West London Thread August continued...

[Kewcumber]

shiny new thread to sully.

I work in Ealing so you lot can come and meet me for lunch when I go back

sfx - 4 weeks is when I return

The plan is a 4 day week (1 of which is at home) but I will have accrued a/l so can take 1 day a week holiday for 3 months - effectively meaning only 2 days in office.

I am looking forward to being at work 2 days a week but am dreading the expressing bit. Its making me sad to think I'll have to use a machine instead of cuddle DS2

I need to practice and collect some milk stores to freeze, but can't bring myself to do it 'cos I am in denial.

I returned to work after a year with DD and it was fine as I fed her monring and evening like you did with your DD.

DS2 will only be 6 months old though!

I could probably stretch it out to eight month mat leave but that would get us into debt

Foxie,
I think I have some of your Andrea Levys too. I'm going to read them when I get a moment.

I'm sure the expressing will be fine.

I used to sneak off to the toilet at lunchtime and it only took about 15/20 mins in total. If you use a double pump, it shouldn't take more than 15 mins to empty both breasts.

Your employers will probably be quite happy for you to use the sick room and it's not going to take too long, maybe you won't need special breaks .

I think it's always hard to leave one's baby to go back to work. You just worry if your baby can cope. But to be honest they do.

I remember feeling very divided I really wanted to go back and dh was looking after dd, but I also missed her, not really while at work but when i was leaving or on the way home iyswim

4wks does not seem like a lot but i am sure you will manage fine, both of you

Are there nice lunch places in Ealing? Dd and I ended up in Natural Cafe. I'm really tired of having their quiche.

i did not know they had one of those, i think dh sometimes goes to a Lebanese place which i gather is near Percival hse where he has been working lately

sfx I work very close geographically to your DH!!!

The Lebanese place is my lunchtime haunt. The food is wonderful and very reasonably priced. £6.50 for a massive lunchtime platter and they do freshly squeezed juices -

I often see buggy's in there too

I do need to start practising the expressing again...

DS2 is getting baptised this Saturday

www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=3806

Foxie,
I love Lebanese food! What's the name of the Lebanese restaurant?

fingers crossed it keeps good

I think the Lebanese folk have another restaurant in west ealing, a small front with huge back room, that was close to where i used to work. same deal and great mint tea too

Mellow its called Karam

sfx - another one? where, where, where???

foxie. I sympathise with the 'back to work' denial.

DS4 starts his settling-in visits when the older boys go back to school. He'll be ten months, and what will be really odd is that I'll be at work at the same place ie. Our nursery.

The temptation will be to keep popping in, as I'll be in the kitchen and office, but I know, from settling DS3 a couple of years ago, that I need to leave him under the care of the staff while I'm at work.

I'm also planning to express as, although I'll be on-site with him, I won't be able to give him his mid-morning pre-sleep feed as I'll be busy preparing lunch.

I'm hoping to be able to do half-days to begin with.

Foxie - enjoy your last 4wks before going abck to work, I'm sure it will fly by.

Mellow - 10am sounds fine, can you text/email me your phone no. in case I can't find you so I can call, ta.

Right, DS in bed so I'm off to gym now, enjoy your evenings

Thanks SJ

Bubble - DD is starting school in two weeks and I really don't want her to (although she can't wait and is very excited). She's still my baby in so many ways.

And DS2 will be leaving my breast 2 days a week.

Boo Hoo

You're so lucky being able to work alongside your baby

I remember the first time I ledt DS1 in a creche - he was about 8 months and it was on site at a work event. I kept listening at the door to check he was OK (there were no windows to peer through as we were on the 2nd floor)

DS2 is crawling backwards !!

OMG - DS2 has his two bottom teeth coming through as well!

little cub& ouch

foxie. Is he going to be your last, d'ya think?

I know DS4 should be my last, but I'm feeling a bit about him growing up, not in a weird way - of course I want him to grow up. Just not so quickly.

Bubble I'm 43 so the answer is a sad "yes". I was married for 10 years before I gave in to having kids and in many ways wish I'd started earlier. I could have had even more then

I feel I could pop another out, but DH is quite a bit older than me and it wouldn't be fair on him

Also am finding 3 quite a handful!

Did you find going from 1 to 2, or 2 to 3 a bigger shock than from 3 to 4?

Is there a No 5 on the horizon maybe ?

mellow - was also in ealing today although we left at 11.30 as my dd2 is not a pasta fan which leaves us with very little choice. I have been to the natural cafe but I think it is a tad expensive. Also there is a lebanese restaurant near ealing common. I have been twice although a while ago now and the food has been good.

Foxie - my dd1 also starts school in two weeks and I cannot believe it! Part of me is happy and part of me is sad as this really does mean she is no longer a baby and all mine (and dh's)!

Bubble - how many do you have if you don't mind me asking? I only have the two but am already sure (and dh very sure) that that is my lot which of course makes me a little sad as dd2 has now started losing all that lovely baby fat!

Mellow, that's fine, I'll see you around 10-ish.

When I go to Ealing I usually end up at Bella Pasta - they're good with children and is ok food-wise. Always on the look out for other places though!

good morning all

bubble am 38 and trying for number two, would like more but it is unlikely.

i never wanted kids at 30, we have been together sine 95 but kids and marriage just wasn't on the cards, until it was

it seems like this potty training thing has been sussed now for the public bitthat involves mum paying attention and carrying spares at a;l times, that will be harder

Morning all.

foxie, I know how you feel about going back to work - it was the hardest decision I've ever had to make.

Well done mini-sfx! Have been trying to potty-train DS (have two potties on standby) but he's just not interested. Maybe I should wait till he can communicate better.

Afternoon all.

Yingers, I've got 4 boys.

Going from 1 to 2 was definitely the hardest. There are 2.5 years between DS1 and DS2. DS3 is five years younger than DS2 and DS4 is then 20 months younger than DS4.

Got that? Do keep up.

blimey bubble, I find it hard going with 1, never mind 4!

Mellow & SJ, really nice to see you both today, thanks for having us mellow, sorry about ds's extremely high-pitched screaming!

Bubble - do you get their names mixed up?

I constantly get DH, DS1 and DS2's names confused!

I just about remember DD's but often hear myself saying "good boy" to her!