West Sussex mummies ?

[chocolatemummy]

Anyone in the Lancing, Shoreham, Worthing area?
I am a 30 year old working mum.Moved to Sussex in 2000 to go to uni, most people I met moved back home afterwards but I met someone and got married.I have a daughter almost two and some good friends but no one with children and you all know it changes everything. Time, money and energy to go out is hugely decreased and even if you don't want to talk babies, schools, nurseries etc its your life now and childless single friends are on a different planet-or should I say we are!
Anyone near me who is on my wavelength?
please get in touch.

Hi
I've just joined mumsnet, and thought i'd get in touch. I actually live a little further away than you were looking for, we're in Selsey, we have just moved her and don't know anyone. I'm 25 stay at home mum, and my daughter is almost two also - nearly 23 months. None our good friends have children either, and I know exactly what you mean about feeling like your on another planet - its such hard work. As I said we don't have any friends near us now, and would love to make some. I'm afraid I generally don't have a car, so we may not be able to meet, but I thought it might be nice just to have someone to chat to from time to time.
I'll wait and see if I hear from you. I hope i do!
Bye

Hello
nice to hear from you, yes it is really hard going and I don't think you realise until babies come along just how much you need to be near your friends and family. Be nic to chat with you as you say,
Where have you moved from? are you married?
My little one is at a very funny age, sometimes she is amazing and I can't stop kissing her other times I could leave her in the road!!!
(joke)
you know what i mean.....

Oh I know what you mean!!!
I think the terrible two's started early at times. But they are wonderful!

Good to hear from you...... my names Ruth by the way, and my little girl is Grace. Yes I am married, to Ben, about 7 months ago (very stressful, I now have a wedding phobia, but i'll fill you in on that some other time - in-laws.... who'd have them?) How about you.... married?

We have moved from Alton in Hampshire, not a million miles away, but far enough to have none of my old friends visit - which i have been very upset about at times. It's hard for the ones that have kids because its a major expedition to go anywhere as you'll know. But those without are just so busy, they seem endlessly be jetting off somewhere on holiday. We're lucky that my parents don't live too far away, so they do take Grace sometimes

How long have you been in Worthing? What were you studying when you met your other half? I met Ben in my final year, but he didn't live near me, we met over the internet - you wouldn't think that tapping away on some keyboard could be so life changing. What line of work are you in?

SO you must have a second birthday coming up then? Exciting! Gracie's is 30th December - horrendous having it that close to christmas, the what to get for what dilema........ when all I really want to get her is a wendy house and its too cold for that. A very expensive time of year.......

Well I had better dash.......

Hope to hear from you again soon
Ruth xx

well, My name is Rebecca, my daughtr is Estelle and she was 2 on november 7th.
I moved to Brighton and started a MA in Psychology but I dropped out. I work in residential social work (childrens homes and fostering) Its pretty tough but its what i am qualified to do so hard to get out of without a big drop in salary.
I also met my hubby on the net....who'd have thought it. we got married in may 2003 a lovely day.
What did you do at Uni then? do you work now or a stay at home mummy?
Rebeccax

Just to say, sorry my messages so infrequent, i have been working alot lately and haven't had chance to come on but should be better for while now. Hope you are well and hope to hear from you soon x

hi rebecca
you met on the net to? how weird....... where did you meet?
did estelle have a nice birthday? what did you get her? we have been finding it very hard deciding for grace. how is estelle talking now? grace can't stop, been having a tough time at bedtime lately.
social work.... boy thats tough, good on you! you must be knackered, emotionally as mouch as physically!
I am a qualified osteopath, but i resigned my registration in february - i just didn't enjoy it anymore, i'd had a few bad jobs since i qualified and found it too stressful trying to set up my own practice. it isn't the profession it once was, and for me that's a bad thing, i'm more into the cranial line of work (if you've heard of it) which technically is very subtle and i was good at it, but the nhs is atarting to get their claws in and its more of a whack and crack kinda profession now - i don't have the energy to fight against the mainstream and i didn't want to be main stream, so in answer to your question i am a stay at home mum at present........... boy that was long winded, sorry!
i know i'm lucky to be a stay at home mum, we can just scrape by, but some days i think it would be easier to go to work. especially a\t this time of year.
don't apologise for being busy, shall i give you my e-mail? might make it a bit less time consuming......... [email protected]

take care, have a good week,
ruth xx

I'm here now so will reply in here, its easier. Well, I met my husbnad at Love@Lycos
how embarrasing. It was my first year in Brighton, and I was quite lonely. I was working by then and going out alot with people I had met through work but not really anywhere you could meet anyone. I started chatting non the net during night shifts at work in a childrens home. I could never get to sleep so i used to stay up half the night with the care staff and go on the net. I saw adverts on TV for Love@Lycos and so I checked it out and I actually met up with three guys from there and the last one ended up being my husband. Its been a busy few years since then.
I too am fed up with my line of work, Its very relentless and abusive alot of the time but I am very qualified in that area and not much else.
I would like to do something totally different and creative like hairdressing but couldn't afford to give up work and go to college.
Anyway, Estelle is talking quite a bit, more each day bless her. For her birthday we got her a little carry around tape recorder with a microphone because she loves singing and dancing with her music tapes. We also got her a big cabbage patch doll with lots of long hair, socks, shoes, nappy, pants, loads of extras for her to fiddle with and she loves it. She has so many toys its hard to know what to do and christmas is around the corner..... we havent got a big enough house for her!
Well, Its nice getting to know you. I'm not sure where Selsey is? Chichester ay isn't it? we'll have to get the girls together sometime perhaps
Rebecca X

I'm in Steyning and Custardo is in Worthing, so not far at all.

Hi,

I am a (older in birthdays but not in spirit) working mum with a ten month old son and I live near Arundel. Thought I would join your thread to say hello...

hey all
wow three people now....... thats an improvment.
hi to november girl and mabs, arundel and worthing way, thats not far away - there you go Rebecca, someone in your neck of the woods! if you guys would like to chat and tell us about yourselves be good to hear from you again.

Rebecca, I met my hubby on Match.com (so cheesy I know), my friend tried it first - it was light relief from dissertations, so it was totally by chance. Ben was the onlyone I met with, and we bought our first house 6 months later.

Grace loves dancing, but she a bit coy when it comes to singing. Your job does sound tough, but you must get a good sense of achievment sometimes? I know exactly what you mean bout wanting to do something more creative, i tried painting........ but its finding the time.

Hope you had a good day at work
Ruth xx

Hello all of you
Steyning and Arundel, great not too far at all. Ruth- Selsey isn't too far away, not much further than Arundel is it?
Anyway, Mabs and Novembergirl, as Ruth says,tell us about yourselves, we have both found a very unexpected thing in common re-how we met our husbands.Got to be honest if Ruth hadn't said it first, I wouldn't have told you that, I don't really tell anyone. Don't know why really, it seems quite common nowdays-look at us, one day we might all be sitting in a seafront bar together with a glass or two of wine or G and T and no one would know we met on the net either!
I am a working mummy too-working too bloody hard!!!
Have you got boys or girls? Who is Custardo?
would be nice to get some pics to eachother at some point.Must dash at work so shouldn't really be on here
Rebecca X

Hi everyone,

I meant to respond earlier but never have enough time at the moment...guess that is pretty normal for working mums?

I work in London four days a week, which is quite tiring, but unlike DH, who had to negotiate the A27 on the way to work, at least I get to sleep on the train (very handy when DS wakes at night).

As I mentioned in my last message, I have one son who is 10 months old; where did the time go! He is a very sociable baby who loves going out and about, so I try to use some of my free time to meet other local mums, join mother and baby classes and explore the local area (we moved here 2 1/2 years ago but are still getting to know our corner of West Sussex).

Must go now but will try to join the thread again soon.

Don't know where poppet has gone? but hello those of you still around and lets bring this thread a bit more to life!
PLEASE!!!

Agreed. Thought I'd give the thread a 'bump' in the hope that other West Sussex mummies are online.

Hi! I'm near Chichester, and there are quite a few MNers round here. We've come very close to organising a meet up but it's fallen through at the last minute every time, unfortunately. It would be nice to get together, though!

Hey all, sorry been a bit mad the past couple of weeks. Good to see a few more people on the thread!!! Hello Satine and Novembergirl.
Satine, where abouts near Chichester do you live? Tell us about yourself........
Novembergirl, you must be exhausted commuting to London, what line of work are you in?
Sorry Rebecca, you must of thought i'd dissapeared, how you doin? How's Estelle?
We have finally had two nights in a row when Grace has slept without waking in the early hours, but I actually feel more tired - think my body has realised how sleep deprived it is!
And horrah! We finally have some friends coming to stay with us in our new house - planning on acting our ages next weekend (though I find that quite hard) thank the lord for grandparents (free babysitting). I've been busy, cos I am desperately trying to lose weight, am on weight watchers but to get anywhere I am having to go to gym 5 times a week - exhausting, thank god she's sleeping.
Ready fo xmas???
best think about getting the ironing done..... joy!
Ruth xx

Hi,

Yes, Poppetmummy,commuting to London is pretty tiring but, unfortunately, in the area of financial services I work in, there are not many jobs on the South Coast.

The main problem is the fact that I have to leave home early and arrive back late. Even if I leave 30 minutes early, I am still not home until 7pm; then it's straight into the bedtime routine for ds! Even after ds is asleep, the rest of our evenings are exercises in planning (make food for nursery, bottles, pack bag...) rather than a time to unwind!

That said, most working parents I speak to, even those who live closer to work, find life fairly exhausting; at least I have a couple of hours to read a book/magazine, listen to music or watch the world go by from the train!

Must dash now as it is getting late...

i think children are tireing whether you work or not - i actually find it more exhausting being at home everyday than when i used to work! how crazy is that....... 2 year olds have far too much energy! hehe
don't work too hard novembergirl, what book are you reading on the train then? what music are you into?
see ya xx

Hi girls - just spotted this thread and thought I'd butt in!
I'm in Worthing - been here 2.5 years after being in Brighton for a while - 32, married, dd 3.5, 9wks pg...
Always up for meeting new people!

Hi, I live in East Wittering. It's very strange but due too personal problems have not been on for a while. The first evening I do I find a west sussex meet up trying to be organised - i would love to make this one work. I am a stay at home mum with hubby and 2 childres - ds 2 and dd7 months.

Yippee its working! more and more new faces thats great!
Well, yes being a working mum is exhausting and I also agree that being a full time one must be equally exhausting. Must admit I don;t think I have the petience to be a full time mum, my 2 year old daughter drives me mad at the best of times. She nevers tires lately, even without a sleep in the day she keeps going until 10.30pm sometimes. I have been very slack with the rooutine thing and I need to get a grip on things I think. She was always so good at going to bed I thought I had got away with it.
Anyway,just about getting organised for xmas now and I think a meet up early in the new year would be great for all of us if thats what we all want?
Ruth, nice to hear you have company soon and we will organise a get together asap.
Has anyone heard of the Flying Fortress? it's in Ford near Arundel
might be a good mid way place to meet with kids

Speak to you all soon, happy parenting

Rebecca x

Sorry just wanted to add, I can spell.... I am just crap at typing.
and for those who don't know I am 30, married working mum and live in Lancing
speak to all soon and thankyou for keeping my thread alive!

Flying fortress sounds good - it's supposed to be fab, but pricey(?) After Christmas is best, and afternoons as dd goes to playschool in the mornings. Excellent! Keep me posted!

The Flying Fortres sounds like a good place to arrange a meet up. Ds has been there twice (once with his childminder and once with dh and I) and if I remember correctly, entry is £3.50 for the under 4s and free for non-walking children.

The fortress itself looks great fun, although I will have to wait until ds is old enough to have an excuse to try it out! There is a small soft play area for babies, which someone mentioned was being upgraded in the new year, and refreshments are available. It gets very busy after school (particularly if there are any birthday parties going on), so early afternoon would be a good time to meet.

I agree with you Poppetmummy, being a full time mum can be very hard work: I actually think that my job is easier and far less tiring! In answer to your questions, I have just finished reading Rococo by Adriana Trigiani although I tend to read books at night to help me unwind rather than on the train, when magazines (including mum & baby mags) are great to flick through. I listen to all types of music from rock and pop to opera and classical. Ds also seems to like music; he always smiles when I turn on the radio and he loves being danced around the kitchen (making the most of this before he is old enough to be embarrassed by mum)!

Better go, as oven is on but dinner is not in it yet!

okay Flying Fortress it is then, I'm afraid the only afternoons I am free are thursdays. How about we aim for thursday 19th jan, its my birthday the next day...31 ouch!!!
We should all be getting over christmas by then. I can be there for about 12.00 and might get a bit of lunch for me and Estelle if anyone wants to join us... but say from 12.00 onwards.
There are about 4 or 5 of us now i think so hopefully if we can get 3 of us or more it will be a nice afternoon.
let me know what you all think
Reecca x