March 2010 - Babies: "Climbing like an evil genius". Mummies: "Avoiding the Shred DVD"

[Arcadie]

Welcome to those with a March 2010.
Happy Easter from me....
Unwrap it quick!..

Oh, it's a new thread. I was hoping for chocolate.

evening/morning all
glad all well and congratulations to the various work/degree achievements, great news!
manda boo re your dd's prom that's rubbish - agree with everyone else though, she looked lovely!
missp and rinders have met up?! how exciting? slightly but hmpf, my time will come - *rinders am so glad about the holiday, that sounds like a lush perfect thing to do, well done.
Am on a downer here.. hence the early hours posting. i did an interview for a job yesterday which just left me feeling utterly deflated, completely disempowering. it's not even that they were horrible to me, it's more that i let myself down i suppose. I think i'm realising how critical my professional confidence is and how much it's been affected by having two kids? does that make any sense? Anyway I've spent most of the night mentally reviewing my terrible answers (why didn't i make more of myself? ) and eventually gave up and got up. it's actually not that the job was a perfect one, either, logistically it would have made my life pretty blinking manic. but still. that's not the point. anyway heckle i think you'll have a sense of what i mean and apologies if I wasn't sympathetic enough to you with one of your job interviews - jeez i'd forgotten how much they put you through the mill?!
TANGENT ALERT: astrology there is a very low, large bright star out the window, i think it must be east....quite low in the skyline... any thoughts about what it is? i thought i was a plane at first but it's not moved since i started posting...
missp and flip london was just fab thankyou for remembering - was a great chance for me and dh to spend some quality time together, and OH MY was Glee fun i can't believed i actually cried but still. there we are.

glad babies are all well and behaving. T has taken to throwing the most spectacular flounces when she doesn't get her own way, i'm quite proud of the dramatic way she throws herself to the floor . she's also very mumsy at the mo, can't stand me leaving her anywhere and tucks herself right in for a snuggle when she does get me back. love her. new things every day too - what these babies must be processing every day i can't imagine, quite amazing.

Right. send me your feminist empowering vibes please, i need to put this stupid experience to bed and get over it!

sorry to go on. rkd i was thinking about your sister recently too - not long to go now is it?! particularly given it's practically july and she'd be full term in august wouldn't she? so could be quite soon? eeekkk

Nearly at work so v quick but Manda how horrid for your DD, what a selfish boy.

Melk, you go get 'em, girl! You may not get this one but you can pick it up and start again, as the song goes.

Lovely to see you Rinders, and enjoy Barbados!

How are you feeling today Melk? Everything seems worse in the middle of the night imo, hope you managed to get some sleep and are feeling more positive. I hate job interviews, I'm not one of those people with the 'gift of the gab' so I find the whole thing incredibly difficult and stressful. And then spend days hours remembering my answers and thinking about what I wish I'd said instead. If it's been a while since you had an interview though, you're probably just a bit out of practice. At least this one will have reminded you of the sort of questions they ask, and you'll feel more prepared next time. And as you said, it wasn't your 'perfect' job, so even if it's just been a trial-run iyswim, you haven't wated it on something that's ideal. AND, like exams, I find it really hard to be objective about interviews, looking back, so it may be that you actually did a lot better than you think you did. And at the the tampon. Genius.

Manda I'm sorry your DD's Prom was ruined by that selfish idiot. It only takes one stupid person to spoil it for everyone.

*wated = wasted

Rinders lovely to see you around. Enjoy your holidays. You really deserve a nice relaxing holiday.

PD I hope J. is better. I was thinking the other day about your plans for childcare, have you sorted it Are you enjoying your new "timetable"?

Manda Thanks for your words. And I'm sorry to hear about DD's party.

Melk I hope you are feeling better today. I'm sure other opportunities will appear.

I was at a conference the past few days and it made me think how I'm going to continue my academic and look after V. He really noticed my absence and he wasn't very happy. He cried every morning at he CM, which he never did before. It made me realise that I really would like a part time job. But it's so bloody hard to find a research position that I feel "obliged" to accept a full time job if that's the only option . oh well, but first I need to finish the PhD.
by the way, the presentation went well. it was well received and lots of questions at the end, thanks for asking.
V. has had a bit of a temp over the past day and a bad nappy rash. I think he's teething again. but could this be a last 4 molars? Isn't it a bit too early?!

We have a wedding this Sunday and I bought a fabulous fascinator :)

waves to everyone else
x

just dropping by to say hello bonjour we are off to France tomorrow. I should be packing, hoovering and generally tidying up but I'm on the puter watching Eastenders and sipping at a glass of wine!
Both girls have a temperature and are very grumpy but I'm hoping for miracles by tomorrow.
I hope you are feeling better Melk about the interview and I'm sure you weren't as bad as you are making out! I am going to be sitting on the other side of the table the day after our holidays as I'm on the interview panel at the Family Centre. We have received a scary number of applications for a 16 hour a week job - a sad reflection of the tough economic times I think. Anyway in by gone days I did interviewing but I am feeling a little nervous at this level of responsibility!
DD2 took a few wobbly steps the other day but she continues to be a reluctant walker and a voracious crawler!
She has had horrific nappy rash and she has bad skin especially around her hands and feet so I was back at the doctor yesterday to get more lotions and potions to help, unfortunately she got hold of both tubes (in separate incidents) and smeared a lot of them around the house so the fresh tubes for our holiday are somewhate depleted!
It would be safe to say that nothing is safe in our house anymore!
Can't think of anything else to tell you so I will sign off now and see you after my holidays .
Au revoir

Sorry the job interview was a bit crap, Melk. I do know what you mean about your professional confidence being compromised after kids. You just don't have quite the same certainty in yourself and your ability to do the job when you've stood in front of an open fridge for 10 minutes wondering if giving the baby another yoghurt is irresponsible and foolhardy FWIW I really didn't consider you unsympathetic - on the contrary, you were very helpful! But I can well imagine the grilling you got - yikes. I confess I'm getting better at 'talking myself up' now as I'm getting rather desperate and am filling out application forms here, there and everywhere. My personal statement is now so glowing I gotta wear shades . I heard back from the interview I had last Monday - another rejection, but a very nice one, if that makes sense. Plus, like you Melk, it was probably going to be complicated logistically so perhaps it's best the decision has been made for me

Ok, want to post more but it's been an up and down sort of day (child-free, bit of admin work, even a peaceful coffee - then BAM! parking ticket and confusion over some keys...now feeling like an idiot ) and I really need one of these or perhaps even .

hello - DH is coming home via the pub so I have friday night free - making Devils Food cake and drinking beer in the garden :) Although it wouldve been much the same if he was here, just a bit messier.
Glad to hear of nice things and summer stories. Well done on getting on the masters Sariska - its a bit of a change to what you do right now isnt it? Is it a long held desire? And great news on the graduation and behaving parents fliss. And evitas still going with the phd - I thnik you went 'back to work' before anyone else too - I hope you find the job you are looking for at the end of it. Would you want to stay in scotland?
and talking of jobs Melk - when interviews are bad they are very very bad in your mind I think. Except my worst interview which was awful in everyones book - I called the interviewer 'Clare' throughout and her name was Nicola, I finished every sentence with 'and so on' even when I tried to stop myself, and the piece de resistance (apologies to RKD for bad french) was at the end when they asked 'any questions?' I said 'no' they said 'ok well Nicola will show you out' and I thought - just finish this water here - dry mouth from talking etc - and poured the entire thing down my front and on to my blouse and suit. And as they stared at me, I thought - how am I going to get over this? So I flicked some imaginary dust off the huge damp patch and said 'oh dear', stood up and tripped over.
They never even called me to tell me no.
Too busy wetting themselves :)

So, in other news, Ive been to visit Dsis in Essex and my neice, who is 17 wks and just 2lbs lighter than Charlotte. oof!

Like we've all said, now is such a lovely age - C seems to be processing things at hyper speed. Still no 'mum' (unlike Squigglys dd who has a great 'Mummy' [melt] ) but today I got 'cuddle' and 'whatsthat' :) [proud] and lots of chasing games and helping round the house.

I, as always, have forgotten what i wanted to say.
manda DD is very beautiful - what a total dick to do that - I hope they give him some stick at school.

afribaby what DH job news?
ICWAS how was tenby? Did you go with P? how is that going?
pacfic - did you get a nanny?
rinders barbados sounds lovely. Ive just finished reading 'When God was a rabbit' which was good, but I couldnt really tell you what it was mostly about?

waves to everyone else :)

hey all-

manda- sorry to hear about dd's prom bein ruined! she looked amazing btw¬

Melk-How u doing? nothing worse than feeling like uve done ur self down:( u r a fab fab lady x

Have a fab tiime in france Smac x

Miss p! hey how u guys doing?

siamese- ur interview sounded awful- i did giggle when reading your description tho!

All good here, a bit of playground politics with some bitchy mums this week ( if any of u were wondering what my fb status's have been about! ) hahaha stupid women! hahahah

i got accused of shoplifting in tesco - for £1 of blooming cheese! grrrr ! i ~DID NOT STEAL IT the girl failed to put it thru the till- i told her i had 2! oh well=

was my wedding anniversary yesterday- 5 years- i got flowers, perfume, neclace, and wine, we went out for dinner last night- tbh- fab day all round!

right off to feed the ducks spk soon x

Evening ladies

Siamese hope you had a good beer o'clock in the garden! I must say I was snorting with laughter at your interview story...you are a very funny lady! And at your niece being so close to C's weight! But such a good reminder that every baby is different. I feel a bit guilty, since I used to agonise over DS's weight in the early months, but I kind of wish he was less of a chunkster now - he weighs a tonne! Luckily have discovered the joys of hip carrying using the ergo, so still managing to sling him from time to time...

Sarah sounds like you had a great anniversary . Sorry to hear you've had some playground politics [sigh] but glad that you're not letting them get to you.

MissP and Rinders hope you have a good time meeting up! And Rinders the holiday plans sound great. On the book front, I recently finished A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. Very good read, although not sure how good of a beach read it would be...Brooklyn by Colm Toibin is another one I enjoyed (relatively) recently.

I'm quite that India is starting at a Quaker school. My DH is a Quaker and I'm Quaker-ish (in that I respect and admire the values and enjoy attending meeting every now and then but still remain an atheist). And I'd love DS to attend a Quaker school, which isn't possible in London (but perhaps we'll move some day!).

MElk oh your post raised a lot of stuff for me...how strange it is that having and raising fantastic children (as we all do, natch) somehow still manages to undermine our confidence professionally...but interviews/job hunting is like practising a musical instrument (or sumfink) in that practice really helps. So all interview experience (even Siamese's!) is A Good Thing when it comes to changing jobs. Though hats off to you for even looking, as I think I'm now comfortably in the graveyard of ambition, in that I'm so happy with my 4 day compressed hours with a job that's challenging enough to do in the time available (mostly) but not so challenging that I can't switch off that I can't imagine finding something else that fits so well with my life at the mo...

Fliss hurrah for your degree! Fellow History grad here (though English & History). Hope the Ofsted prep is coming along nicely. I bet you'll do super well

Manda your DD looked divine! I love when teens go all out for proms (or debs and grads as we call them in the auld sod, just in case Donttry looks in ). But how annoying about the wag and his "joke". Hope he got in trouble!

Heckle glad you got good feedback from your last interview and good luck with the rest of the job hunting! Sorry to hear of the ticket though, what a pain.

Evitas nice fascinator! Hope the wedding is good

Big waves to everyone else. Sorry for the big rambly post, but I have so little time to pop in during the week (do try to lurk though...must get my hands on this MN app).

Had a lovely day today - we cycled to London Zoo and had a great time (we became members when we went there recently for Father's Day so are getting our money's worth!).

And I joined Twitter! Which I know isn't a thing...but I've been so anti-twitter (where I work everyone and their dog is on Twitter) that it is a thing to me...but my resistance has finally broken! And I've started following some of you lovely MMMs so my stalking continues apace now I can have another thing to obsessively check on my iphone during my commute

OK, off to crack open a beer and catch up on the Wimbledon and Tour de France highlights [summer sports nerd emoticon]

Hope everyone has a great weekend xx

Morning all, catching up while Isobel is asleep she (fell alseep in the car on way home for Tesco, and I'm getting quite adept at transferring her to her bed without waking her ). Another boiling hot day here today; I'll probably get the paddling pool out later. I was out all day Saturday so DH went and bought Izzy a sand and water table. It's great, she loves puddling about, but it's a bit of a faff to tidy it all up afterwards! So I think I might keep it for weekends so DH can do the cleaning up.

All good here, except for much grumping due to Izzy's last lateral incisor coming through. Just canines and second molars to go now (can you tell I've been reading Wikipedia?). evitas, how is DS doing? You mentioned before that you thought he might be teething?

Smac I hope your DDs recovered quickly and that you're having a wonderful holiday.

Glad the presentation was a success evitas and I hope you enjoyed the wedding yesterday.

Siamese I think you win the prize for worst interview ever. I hope you can look back at it and laugh now!

Happy belated anniversary sarah, sounds like you had a lovely day. And we're all good, thanks for asking.

Flip how did you find the Zoo? Was it really busy? I can't wait to take Izzy as she loves animals (and has an impressive repertoire of animal noises), but DH won't let me take her in Edinburgh as he wants to there for her first Zoo trip. So we'll probably go some time in the next month or two.

I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Rinders on Saturday, to exchange the first two of the blankets that some wonderful MNers have been making. We had lunch and wine, shed a couple of tears, I was my usual 'not-good-at-conversation-in-a-group' self but that's by the by. It was a lovely day :)

Izzy and I are going to be in Edinburgh next Wednesday 13th till Monday 18th, if anyone fancies getting together. No set plans yet so I'm flexible, and can do Monday morning as my flight isn't till 4pmish. I did bump the meetup thread but it's fallen off the first page again.

Hope everyone's well :)

Have been lurking. Right now really is a lovely phase with our young toddlers. Mine has just turned 15m and he still does something new every day. He goes to sit at the bottom of the stairs to get his shoes one. When it's time for a nappy change he goes upstairs and gets a nappy (escorted of course). With him being my first, I can't believe how much he understands, and am now trying really hard not to swear in front of him (I don't swear lots by the way).

I should get a date for my hysteroscopy (to cut away at the scarring caused by the ERPC after my c-section) v soon. I reckon I'll be having it done in a couple of weeks time. Best case - the surgeon finds little scarring and I just need some oestrogen to repair my endometrium. Worst case - the scarring is bad. Will have to wait and see. I have asked for feedback on my situation to be given to the ERPC surgeon - I want to know if he was overly aggressive.

Hol in Umbria was fantastic. Great food. I've now got a strong desire to do a long distance walk, which isn't going to happen with a 12kg child in my backpack! (or whatever weight he is).

Shroomer Glad you enjoyed your holiday. I hope your op goes well and that it's good news re: the extent of the scarring. I'll keep fingers, toes etc crossed for you :)

I know what you mean about it being amazing how much the LOs understand. Yesterday I said to Izzy 'I think your cardigan is in Mummy's bag, can you go and get it?', and off she toddles, and retrieves her cardigan from the changing bag! She loves to copy DH and I as well, so we need to be careful what we say and do now. It's such a great age though, they're just learning constantly, and I swear Izzy looks bigger and more grown up every day.

MissP, I, too, am constantly amazed by how much my DD understands and how her responses to questions are so often matter-of-factly grown-up, IYSWIM. And when I say "responses", I mean physical ones, like, yes, please bring me your cardigan. Apart from "mama", "dada", "dat", "dere", "dog" and "duck" she isn't verbal. Babbles away constantly though - to anyone who'll listen. And, this morning, when I put a new vest on her she was delighted to see that they were, she thought, ducks (they were actually geese, but hey!) and kept looking down at herself and saying, "duck! duck!"

And just as she is becoming a real toddler, my DS is becoming a real little boy, which is just as nice and full of surprises (still some temper tantrums, tho', natch). All I am missing now is a baby......

But, no, no babies because I am going off to do this totally non-work related Masters and I am sooooo excited. I have now resigned (3 month notice period, though) and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. It should be a little strange because the future is now unknown, at least after the next year is over, but, really, all I feel at the moment is excitement. Oh, and, Siamese, yes, it's something I've wanted to do for a very very very long time.

I am crossing my fingers for everyone having job interviews or looking for jobs. It's been a long time (over 10 years ) since I had an interview but I can still remember the feelings they inspired in me.

Shroomer, I too hope your op goes well and you get the answers you need. And Umbrian walking holiday sounds nice although agree that a hefty toddler in a backpack doesn't. I am, though, thinking of getting something like an Ergo for our holiday later this summer as I don't think I fancy trying to learn to use my Moby on my back even though I know it can be used that way. And wearing a toddler on my back could help me keep warm . Needless to say, we are not going to Barbados - which, by the way, Rinders, sounds wonderful.

manda, I thought you DD looked gorgeous too. Such a shame that some idiot had to spoil it for everyone else but hopefully he has, by now, been metaphorically sat on hard by his peers.

Must now get back to work before going to make the most of the sunshine and hang out lots and lots and lots of washing. (I've just experienced one of the Downsides of parenting that no-one talks about and have treated DS for threadworms. Don't think anyone else has got them but DH and I have also had the tablet. DD is too young so will have to go to GP if she gets them but am hoping that lots of laundry, hoovering, damp dusting and changing the sand in the sandpit should suffice. And on that cheery note, which will no doubt have you all itching and wondering, bye for now!)

Good morning,

Terrible day up here... rain and rain... :(
The wedding was lovely. It was a fantastic day, the place was fabulous and it was a very international wedding (the bride was Greek and the groom was Nigerian).

Siamese yes, we would like to stay here, just because I feel that starting a new job is already stressful and I cannot imagine myself looking for a new place to live, looking for childcare, Dh unemployed for a while... I would rather stay here and get some experience and move in a few years. Although DH is very keen on going to Dubai... but I'm not sure about moving there

BMI I loved I.'s pictures on FB. She seemed having a great time puddling around. And I was very impressed with your weight loss and amount of exercise!!

Sariska I'm sure you will enjoy your masters. Doing a masters is very demanding, but you can make your own timetable and work around DC, etc. 3 month notice is a long time... will you have any holidays before the end of your contract?

Sarah congratulations on your anniversary! It was also our 6th wedding anniversary last week, but I did not get as many presents as you did!

Shroomer Glad you had a great time in Italy. Good look for your medical procedure. Please keep us updated!

PD are you on holidays already?

I was wondering how Pixie is doing... not long for her due date! How exciting :)

I need to go back to work. I got feedback from my supervisors and need to work on those before submitting another draft.

waves to everyone else
x

sorry MissP I keep forgetting your new name is no longer BMI :)

I am in the midst of Packing Panic and really should not be logged on here At All but am weak.

Anyway, we are away on Saturday to France, weather looks fine, boys are excited and we have started thinking about packing.

I am working 8-6 tomorrow, need to be at airport @ 9am on Saturday....

Hope you are all well. Have a great summer, all of you! May the sun shine benignly on you all, make you feel happy and healthy, but not burn you one bit .

massive congrats to Pixie and her family x

Indeed Sarah - happy times for the Pixies!

Just realised it's nearly 2 weeks since I've been on here. Bad girl, once again too much for individual shout outs, but will have a go at the most recent...

PD Have a fabulous time away, very jealous. May spend the afternoon doing some holiday hunting myself. A week in a caravan in Wales is calling I think!

MissP I have a sand and water table for the gruesome twosome, I have taken to sticking it on the patio where they both like to drop mounds of sand and then using a dustpan and brush to get up the sand/ants/twigs/leaves and stick it all back in the sandbox.

Sariska I am pleased you are very excited about the Masters. It's something that DH is considering but the cost is out of our reach at the moment, and there's no way work can pay for one with things as they stand. Perhaps if he moves then there will be a possibility.

Rinders Lovely pictures of the girls with the blanket on FB :)

As for here, DD is a funny little chatterbox, and I too am amazed at her scope of understanding and just how much she can say. I LOVE having a toddler. The world is a very exciting place for a 16 month old!

Ofsted came and went last week, hence the lack of MN-ing pretty much all last week. Although I'm not supposed to say what my grading is until the report is published (as the grade could change), the Inspector gave me a Good overall, with two Outstanding aspects - and one of those was going to be a Good until she went and had a look at the garden So bloody relieved, they won't be back for three years now!

Much love to you all, am keeping up fairly well with those of you on FB - hope that you're all having fabulous weather and that the summer comes back to us all soon!

Can anyone provide a link to Pixie's announcement? FB moves too fast for me to pick everything up on my iPhone.

Bluey if you go to her FB profile (do you know her 'new' FB name?), it's the first post on there.

Fliss glad the Offsted inspection went well, that must be a relief.

Quiet in here, isn't it? Hope everyone's just busy chasing toddlers around :) I'm off up to Edinburgh tomorrow to visit my parents, as Euan is heading to Vancouver for a conference. Not much other news; Izzy has spent most of today blowing raspberries, probably in preparation for the flight tomorrow

Morning ladies

I've been mad busy at work. For anyone who knows where I work, all this NOTW/phone hacking stuff has been HUGE...keeping me away from t'internet almost entirely - so have been barely able to lurk. Sometimes I miss my leisurely 5 day weeks when I was pregnant and on t'internet all the time!

Fliss well done on the inspection! That is a truly fantastic result, you must be glad all your hard work has paid off .

MissP hope you're having a great time in Edinburgh!

PD also hope you're having a great holiday.

Pixie if you're lurking (if you have time to lurk!), a massive congratulations on the birth of your DS2 - such gorgeous names and I hope you're all happily adjusting to being a family of 8 .

Big waves to everyone else.

So, have had a bit of an odd week. Didn't think lightning could strike twice but it looks like it has...I got a BFP this morning [stunned face]

My period is a bit late so I took a test yesterday afternoon and BFN (I had been peeing/knicker-checking literally every hour so must have been quite dilute ) but this morning, as there was still no period I used the second test with FMU and the "pregnant" result popped up quickly.

We're obviously happy but I don't feel any of the glee I felt last time. The m/c has kind of taken that away, so am trying to just think of getting through each day rather than doing what I did last time (imagining names, getting booked into the hospital etc). Really really hope this one sticks though...

Interesting bit on Women's Hour just now about boys and emotions btw.

We're also off to the babylab at Birkbeck again today, which will keep me nice and busy this afternoon.

xxx

Oh Flip, that is lovely news. I'm so pleased for you. Understand you feeling cautious about it, of course, so fingers firmly crossed for a sticky one!

Fliss, great to hear your inspection went so well - and particularly that they liked the garden so much.

Flip congratulations! Lets keep finger, toes, legs... etc, crossed!

Fliss congratulations to you too :) well done on the garden.

Waves to everyone else
x