November 09, new skills are fun - look what I can do now, Mum!

[DontWorryBaby]

New thread for our little handfuls!

MsI Hoping you can go home soon too. x

We have had the ends of A's hair snipped a little, but no what you'd call a proper cut as there is just not enough of it. Although it is longer at the back than on top.

MsI hope you manage to get some rest and that Roo is recovering well.

Thanks for all the well wishes and lovely comments on our wedding. Wish you all could have been there ;-)

So Pav - camping?

ooh and congrats Skorp on ds2 :-)

RooRoo should be coming home TOMORROW!

We will be ready to start planning the November 09 camping trip here at approx 1600 hours.

Phew!

MsI hooray for Roo coming home well done to you and MrI for holding it together through all this

Sorry I haven't been on for a while - have been lurking and keeping up with your news. Congrats to skorpion for another pink bundle on the way. DWB hope you're hanging on in there and start to enjoy your maternity leave soon.

Doing a fitness and diet thing here, making me a bit grumpy but does seem to be working so am hoping I can keep it up!

No haircuts here, have trimmed his fringe once and made a bit of a mess of it! He has the most gorgeous blonde curls at the back though and I can't bring myself to chop them off! Handy we live in Brighton I guess

Would be up for a camping meet up too, or just a meet up!

Oooh, definitely would love to meet up again, can't believe it's been well over a year since the first/last one!

MsI, that's wonderful news!!

Feeling grumpy and sorry for myself today. My back has been really bad for quite a while (really low down, pretty much at the end of the spine) and it seems I have been unintentionally careful with it and using my abdominal muscles (which are a joke anyway) instead. So now they hurt like I've done too many crunches (ha!!). My bump has really popped out overnight last week, I literally bacame heavily pregnant in 24 hours! If this continues I shall be the size of Wales at the end of this one. I waddle FGS! And 20 weeks more to go... Physio on Thursday, hopefully will sort something out for me.

Sorry for ranting...

MsI, how great to hear! you must all be sooo happy to have her back home.

scarlotti, welcome back! Surely a diet can't be much harder than your charity trip! Go, scarlotti, go! :)

skorpion have you considered osteopathy? I'm going there on a regular basis (have learnt that my upper back is completely messed up, something I inheritated, nothing to do with pregnancy), and it is amazing how much they can do.
Physio is more about exercises you can then do at home too isn't it? That would make you more independent... anyway, I hope it will sort your problem out.

Msi that's great news about Rosa, so glad she is feeling better!

Skorpion congratulations, another girl, how lovely! I didn't really have any firm plans with my vbac, like you I went with the flow and decided if I needed drugs so be it and if I ended up having another CS then not the end of the world, at least I gave it a go! As long as the little ones get here safely then that's all that really matters.

Scarlotti Good luck with the dieting and exercise. I am finding dieting very hard but still doing my running. One of my friends gave me a running magazine and that's keeping me motivated. I ran for 25 mins with no walking yesterday and it wasn't too bad. Especially as it's getting really hot and humid here 30 odd degrees at least when I run at 9.30am. I'm looking forward to doing some runs when I come back to the UK, hopefully I'll find it easier in the cooler weather!

Longway Hope you get the news you want regarding the job, exciting!

Quick question ladies, what clothes will I need for Millie when I come home, over here she just wears summer dresses or leggings and tops. Can I do the same in England but just put a long sleeve vest under? Will she need tights under dresses? What about socks with shoes? I don't know, I've only been gone 10 months and have forgotten what spring in England feels like!!

Helips, Lucy's usually in trousers or leggings with socks under. Haven't put her in a dress without tights yet, but then I don't put her in dresses much. I think you'll find that you may start the day in warmer clothes that you gradually peel off as the day goes and then put back on in the chilly evenings. The only stuff I have packed away are her really warm winter things. Oh, and thanks for encouraging words on vbac. Enjoy your trip back!

Ursi, haven't considered that. I'll check with physio on Thursday.

Great news MsI!

Helips it's been quite warm in the South East. I've dressed C in shorts and t shirts lately. But jeans and long sleeves are still being used along with the odd vest. A fleece or a cardigan on in the morning and not needed to use a coat. I will be getting him a rain mac now he is walking. Like skorpion, we also tend to peel off the layers by lunchtime. How long are you over for? Is it a really long journey?

Helips shorts and t-shirts here too on the South coast. Normally put in a cardi or jumper but more for early mornings as even the evenings are still warm. Definitely shortie pj's for night time now too but then his room is in the loft so heats up all day.
Glad you're enjoying the running, that's my end aim as hopefully then I can eat what I want and still burn it off!

ursi the trek was challenging but the altitude meant it was a slow plod for 4 days - this is killing me as it's jogging and running which I'm just not used to at all!! Still, if it makes me fitter then that will be great.

skorpion I see an osteo regularly due to a previous injury and I would highly recommend one - try and go by a referral though if you can as there are some cowboys about.

MsI Hope Roo is tucked up in her own bed tonight.

waves to everyone else

I'm over for 2 weeks. It is a long journey, 13 hours on a plane, but it is a night flight so fingers crossed the kids will sleep! I like to think of it as no worse than having a bad night at home, which with Millie is quite often! Really looking forward to catching up with friends and family though, especially as my best friend is getting married whilst we are back so that will be a great day! Fingers crossed the lovely weather you have all been having lasts!

Found out today that I didn't get the job in NY. Was quite :( about it for a few hours but DH is so supportive, I can't complain much. He's told me he'll follow me wherever I want to go, so I'm searching farther afield now, and he's looking for a better job himself to take the pressure off. In the meantime I have lovely friends and some to get me through.

helips Sounds like a lovely visit you have planned! Flights are never fun but then they're over, and it's always worth it in the end.

MsI great news about Roo :)

scarlotti best of luck with the fitness plan. I've gained noticeable weight since stopping bfing (no scale in the house but my pants are getting v tight) so it's about time I did something along those lines myself, grumble grumble.

Toasts to longway. I'm sorry you didn't get the job. I like to think these things were not meant to be and that the right job is around the corner somewhere. Good luck with what may be coming next for you and DH.

helips Clothes: today was weirdly cold after about a month of SUN. Hmm, must be because we are now out of hospital. Yeah, that'll be it. On most days here in the south of England it's been warm enough for dresses without tights but today we had to put on her coat for being on the back of the bike! I think layers are a good option. Cardigans - if you have any!

We had a lovely first day back home together yesterday then it was back to routine here. I was at work trying to catch up on 2 weeks off. But it has made me put things in perspective - today I totally channelled my inner pavlov! The maths coordinator wants me to do all this additional stuff and last term I said 'Yes, yes...' and started planning it all and making it happen and he gave me virtually NO support whatsoever. So this term coming back I talked tough and said, look we have to do all this basic stuff that you keep shirking before any bells and whistles even get thought about so there! Helps I won't be there next September...

Longway Sorry you didn't get the job but like Msi says the right job is out there waiting for you. Oh, and it is there loss!

MsI Good to hear you are all home, phew, must be such a relief! Give Rosa a big squeeze from us all!

Longway Sorry about the job but at least it's helped you and DH decide that you can go back to work and he'll go wherever your job takes you. Hopefully you'll find something even better shortly!

MsI Delighted that you are all home from hospital now. How is R doing?

Helips I won't tell you what the weather is like here, as we're in Glasgow, and hopefully 'dan saf' it'll be nicer! We have had a few days of sunshine but I'm starting to suspect that's our summer over. Been grey, overcast and raining the last couple of days. Anyway, enjoy your trip home. Oh and I saw your fb comment about poo in the swimming pool - it's one of those things you'll look back on and laugh but I'm sure it happens often with young children so I wouldn't dwell on it.

First day of maternity leave today, 38+2. Hoping to enjoy a few days at least at home with Ethan before things change drastically! Unfortunately I'm already starting to worry about money... I like to be earning. DH still doesn't have a job for next year and there are very few teaching vacancies being advertised, despite the government promising enough vacancies for all of the 1200 probationers qualifying this year. I think there might have been 200 in total advertised so far on the websites so they are falling a long way short of this promise and DH's current school are planning on increasing class sizes next year, quite significantly, which will obviously reduce their need for teachers. Trying to put it out of my mind until the end of the school year, which is the end of June here, then we can have a serious talk about money and looking ahead. Easier said than done.

Hope everyone else is well. Really wish I could meet up with you all - it's rubbish living so far away! More photos this time please!

DWB we are going to be in Glasgow for a wedding at the start of June and have been wondering if we could squeeze in a meet up but it's very tight! If not then, next time I'm in Scotland we should totally do it!

I have my fingers crossed you get some days with Ethan to relax before the new little man arrives. Have you decided on names yet? Also know what you mean about not earning - I am the same. But try not to worry at least for now. It doesn't help anything and you don't know what's around the corner.

Right off to pick up Rosa from nursery and give her that squeeze!

Longway, sorry to hear about the job. I hope something even better is just around the corner.

DWB, enjoy your mat leave. Money worries are horrible, I hope you'll be able to put them aside for now. Sorry I haven't got any advice...

Had my physio and consultant appts yesterday, physio OK, consultant a complete waste of time. Honestly, why do they even bother? Had to wait for about 45 mins and the whole thing took about 7 mins. I had been told beforehand that he would have my notes from last time and discuss all that and take me through the options, yada-yada. He just ASKED ME what the purpose of the visit was, said vbac's fine go for it, and that's it. When asked about some weird symptoms I've been having (my skin feels quite sore) he took some blood for liver function test and sent me on my merry way. When I said, what if the test comes back and it's all fine and I still have the problem he answered, well you are pregnant and pregnancy can bring on any number of weird things. OK, that explains it then, thanks! Jees, I get much better answers on MN! Don't get me wrong, I do not think for one second that I am extra special and deserve special treatment, but if you're not going to tell me anything new or constructive, don't waste my bloody time. Or yours for that matter! I wish I told him that, but I fear I haven't really got an inner Pavlov to unleash (Pavlov, do you take students?)

Sorry for the rant. And breathe.....

longway, sorry to hear about the job, I'm sure you will find something much better soon.

skorpion, sorry to hear about that consultant appointment. Why do they have so little respect for us.
I really wonder how mine will be. I have never met him but I already have a very bad impression as he doesn't seem to think it would be good to explain me that blood type problem for 11 weeks or even 15 (got tested at 12 weeks, results at 16 weeks and explanation, hopefully, at 27 weeks). Luckily, I found out most by myself but you would think that they have a minimum of respect for their patients and explain them what the problem is. We are getting lots of advice of what to avoid during pregnancy and you would think huge emotional stress would be one of it.
Ok, that was my rant of the day.

morning ladies. Apologies for the continued sporadic posting, we all had bugs, and work has been demanding. Kids have been wonderful despite being sick and all is generally good.

I shall go read what I have missed...

Helips i hope the SA eases soon. Roo is much more anxious/clingy than B was at this age. She was very much just go and not look back type of girl, he needs the reassurance of mama or dada close by and does a LOT of clinging to my legs, which DD never did!

I feel like I am not helping his development by him not going to nursery like DD did. He is going to the pre-school at DDs primary school in Jan, but they don't take til aged 2, so we did not see the point in starting somewhere else before this, at huge cost while DH is at home, but DD went for 1.5 days from 10 months on and loved it, but hard to say if it helped her social skills or if that attribute already existed and that was why she was happy there. DS does get socialised a lot though as unlike DD, he is around a lot of other children his own age as our friends are all having children now.

I am loving the Inner Pavlov coming out in people! I am trying to get DH to learn some of it, he tries to please people so much he ends up double booking/making our days chaotic with things going on! I do actually take students, but alas you have to have an NVQ in Burglary or GBH to qualify
MsI what a horrible time you have had, but so glad Roo is feeling much better and is finally home, you can now get back to some normality.

camping definitely, lets do it! We could think about hiring a mini bus for those in similar areas so share cost of travel/allow those who can't drive to come. I can't do a mini bus on my licence but maybe others can? i can do 7 seater though and share with one other. We need to think about what needs we all have, ie, are we thinking rustic woodland camping where the kids run wild and dirty, or more civilised with access to electric hook-ups and possible pools that kind of thing? I think, lets get a list going of who is up for it, where they are, how far they can/would be prepared to travel/need transport and their location, and when they can't do/best times. what do you think? let me start then...

pavlov - Devon. distance. any. Can't do June/1st wk in Aug/3rd wk Sept.

longwayaway sorry to hear about the job, hope something better comes up very soon.

helips just read you are in UK! have a fab trip, next trip we should organise it so we can have a meet up with you here too!

OK, re camping...I have one place that might be good if woodland camping is a possibility. It has several 'rent-a'tent' pitches, including a family pitch which has 3 tents, so we could have that pitch, for two families and one of the tents for the all kids to run in and out of/set up as like a creche type area! They have fire pits, which is great, but perhaps others might not like the idea of? the rent a tent pitches have camp kitchens, so EVERYTHING we need (including corkscrews and wine glasses We could do a mix of renting out a couple of these, along with normal 'bring your own tent pitches', so those with those pitches can have it as the 'bases' for everyone else to gather at. It is almost perfect. I might be able to get a deal for pitches. Apart from the location (silence....pause) okehampton is that too far for most people? it is isn't it?

Just under two hours for me, Pav, but I think Im one of the nearer ones. Love the idea of camping though.

Bit too far for me really - about 4 hours!
What about the New Forest way?

better for me - 1 hr 10 mins roughly.