Due April 2009 - Sod the thread title, we will need a new one in a week.

[PuzzleRocks]

Welcome new joiners, lurkers, occasional updaters, prolific posters, and Nutty and Springy .
I say this one wont last a full 10 days.

Oddeyes - great news on the health front and early mat leave. Sleep well.

brettgirl, we don't have a HR department neither have I had a risk assessment so it's all very difficult, essentially I am the HR department for my team and the bosses are mine so makes things all a bit more complicated!

nutty we got LO a t-shirt from tesco with a huge squirrel on saying 'I'm nuts about milk' - was in the sale 0-3 months for 75p!!! only got it at the weekend so they might still have one x

Brettgirl - you are fine to ask at your next appointment but once you have the paperwork you do need to send it off asap as there is a time limit between receiving the form from your mw and submtting your claim.

BB - That's the sort of superficiality I strongly approve of. The BB beauty counter would be an asset to the household.

Oddeyes- it's really great that the health situation is sorted for you too. It must be such a relief in many ways.

Now if Nutty could just sort my shocking roots out...

BB funny to think that superficial... we all have a secret (or not so secret) craving for beautiful, sensual, sumptuous products

Hi everyone - I can't believe that I've almost missed a whole thread. It moves so fast. I've skimmed but I'm sure I've missed loads. Glad you're finally getting some NHS support Boffin. Conker - I'm jealous of you having chickens. Are they hard work? And I love kids books - I work for a publishing company so DS has hundreds. I'd agree with Gruffalo, DS also loves Spot, Charlie and Lola, Night Garden tie-ins and Bear Snores on.

I finally set the date for my last day at work - 19th March. Feeling exhausted so it can't come soon enough. I'mn starting to worry slightly that we've got nothing ready, but we did get the newborn clothes down from the loft at the weekend and they look so sweet. Not long now

Ooooh and if she's doing your roots Puzzle, perhaps she can do a lovely cobalt blue streak for me... I rather miss mine and we can chat under the hair dryers

Oh hello babypringle

Things will come together as the time approaches (or so Dh assures me)

DH keeps telling me that too, but I just can't see how! His schedule for the next two months is ridiculous busy, but he doesn't want me to decorate the baby's room by myself - so I have no idea how that will get done.
Have just ordered a double buggy tho so one more thing off the list

BB if you need some prep talk from us before the meeting with your bosses let us know! I was supposed to get a pay rise today and my boss 'forgot' to tell me how much it was going to be... I had to remind him and still haven't had an answer. Makes me very cross. Good luck with asking to work from home. I stupidly offered to do a bit of work for free when I have started my maternity leave - how mad am I???

Well the things that need to get done will get done and the rest will wait. Slow and steady still means you're accomplishing things

I wish I could do some work from home...I get rather bored and feel like my brain is shrinking when I spend lots of time at home (like I am) I really miss Uni and intellectual conversations...I'm far more productive when my brain is being stimulated.

Have I missed the strangely tempting communal lush bath? Someone bought DD a book clalled 'Not Now Bernard' which I LOVE. Also 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark' is a big favourite in our house. BUT top of the list - no questions - 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. DD can now 'read' it perfectly word for word. And our animal of choice is the penguin, not sure why, they are fun to imitate maybe?!

Right, I'm in better spirits now. Helped by a lovely DP, a nice phonecall to my parents & (extreme quantities of) Dairy Milk.

I do have antibiotics, yes. Well, half of them - DP will have to fetch the rest tomorrow because I had the last of their stock & the midwife is coming to check on me at home next Tuesday to make sure I'm okay, which is nice. I'm meant to take 4 of the antibiotic tablets a day & will manage to squeeze 3 in today (4pm, 8pm, midnight) to get a load into my system before spacing them out a bit more tomorrow. Hopefully there'll be a rapid improvement. It's strange though - I'm used to my back hurting from bump-strain & therefore not being able to bend. Now it's not bending that makes me scream in agony but lifting my legs. A change is as a good as a rest, after all

BB, you'd better be strong & determined! Just pretend we're all there with you, ready to be outrage buddies / give you a clip 'round the ear if you back down You need to slow down a bit, you know that & they must as well.

Nutty & BB, don't expect me to spend much time away from your bedroom, then - it'll take both of you & a whole load of products to make me look good, but God damn it you will

Ooh Schulte not sure if this applies to you but I am entitled to up to ten KIT (keeping in Touch) days during mat leave where I can do some (not even a days') work and entitled to get paid. Might be worth enquiring.

Do you have Penguin by P Dunbar then Maths? That's a darling book Dunbar does lots of very cute books...

ooh no, sounds like one for amazon. DD is obssessed with penguins, currently has four in her bed with her...we often get downstairs after bedtime only to hear a plaintive wail of 'where is my OTHER pepe?!!' - cue scramble round the house to locate said penguin otherwise she won't sleep!