All those online for NZ timezone!

[buzzybee]

Hi all. Used to be a regular on MN when I lived in London but since moving back to NZ have found it harder to make the connections due to all the brits being asleep when us down under are online! So if anyone is keen to start a thread for those of us in this predicament please reply! My DD has just turned 5 and started school last week (scary). Have just found out I'm expecting number 2 - due roughly Xmas day...

Have no childcare and no car at the moment and am going insane from cabin fever and the stress of all the things I should be doing (eg work!!) and lack of time to blather away online.

Buzzy, those pictures are just gorgeous - she's so beautiful. As soon as my car's WOF is sorted I'll be racing over to make that visit I keep threatening about! I'm so keen to see her for real.

By the way, we got a dummy for dd1 as she was a very sucky baby, but she refused to have anything to do with it, so no joy there.

[stern] MrsJC, you are being silly. If you lost "several stone" you'd disappear! I know what you mean though: in a previous life I used to be quite fit and slim, and now I feel really selfconscious about meeting people in my current "harrassed mother of small children" shape.

Woodburners: If you decide to go for it, have a look on trademe - that's where we found ours. It's 5 years old but as it's solid cast iron, once we've cleaned it up it should be good as new. We decided on the brand (Jøtul) and then just waited til the right one came up. At the moment it's in pieces waiting to be cleaned and installed, so I'll report back when winter comes....

Right, dd2 now asleep, better go. FIngers crossed I might be able to mess around online work tomorrow. Wishing lots of sleep to everyone!

No car is a pita, Welliemum

DH has manflu, which involves him sniffling very loudly in a "I'm being so brave" way. The cure seems to involve playing computer games for three hours

oh wellie, what a pain. and thanks for the tips re woodburner. I never was fit and slim I have to say so I'm not quite sure what I'm hankering after....but I did once have a shape before my ginormous 10 pounders (oh and my stupid ovarian tumour op before that) put paid to that. Grumble

Buzzy, gorgeous! As is DD1. I have to say, in your photo, you look very like my cousin, and DD1 looks like she could be in that branch of the family as well. It's every so slightly strange! (but nice too)

Anna, your comment about DH made me laugh!

Wellie, what an ABSOLUTE PITA How about we come out and see you? Maybe on Friday, would that work?? I am picking DD1 up from school hol programme in Wilton at about 3pm, could come over after that?

What did they fail the car on? Is it worth trying to fix or will you need to procure a new (different) car? Such a shame.

MrsJC, I have very classic scots/gaelic colouring as in very dark hair, pale skin etc and quite often people ask me if I'm related to XYZ. Family names (not my name as my father is English) are McGregor, McKenzie, McDonald and Campbell (pretty good clan coverage huh?!) And DD1 has quite strong resemblance to me. Is your cousin also 6 foot tall?!!

My mum just sent me another gorgeous photo so have added that too for good measure!!

Morning, have to say - do not go and see the Kite Runner without an ENORMOUS box of tissues. Walked out feeling like I needed an enormous gin and a huge sob. Went to the baby session with my pre-natal group and it was harrowing.
Joseph made me feel better in the post movie coffee, beaming away like a wee champ, and is also very keen to watch the other babies. I don't know if this is going to make sense, but I feel like sometimes I get so wrapped up in caring for the everyday practical looking after a newborn, that I forget that he is his own little being.
Buzzy, a cab driver said to me once 'you must have family from the Orkneys'. He was very proud to be proven right, although I am not sure if this is a good thing or not. The Orkneys aren't the Scottish equivilent of Tasmania are they? (Where I also have family from )
MrsJC, the buggy fit trainer didn't turn up. Had been struick down overnight with the norovirus. We took this as a sign that being fit and health conscious (as we assumed sghe must be) was not such a good thing, and went and had coffee and cake to strengthen our breast-feeding bodies.

I was planning on going ot see Kite Runner too. Am now pre-warned about tissue needs.

Baby sessions at my local cinema only seem to show kids films (because of course once you've had a baby you won't have any desire to watch grown-up films ever again. ). I was going to go to a normal session with Amelia yesterday as she's pretty relaxed. I got to the cinema and the queue was huuuuuuge, at least 100 people in it - mainly families - cos of course it's school holidays! I couldn't face queueing so went home. May try again and book ticket online so I just have to pick up ticket when I get there instead of queueing. I figure in a few months she wont be so happy to sit through the sort of films I want to see so I may as well get a few cinema trips in while I can...

I know what you mean about realising they're a little person - sometimes it's just a round of nappychanging and feeding and gettin to sleep etc, it's nice to see their perosnalities starting to emerge. A and I just lay on the bed and stared at each other for about half an hour yesterday, it was fab.

EmMcK you've made me curious now, you'll have to post some pics to your profile!! I have no idea whether the Orkneys are considered like Tassies!

Re the little person thing, I find I have remind myself of that periodically with a 5 yo. Sometimes you become so wrapped up in being a "good" mother that you forget that they have a right to their own views and feelings. Now that DD1 is older I try and think of her as a friend as well as a daughter - it helps put in perspective sometimes when she does things which are a bit naughty or aggravating.

hahahahaha about the buggy fit trainer
most amusing

my dad's side of the family are from the Orkneys too

Buzzy, my cousins are more Irish than scottish, the cousin you look like is not 6 ft but she is quite tall (5ft 9 or 10?). BUt we are all a pretty Gaelic looking bunch think we are Sutherland clan.

about buggy-fit trainer!

And generally. Car is now back on the road. DH is a hero. He's spent all of his (non-existent) spare time for the last week replacing the problem part with a (fixed up) part from one of our other ones. Garage now happy and I am mobile again.

Of course I can't go anywhere because, hooray! I have childcare today so I can actually work..... (This is an ongoing saga, tres stressful)

Am frantically working and intermittently MN-ing to clear my brain of cobwebs...

Buzzy, that's a very kind offer about Friday, but now that the car is fixed I can easily come to yours or meet you somewhere. Also, this could be Thursday or Friday. Of course you're welcome to come over anytime if you fancy a change of scene.

Not trying to drive you mad with my indecisiveness, honest! Just that you're the one with the little baby so am happy to fit in with whatever suits you best.

Wellie, will text you! Glad to hear you are mobile again. How many Morries to do you have?! I sold mine when the head gasket blew for the second time.

My grandmother was half irish but I think we have more of a generic Gaelic look in our family. She was also very tall for her generation and I have always thought I probably got my height from her although my McGregor rellies are all string beans too

Hello all, and welcome EmMcK. I've been off for a few days with slow computer and rather stressful baby situation. She's been full of colic/reflux and crying a lot and failing to sleep for long periods. And then on top of that DS1, DS2 and me all have headlice (groan) and DS2 is toilet training and I've got a sore back. Sigh. So its been pretty rubbish really. Back in Wellington to do the whole lot on my own for another (gasp) 3 1/2 weeks of school holidays (did they used to be this long?) without my parents. Dreading it really. However went to Osteopath for my back yesterday and Rosie went to Cranial osteopath today so we both maybe improved by then.... Ok. Moaning over. Hoping to be back on line to chat a bit more next week.

Bloody hell. EVERY single letter in the SMH today is about cricket. Shut uuuupppp, shut uuuuppp.....

That said, I just don't understand the controversy. The guy who made the racist insult should have been sent home instantly. End of story.

Could somebody please tell me when to start my maternity leave? Friends have told me to work up to my due date if I feel up to it (which I do - I actually feel so normal I keep having panics that the baby has died because I don't have any pregnancy symptoms other than a biggish tummy). They've all said they got terribly bored waiting at home for something to happen, but I wonder if I will regret not having taken at least a few days to get up at 2pm and lie around with the cat in my pyjamas.

Sorry, for clarity that last bit would have been better put "to lie around in my pyjamas with the cat", otherwise it sounds like he's actually co-occupying my clothes. Which he would happily do, given how cold it is.

hahahaha re cat
with DD I worked up until 38 and a bit weeks. Had to though, for various complicated reasons to do with my impending redundancy and qualifying for an extra months retention bonus. But actually that was about right, possibly even too long as she was a bit late. If you are going back to work then every day with your baby can really count so it's nicer to have as long as possible. A week is plenty of time to lie about, it does get boring sitting around wondering when labour might kick off IMO

Shell, sorry to hear about all that - especially Rosie's colic; DD was a colicky baby and it was hell - AND I didn't have 2 other children to contend with. Really hope the CO helps.

I went on maternity leave v early - 30 wks - but I was kind of advised to as I had high blood pressure and quite a physical job (working with 20 under-2's in daycare). If you feel well and have no probs then carry on as long as you want to, I reckon.

It was quite good having so much time off as I got everything ready etc. The time did drag a bit but I got to watch about a gazillion episodes of the Sopranos. I did have a bit too much time to worry about the birth - got all stressed about being induced - and it was absolutely fine - worried over nothing .

Dh's manflu has progressed to the stage where he is sneezing so loudly it is waking the baby. At least I know her hearing is OK.

ninedragons I'd reiterate what MrsJC has said - you want to have the time with your baby not time with the cat in your PJs (sorry, that really made me laugh!) I finished at 39 weeks and in the end had to wait 2 weeks for DD to be born and I spent the whole time monitoring every twinge and hoping it meant labour was starting!

Actually I was originally planning to work to 40 weeks but peer pressure drove me to finish a week earlier - it doesn't seem to be socially acceptable.

Shells, maybe worth considering a school hol programme for DS1 for 1 week anyway? Look forward to catching up properly soon.

yes I must point out I had bugger all work to do for most of the last trimester as all the jobs were moving abroad & they knew I was leaving and so gave me nothing to do. It was v.boring BUT I spent all the time on the internet looking up baby stuff, shopping, chatting to people etc. I had a sit down in front of a computer job. it's a totally different kettle of fish if you have a physical job like Anna

Good point MrsJC - I have a desk based job too, all credit to those who have more physical jobs working through ANY part of being PG. I actually found it harder in the 10-30 week period when I was more tired. Towards the end the only problem was that I couldn't move very fast!!

I just used to fall asleep at my desk, noone noticed sadly enough

also put on stones and stones of weight through being so sedentary and within such easy reach of the vending machines...

i went on maternity leave with three weeks to go and then J was ten days early so it was perfect. i was pleased to leave as woman that has come in as my maternity cover is awful, think more patronising perpetyua from bridget jones. she has since 'invited' me to visit the team. oh how kind. grr. also was getting bored as all new projects were farmed to others as my leaving date approached.
i also watched lots of sopranos - i do love tony, he is one of those weird crush men for me.
continuing round of nw london baby activities with baby yoga this morning

I suppose the thing is that I have unlimited maternity leave, so taking a few extra days now isn't going to have to be subtracted eventually from time with the baby. I have just started to think hmm, I won't get a lie-in until 2020, maybe I should have a few now while I have the chance.

Apparently it's going to drop below zero on the weekend, so I have suggested to my husband that he chuck a sickie on Monday (his company, so this is not naughty), I'll take the day off and we'll put the flannelette sheets on the bed and spend three days being exceedingly lazy.

snuggling up with your husband for three days before the litle dragon arrives sounds like a really good idea, and you'll need the flannelette sheet as the cat will have your pyjamas.
anna - the ads for the baby sessions look like that at my cinema too, but the reality is lots of women pacibg the aisles and wiping vomit off the back of seats after over zealous winding

aaaah
if you have unlimited maternity leave then that's different as well

at over-zealous winding.

I knew the chances of me going back to my job were v slim so it didnt matter if I finished early. The middle trimester at work wasn't too bad as I felt really well. The worst bit was prob first trimester as I felt so nauseous and tired and I hadn't told them I was pg yet so couldn't even moan about how rubbish I felt. I remember falling asleep at 7pm some nights I was so knackered.

I probably could have carried on a few wks longer but lifting kids into high chairs/cots etc was getting pretty difficult.

Enjoy the lie-ins - mind you I got some when A came back from hosp as she would go back to sleep till 9 or 10 am sometimes after early feed. That qualifies as a lie in now!