October 2013 - insert witty, worn out, nearing the end thread name here

[PseudoBadger]

New thread :)

I had the Topsy and Tims! I loved them and my mum hated them :o

Thanks for positive comments on names!

Me and DH were both the eldest of three growing up (Mum then had a 4th when I was twelve but we didn't play like siblings) and we both want either 2 or 3 depending on finances, we couldn't fit 3 in our current house. Also I think if we had two boys we might be more tempted to have a third, though I am not sure.

Teaching year 1 for the last few years means I have collected lots of beautiful picture books, I can't resist buying them and always justified it by saying I could give them to my own baby one day, and now they on the shelf in our babies nursery propped up by very cute hedgehog bookends. I have kept some from my childhood too like five minutes peace.

Another one joining the terrible nights sleep party! Hubby couldn't sleep so was awake watching crap TV till 3am which kept waking me up. At 3am I lost my temper though and made him turn it off, at which point he promptly fell asleep within 5 mins and then kept me awake which his loud snores, grrr!!

Re. books, Bridget I'm with you on wishing I could open up a bookshop. The 'Shop around the Corner' from the film 'You've got Mail' was my ideal - it just looked so cosy and comforting in there :)

I was also a massive bookworm growing up but unfortunately my parents were always broke so I didn't own many books and had to borrow from the library. Due to this, we've gone a bit mad with the books for the baby and have already set up his bookshelf and have got lots on there already such as:

The Hungry Caterpillar
The Jolly Postman
Dr Seuss
Spot the Dog
Funny Bones
Rainbow Fish
Alfie
Dogger
Threadbear
Kipper
Babar

Slightly obsessed!

Love love love childrens books, there are so many wonderful stories. Ds has loads of books already and I insist on reading to him even though all he tries to do is rip the pages out
We wouldn't have planned this small age gap but I think it will be good in the end. We always wanted more than one but I think we'll stop at 2. We are both one of 3 but DH was a surprise baby and is 10 years younger than his siblings so they aren't so close whereas as my brothers and I are as we are closer in age.

Oh, Dogger always makes me cry!

So good to get your tips on children's titles. DS loves books and has lots of them but I see I'm still missing some classics I've never heard about. Will check them out! I didn't grow up in the UK so we didn't have some of these books. I grew up on Moomins and loved them. Anyone else? I've bought a couple of Moomins books for DS but he is not too keen which I find very disappointing. I also remember loving Pippi Longstocking when I was a bit older.

still on the subject of books - feeling a bit low at work today so just bought myself Rick Stein's India to cheer myself up. For some weekend cooking

Ah, children's books- a wonderful obsession. My Mum was a primary school head so I've always been surrounded by children's books and have loved rediscovering the classics with DS as well as discovering the new.
Like many Mums I think I know most of Julia Donaldson's repertoire be heart, and then there's Slinky Malinki, Hairy McLary, Splat the Cat, Captain Flinn & the Pirate Dinosaurs...I could go on forever! The best ones for little hands are the 'That's Not My' series- when you're trying to teach your little one words they're brilliant.

I won't even start on sibling age gaps and numbers. We've had no choice in ours, I'm in the 'lucky to have anything' boat.

My scan's been moved forward from tomorrow to this evening. Yey! Fx that after my big GAP shop this morn she is both healthy and still a girl.

Clapham I love Eric Carle (hungry caterpillar but also look for 10 little ducks, the quiet cricket, the tiny seed, the bad temperedladybird etc. all beautifully illustrated)

And more recently Julia Donaldson (the gruffalo but also room on the broom, snail and the whale, a squash and a squeeze, monkey puzzle etc)

I have just bought some new cook books too Clapham as we have some space on shelves after selling all our box set DVDs. Yottam ottolenghi's plenty, Paul hollywoods bread (for my DH who is a super bread maker) and ceviche arrived this morning which is Peruvian recipes from a restaurant we like in London and to remind us of our honeymoon in Peru. Just flicking through them now to decide what to have this week. Yum yum.

Some other books I liked as a child were there was an old woman who swallowed a fly with cut out sections here

Jim and the beanstalk here

I bought this touch and feel Peter rabbit book for my goddaughter. It has a good variety of textures which not all touch and feel books do and is currently her favourite (she is 15 months) here

I also bought this one recently with a view to maybe having it as a christening reading on the night you were born

Dd is a book lover too and were constantly adding to her collection. A mix of classics and more modern ones. We're lucky in that her school fair has a book stall every year and parents donate books they sell for 20p each. Last two years we have spent about £4-£5 there so ended up with 20-25 books for the price of one!

flyer the house. Funny you should being it up really... We had a lengthy discussion and decided it needed just too much doing to it. The dog smell and the general state the house was in was just too much financially and timely to take on. Dh shifts also mean he wouldn't have any time to do any work.I think others would accept it in its current state thus meaning the landlord wouldn't have to spend anything.. It would also have stalled us in adding to our savings which would increase our deposit once the house in Manchester is sold as our monthly bills would be going up around £200..

However, the estate agent called me this morning to ask my feedback and if we were still interested. I was brutally honest and said although size and location could not have been more perfect the state of the house was in no way acceptable to us. So, he's going to have a word with the landlord as he mentioned if they felt it was in such a state as I was suggesting they would look at holding their deposit. ! I'm presuming the estate agent contacted me as I know they had a huge response to viewings but since a lot of people have thought better of it...?! Only concern now is if they agree to do all the work they have very little time to so it in. Previous tennants leave on 10th and we need to be out if ours on the 12th. It would mean dumping all our stuff in the garage and stopping at my parents for maybe a week. Although that's not a problem really, even if baby shows up!

I read both books to Oliver when i picked him up from school (he is still on half days till monday) he loved the Mog book and liked the tiger came to tea but its no surprise we used to live in a big 4 bed house next to field and we had cat which he adored so he loves anything to do with cats!
We don't have room for a cat and the dogs in this small flat and there is many toms here one that sees our gardens as his so even a outdoor cat would not work :( promised i would let him get a cat when we move to a bigger house!

Thanks clapham and sorry that you are feeling very excluded...time to go I think.

DH always wanted 2 children but close together as he is almost 42 and doesn't want to be approaching 50 with a newborn. He is adamant that he only wants 2 though, whereas I'd probably have a third if I had the chance. I am the youngest of 3 and loved having an older brother and sister. I was very close to both despite a 4.5 and 6 year gap. DH is the youngest of 2 with 18 months of a gap and he and his brother have hated eachother since day 1. I think a lot depends on circumstances though as his parents divorced and each took a child IYSWIM. I'm hoping our boys will be best friends for life . We hadn't planned such a close age gap but it took so long to conceive ds1 that I didn't want to not try...and bingo! I think to be honest if all goes well this time we will leave it that and be thankful for our boys...I guess a part of me would love a daughter but hey ho, I'd end up with a 3rd boy no doubt!

orange I have a Thomas and it's funny as it's the 6th most popular name but I haven't come across another one at any of our baby classes or at nursery.

You have to do what's right for you and your family hayle, if its meant to be it well be, if not its because there is something better out there. I believe things happen for a reason.

Clapham did you grow up in Poland if you don't mind me asking? I take it that part of your early childhood may have been under communist leadership? It sounds odd but I find the communist regimes quite interesting, I fly to Cuba which is as far as I'm aware one of the strictest regimes still going, going into the shops and the ration boards displayed and how their lives are so different to how we live in a capitalist country. However they all are so happy and content! Sorry random subject there to bring up.

thanks for the links orange. I also have Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty and love it! Plus his Jerusalem - less vegetarian than Plenty (I know you are a vegi) but also has lots of great vegi recipes. Where is the Peruvian restaurant in London? I've never tried Peruvian food and would love to!

hayley crazy you have to tell the owners what state the house is in...! hope it goes ok but I think you are doing the right thing not pushing for it too much if it needs so much work and is going to cause so much stress at this time.

warlin I'm trying not to let it get to me... really hard when I'm still physically here but I know it will be over soon and behind me as soon as I finish. When I challenged them they first came up with some lame explanations ending with "and you won't be here next month anyway"... i have no words...

Snap clapham dh has man flu too! I had to give him a lie in yesterday, do drop off and pick up for ds and put ds to bed last night. I'm wrecked today now! It's alright as I know he'd do the same for me (I just wouldn't moan as much :))

falcon just reading the tiger who came to tea with ds! He loves it! We borrowed it from the library. There's one about 15 mins walk from us so we try and get a load of books every week. Dh loves books and would buy everything in bookshop but from a space and money point of view I'm trying to encourage using the library :)

Loved the dr Seuss books when growing up

orange I like the name Sophie.

I'm one of four and dh is one of three. We ll probably stop here at two but if finances and careers were a bit more settled in the next year to 18 months might try for a third!! I don't have too much time though as already a geriatric mum :). We re both very close to our siblings and would consider them our bet friends!

clapham that's sooo crappy about work. Do they know you're not planning on coming back? Not like that's an excuse for their behaviour!

And good you're finishing next week warlin

yes I did flyer and of course I don't mind you asking! I was born a few years before it all collapsed so I actually grew up in the years afterwards and totally missed that "lovely" era... And I agree with you - it's fascinating. I was asking my parents and family about it a lot when I was younger. My family suffered a lot actually as they were openly anti the regime. For example my dad was a university professor but had to leave his job when he refused to join the party as "he wasn't a good influence on the young generation". My uncle who is now the lead architect of the city where I grew up didn't get accepted at uni to study architecture for 5 years, taking exams years after year, and then was suddenly accepted the year the regime collapsed. And my mum has some amazing stories of people queueing for hours for oranges or some meat etc. I don't think it was nowhere as bad as Cuba though... (I visited Cuba a few years ago - really interesting). I sometimes wish I could have experienced or remembered it but I'm probably very lucky I didn't! And no, people weren't contented or happy with their lot :-) I think it brought out the best in some people and the worst in others. Very interesting times though!

chickien no, they have no idea I'm not coming back! I'm actually overcompensating on this front asking what the new team structure is going to be etc... showing soooo much interest. They told me they will restructure the team over the next month (new leadership so no surprise) and "then will see what can be done with me when I come back". So reassuring isn't it? :-)

And yes, re: man flu, DP is also lovely when I'm not well but it's this moaning and moaning and always almost dying that gets to me :-)

It's in Soho Claphammama, ceviche

Sorry about your job. It happened to our senior leaders after restructuring and I know it feels horrible to be excluded from emails and meetings but you are so near the end now just try to let it float over you and just think of the lovely maternity pay deal you will be getting soon and take it easy, especially as you don't intend to go back and they clearly aren't expecting much of you anyway which is their loss. It's the opposite with me, had lots of emails today asking me to help with planning and various things for the new year 1 team ie do it for them or take even longer doing it altogether at school. I don't mind too much as one of the new teachers is my gtp student for this year who I like a lot but a bit annoyed they were told by the deputy that I would do it!

Hayle I would be wary of landlords promising to change things before you move in. This just happened to my sister and they are now looking to move again after just two months after 5 electricians said the place was not safe and environmental health agreed as wiring not earthed and wires caused wood in the loft to turn to charcoal. The landlords just kept trying to find someone to say it was fine rather than sending people to fix it and didn't do any of the cosmetic things they promised like repairing kitchen floor, fixing window panes, clearing the mess of a garden. If you aren't happy that you could easily sort it yourself I think you are right to stay clear as they have no incentive to sort it out once you are tied into a contract and they are getting rent. You don't want that stress with a new baby.

My DH is 2/2 and I am 4/6 so while DH would have been happy with 2 children, I wanted 4.

My pregnancy with number 3 was tough due to SPD so he was going to be our last until "mother nature" stepped in and gave us a wonderful gift of another pregnancy!

I have a 23 month gap between 1 and 2.
A 3 and a half year gap between 2 and 3
There will be a 9 and a half year gap between 3 and 4 which will be interesting.

Orange I love that book, five minutes peace...... it's like my life!
Also love another called the biggest bed in the world.

Really interesting reading different people's ideas on family size. Dh is eldest of 7 and I am eldest of 3.

Dh originally wanted 2 (based on his childhood, which he really didn't enjoy) but has (obviously ) mellowed when he realised I don't parent the way his mother did - and that having lots of mouths to feed doesn't mean anyone should go hungry or be grubby for want of a bit of soap and water

I went from not wanting any, to getting pg by accident very young, to deciding 4 would be nice ....... still number 6 will be lovely, and am really looking forward to it now!

My next door neighbour had a baby at 7 am today, and i only found out she was pg last week! Long story but bloke living there split with his wife ( who i knew vaguely and spoke to etc), but she moved out and he moved new snooty lady in...........

not sure whether to drop a card round seeing as we've never spoken, or if it would be weird?

I am sure a card would be appreciated Caz, everyone loves getting nice post.

Thanks for all your advice And support :-)

Structurally the house is/should be sound. It's only 12 years old. Yes I'm very wary about the landlord agreeing to do work and its either not done or not done to an acceptable standard. However, would I not be protected more because in going through an agent? As in, they would be sorting things on our behalf? Or also in presuming I would have the option of withholding rent? Obviously I would hope this isn't the case because of obvious timing and I possibly will not be wanting to fight for it having just had a baby!

Really the house needs Kim and aggy and a deep clean! That's all really but yy into not rushing into anything! Dh is known for his "not rushing into ANYTHING" lol

Grrr midwife said I have to have my 32 week appointment with GP as that is how it is done here. You can't prebook until the week before so I couldn't do when I tried last week, then today I called and all the appointments for any time any day next week are gone. So annoying! I can try to book on the day on the urgent care number if I can get through in time, usually about 30 minutes on hold even if you call the second they open

started a discussion is weaning about finger foods

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weaning/1831857-Moving-10month-on-from-spoon-feeding

if any of you can offer advice please do