no absolutely not, when I take a handy day off, madam will be at the creche. Jack, yes, I’m mean.

Religion in Britain


Posted in: Reading etc.

I am fascinated by the way people in the UK are so interested in Tony Blair’s religion.  They get very excited about it. They say, in deeply disapproving tones “he’s going to convert to Catholicism, you know, he’s always going to church with Cherie; she’s a catholic”.  I mean really, who cares?   If Tony Blair had grown up a catholic, the liberal middle classes would no more voice objections than they would fly in the air.  It seems to be that the idea of him converting allows them
to express all their suppressed nervousness about catholics.  Personally, I blame the Da Vinci code.

Comments
poggle

on 20 April 2005 at 13:07

I don’t think it’s the catholicism so much. It’s the terrifying thought of having a PM who is so religious that he would convert to anything …. if you see what I mean.
(I see you, too, have been hit by the boring little tosser ‘OWNED’. A bit of ‘divert’ HTML in comments. And it thinks it’s a world-class hacker. Sad.)

belgianwaffle

on 20 April 2005 at 13:13

Pog, am kind of excited to have been hit by a hacker, means I have arrived right? And the nice 20six people will fix it, right? Right? Thanks for the insight on the Tony Blair thing, that does make sense actually..

poggle

on 20 April 2005 at 13:53

They do seem to have fixed it, bless ’em – but not before I deleted yesterday’s entry in an effort to get rid of the little scrote. Still, at least it wasn’t an essay ….

lauren35

on 20 April 2005 at 17:58

The Da Vinci Code can be blamed for most things actually. I bet the nasty hacker has read it.

NorahSplog

on 20 April 2005 at 19:02

The catholicism doesn’t bother me. The religion does a tad. As an athiest, the idea that the chap running the country believes that a big guy in the sky is watching over us is a little unnerving. Does he pray for guidance? To someone I don’t believe exists?

belgianwaffle

on 21 April 2005 at 20:04

Pog, 20six, yay. Lauren, you are entirely right. Um, Norah, probably yes, I would say, he seems very earnest.

Friar Tuck

on 26 April 2005 at 02:29

I read an interesting comment the other day which, in my meager experience, seems to be true. In the United States, it is impossible to get elected without making some kind of public show of your religiosity. In Europe, doing so is the political kiss of death.
One exception was President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro of Italy. It was claimed that he was so holy that he appeared to the Virgin Mary.

belgianwaffle

on 27 April 2005 at 20:44

Yup, think you’re right FT. I’ve been forced to read George Weigel by a VERY catholic friend, whatcha think of him?

Friar Tuck

on 29 April 2005 at 02:05

I have only read a few articles by G.W. The problem is, he is right just often enough to make him credible even when he is wrong. For instance, in one of his recent books, he blames the whole sexual abuse thing on post-Vatican II formation programs, completely ignoring the fact that most of the offenders received most of their formation before Vatican II.

belgianwaffle

on 01 May 2005 at 14:30

I dunno, I think he’s a bit patronising..