March 2010. A lesson for much of life: Shut the door. Find the corkscrew.

[Arcadie]

Happy Christmas MMMs. This is my gift to you!

Ps scooby how was your meeting today? I hope it went well.

Thinking of you Scoobs

Greetings from scoobyland

Thanks for all your thoughts......

Had meeting this morning. The big big boss took me in for the 'appeal' within 3 mins of being in the room I was told he was upholding the decision and he had nothing to offer me! Oh, and just for good measure my 'appeal form' was inappropriate and insolent in tone! ( j did get 4 trusted people to read it before I submitted it! Bottom line is now that he will try to a accommodate my shift probs (full time- so thus working back any hrs I have proba with) in the short term whilst the organisation HQ tries to find me 'something' that something could off course be 40miles away.... Who knows...... When asked how another female in my 'positikn' has managed to get virtually same hrs the response was that it was a matter for her management but he wouldnt allow me....hmmmm

Scoobs for you. Scumbags.

ALso thinking of scooby - they'd better bloody start playing ball.

Today, I am mostly wearing SeaBands - nausea so grinding I'm trying them in desperation although yesterday I had a few nausea-free hours during which I obviously worried something was wrong!

Ha! Heckle I also laughed at the lady plannin to get through labour with paracetamol and gas and air 'if I need it'

Cut to her mid-labour 'Pethidine! Or half? Can I have half a pethidine. PLEASE! I can't do it, I can't do it! Just half, please, just half!'

Still, her bossy mother kept her on track and she did do it in the end - I'm sure she'd have caved without her mum there. Not sure how I felt about that; I mean, there are no prizes for 'suffering more' and doing it naturally. Would she really have been so very disappointed to have had pain relief? And she did seem desperate - if I was her Mum I think I'd have caved!

Oh, still no final decision on TattooGate but I'm probably going with no.

That's crap scooby. I hope whatever they find you will work out ok.

manda I totally agree! Good on her for doing it 'naturally' in the end but I bet she wouldn't have regretted a bit of extra pain relief! And I think I would've caved too if I was her mum! I wonder if shell make different decisions for child #2....?!

Hope the ms subsides soon

RKD is that your sister expecting twins?? (apologies if isn't, and am oddly excited it!)

And realises I may have broken your news for you.

it IS my sister expecting twins! RIDICULOUSLY excited for her!!!!!!

I appear to have cross posted with scooby Ugh, so sorry and I'm so cross with them on your behalf (like you're probably not angry on your own behalf anyway!). I know women have come a reletively long way in the workplace, but things are still far from fair (for various different reasons - I realise it's a complicated issue, particularly for smaller companies; but larger organisations, or worse, government departments? Sheesh!). And what is happening to you is really not fair. Speak up and you're inappropriate and insolent? For crying out loud! I wish I had some advice that could actually help

Whoohoo! What lovely news, AuntyRKD

But, wait, is this the sister that got pregnant very quickly after DC1 or am I remembering everything all topsy-turvey?

Reletively? Er, I can spell. Honest. Relatively*

Manda It's DBro's wife who's pg very quickly after DNiece. This is Dsis who's pregnant with twins. TWO BABIES!!!!!

Pixie She'll always be my wonderful sis even if she's permaknackered.

Scooby, how crappy for you. This flexible working law is a fine example of some regs that look lovely in principle but are really more show than substance I.e. It's all too easy for an employer to find that there's no business case for permitting a request. (My employer is also clamping down on flexible working, to the extent that some women returning from mat leave #2 were told that they needed to up their hours even though it is not permitted for an employer unilaterally to alter an existing confirmed flexible working agreement. And this is a law firm .) Anyway, I do hope BB man comes up with something for you. And preferably closer than 40 miles away.

So, I survived my first day back at work. SW Trains put on a special show of competence for me so I was late getting in and late getting home . Getting home late also meant both DC were in bed asleep . I miss them. And I have boobs like torpedoes. Still, DD did not have any milk before bed (she is on formula strike) so will probably wake up soon . Probably as soon as I sit down for dinner or get into bed.

Work was same old same old. I have a roommate who spent part of the day on the phone to recruitment agencies, while two other recent maternity leave
returnees told me about the escape plans they are hatching.

manda, hope you feel better soon. I think the relentless nausea was my least favourite part of pregnancy. Do the sea bands have any effect for you? I found them quite helpful, even if they did give the game away on at least one occasion for me.

Cngrats to your Dsis, Arcadie. They will be her first babies, won't they?

Well, I was spot on. DD woke up just as we dished out dinner. As an added bonus DS woke up at the same time as he had been sick all over his bed. Poor little chap.

OMG, the mere thought of expecting twins - sympathies congratulations to your sister, Arcadie. And as ever respec' to our resident TwinMother, Pixie - how is DD2 btw? Had to admit a 16 yr old lad who has been having a dreadful with v brittle asthma for some time, poor guy. He even agreed to admission today which is a bad sign indeed for him who always refuses until in extremis . Anyway, he made me think of your DD. Hope she is ok. And you + bean are too .

scooby, what utter bollocking crap, I cannot imagine how stressed/worried/angry you must be. Sorry, I have nothing constructive to add, but am really annoyed on your behalf. I really feel you have been messed about what with 'yes, you can change your hours' to 'no you cannot' to 'I'll think about it' to 'no and deal with it' . Hopefully you will find a solution after all.

Manda, hope your MS settles soon. How many weeks are you now??

Sariska, glad you had an okish first day back. Oh, I remember the Return-to-work-Depression... it wears off, I think. Most of the time, anyway. Hmmm.

Re socket covers: useless (Oh, I haven't used that in a while ).
Admittedly, I too am in the 'learning by doing' camp .

Well, Skye was spectacular - would have been even more enjoyable in the absence of my darling offspring : the fighting and niggling and moaning and tempertantrumming and not sleeping, aaaaaaaargh! On the upside, we did not kill them, the house was phantastic (even if the Aga broke down and we had dinner delivered from the nearby hotel with famous chef ), the views stunning and even DS1 managed to have fun on the beach, yeah!
We had not brought a pram (would have been useless on rough terrain and didn't fit in the car) so I had Joe in the Ergo on my back which worked well, but I think was quite cold for him. And that was in the sun.... the weather was at times quite, ahem, Scottish. As DH said 'what on earth are we doing on Skye in February??' The drive back via Kyle of Lochalsh was loooooong (we'd done the ferry from Mallaig on the way there), but again stunning: really wintry, lots of snow, we saw lots of deer and Glen Coe was just breathtaking.
So, in conclusion, a shortbreak that was good for the soul, but maybe not ideal with littlies. Or not with littlies who need constant entertainment to stop them from killing each other.
Oh, and the mauling: gah, I'd not brought nail scissors and Joe's fingernails had been quite long from the off and, well, grew. I am scarred, hopefully not for life.
All I know is our co-sleeping days are over, I just cannot take The Pain. And he sleeps so much better if I am not there. So, there, end of

Right, must watch 'Big Fat Gypsy Wedding' and bed.
Hope you are all well.

HOW do they know to wake up screaming the minute you have a yummy dinner in front of you?? How?? Sympathies, Sariska!

Oh dear SARISKA!
Congrats AUntie RKD - twins are the best ;-)xx

Lying in bed wide awake again- tummy pains again...can't think why.. Anyone??....

Oh what to do.

Applied for an internal job as a fallback with a more compatable shift pattern- far from guaranteed I'd get it. Interviews not or another 3 weeks or so and that's if I'm not papersifted.... I really really dread going to work. I hate seeing them, and want to punch them. My New federation rep ( given to me as she's a specialist !- alledgedly) had a word with the boss after the meeting- partly to apolgise for me daring to get upset ... She then told me she said to him ' you have a wife- you'll know women just get funny after babies' and that was supposed to help?? One step forward and five back- shes got too service and needs to come I to this century- not helping me behaving like that...

this had dropped off my list of 'I'm on' - that is baaaaad!
RL is getting in the way of MNing and < smac whispers quietly I've been unfaithful - I've been hanging out on some other forums - all in the interests of work you understand but it hasn't left me much time for MN!> Some clothies have been going wild about some of our products on another forum and I have to keep checking up on them and seeing what they are saying! Our website went live on 25th Feb last year (Baby G's due date!!!) so we are celebrating with a few special offers and promotions next week - running it for a week as well so if any of you are interested have a look here.
The voluntary work I'm doing is also taking up a bit of time and I've had to go onto netmums local for that, my eyes are still straining from all the tickers and glitter so all in all I'm pleased to have found a few spare minutes back in the safe, plain, slightly insane world of Mumsnet and the warm, welcoming arms of the MMMs.
Like heckle says I'm sorry to hear of sickness/tiredness/poorly pets/b*stard bosses etc but don't really have time for individual shout outs tonight.
I've sent out some invites for DD2's first birthday party - her birthday is two weeks today, her party will be the Sunday before.
I can't believe my baby will be one!!!!! I do feel that a first birthday is such a milestone though.
I would love to hear more about the birthday party arrangments. We are just having a small do at the house - mostly for adults and along the same lines as DD1's first birthday party (which ended up turning into a bit of a session ). At the end of March DD1 is having a joint fancy dress party with her wee chum.
Right wittering must end.
Glad you enjoyed Skye pacific although when I heard you were going in Feb I did think you were slightly deranged!!!

DD is still asleep - shall I prod her to check she's ok?

Meanwhile has made me feel awkward and I don't know why. Perhaps I need reassurance that she is in a relationship with this guy? :) (renewed moral compass emoticon)

Siamese at that video!!!

Popping in to say Happy Birthday to Valium's DD2 :)

Hopefully back later for proper post.

Happy birthday little Valium!