FEB 2010 Coming on in leaps and bounds and little steps

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Where did our babies go?!
Anywhere and everywhere, the moments our backs are turned!!

BBB DS nursery will be £59/week on the new fee. This includes meals and snacks (thankfully).

scones I can't comment as my MIL is too elderly to look after DS but I agree with what the others say. I suffer from De Quervain syndrome - very posh name for an inflammation of the thumb tendon. It appeared soon after DS's birth, got a steroid injection in July last year and it came back in March. So I'll see how long it takes for it to reappear again.

I had to put DS to bed early today as he was so tired that he was in a tantrum mood. The poor thing, but as he only had a 40mn nap in his full of activities day, it's understandable.

Stone That is incredibly expensive for a nursery! The average here is around 40ish pounds a day.

8soc* a day or a week?

I know but over here, wages are higher than UK average so everything is more expensive

Ah sorry, got mixed up. Yes, about 45 pounds a DAY for most nurseries here, ie 225 pounds a week, 900 pounds a month. Which is why I could not take the 3 day job because for both of mine it would have cost me over £1000 per month just for childcare.... Is yours per week? That is very very cheap then.

My CM is £45 per day. She has DD from 7am this would be till 6pm, inc all meals and clubs. (I pick her up at 4.45pm though.)
She has her 3 days a week, but stupid new female boss (in her 50's with no husband or kids) doesnt like working from home, so looks as though it will be 4 days soon. So another day leaving house at 5.45am. :( [tired, guilty mum emoticon]

scones Sympathies re in laws situ. I agree with others, write routine for them. If this fails...then have a word. My mum wouldn't dare default but she is used to my precise and organised ways!

DD had a meltdown at teatime today, didnt want her dinner, flew into a rage, pointing to fridge shouting "BOOBIES!" so ate a punnet of blueberries for tea.

DD's sleep continues to get unsettled with no clear reason why. Last night she was awake for an hour at 12 and you could tell that she never quite got into a settled sleep afterwards.

LBH Is your working from home arrangement written down anywhere, surely they can't just change it if it's official?

disclaimer: she didn't wake just the once, I would have been happy with that even if it was a long one. Plus you know when it's a more distressed cry rather than the usual arggh I've woken up come and put my dummy in/pat me cry

PA Sorry to hear about bad night. You must be exhausted.

Re work, there are 3 of us and we are all p/t as have kids. One is term time only and me and other both all year. Me and the other girl (who does 3 days and 1 from home) both changed our hours after mat leave and we were told fine subject to 4 week trial period. At the end of this trial period (February) he wrote us a letter to say as he was retiring at end of May he was to extend this trial to end of June so that new boss can make her decision.

New boss wants to restructure the dept as she puts it and hasn't decided what the new arrangement will be but has said she doesnt like working from home. No whys or whatever. She is also not happy about the 3rd girl working term time only either. I am thinking she wants 2 f/t rather than 3 p/t. She has not said that our hours and days are not working...I am unsure that she can do this but she is no fool so will probably get round things somehow....

Oh what a bitch, I am so sorry LBH. Have you posted on Employment for advice?

No BC not yet, was waiting to see what this new arrangement is going to be.
I have looked into what employers guidelines are re change of hours. It seems they have to consider them but if there is a reason or circumstance why it isnt working then they can say no. It is complicated as they have not followed their own policy where I am concerned. Our payroll guy says that teaching staff have come back to p/t hours without a trial period but she is ok re my 4 days a week but wants to change my place of work. Which I think they can do.

I just read one of my previous entry it should read as £59 a day

LBH about your work arrangment maybe stopping

LBH sorry about your new boss being awkward! I'm sure you could do without the extra hassle. Agree with bear, try posting in employment.

Re sleep... dd2 woke at 5.45 this morning and I went to see her and told her it was still time to sleep. She actually believed me and lay down and went back to sleep, then woke at 7 on the dot. She likes to be precise like that... I have joked that it is because she is half German

Stone that's the highest nursery fee I have heard of so far... One near me which is very good charges only £38 and this includes food cooked from scratch on the premises, which the staff eat alongside the children, and also includes nappies. (They don't take children until they are 18 mths which is why I could not send dd2 there when I had my job offer...)

Sounds like she thinks it will be easier to manage less staff, despite the fact the part timers normally pull more than their fare share (especially the the 4 dayers who normally end up doing 5 days worth anyway). When will you hear either way? Also how come you get up so early, is it a long commute? I would have thought that longer than 3 months is no longer a 'trial period'. Like if you work somewhere for more than 5 years you are a permanent member regardless of whether it was a temporary contract to start with.

LBH What a horrible situation. I blame your former boss for not sticking to the 4-week trial period. What a shame. Definitely post in Employment for some advice. And consider seeing a solicitor, or CAB at least. I do wish I'd sought legal advice far earlier in my own employment situation. A former colleague who is going through what I went through, is challenging my employers at a tribunal, hurrah for her, they are such shits. Sorry.

PA teething....? (If in doubt...!) How are road trip preps going?

DD has slept through for three nights running, but I am counting no chickens. She has done that once before and then reverted to the usual pattern of wake-ups. Strangely I don't feel any more rested

Thanks for the advice re ILS. I spoke to my mum for a long time about it yesterday and she calmed me down. Pointed out that MIL has looked after DD's cousin, who is exactly a year older than her, once a week since cousin was 6m old, and cousin is in no way backwards in terms of speech and understanding - quite the opposite - she has been speaking in sentences since she was about 18m old (which I find really shocking now that it's only 2m away for DD!). So one day a week of perhaps not much vocal stimulation has not stunted her! I'm going to write out a basic timetable for DD's day and go through it with MIL next time she comes for DD, stressing the importance of regular drinks and nappy changes. THEN if it happens again, I'll stop her having DD. It is far more difficult with ILs though. I would just give my own mum what for, not that mum would ever treat DD like that in the first place

SB that sounds incredibly expensive for nursery! Soc nursery costs about the same per day here. CM are about £4 an hour but you wouldn't pay for hours you don't use (why do you have to LBH?). How do you feel about basically not being able to work? Once I realised my own situation I felt really trapped and angry, I suppose I have got used to it now, I don't seem to mind so much. Or maybe it's the pg hormones swilling around calming me down.

Talking of pg, Stan must be having hers very soon...?

SCones I feel like old boss dodged the situation too. He was a religous, highly family orientated man. Very different to new boss.

My CM is on a day rate for little ones who stay all day. Her hrly rate is for school runs and after school and earlier than 7.30am. I knew this from the start and as she is so fantastic I count myself lucky to have her. She is highest Ofsted grading. She is also applying to see if they will allow her 4 kids under 5 to accomodate DD in my work "situation". They dont always but in some cases will. Fingers crossed.

Glad your mum gave you some reassurance. I am sure things will improve once PIL have the list. :)

Anyone else's DCs really full on atm? To top it she's started waking closer to 5 than 5 and not eating breakfast (although today she did 2 hours after she woke using a combination of different things like insisting DH load the spoon and I give it to her, vice versa, only feeding herself...)

Sorry in a moany mood today.

scones glad you're DM helped, mine does the same have to pick battles and all.

DH is picking up the car, today is mostly food shopping etc. and tomorrow final few bits. I've packed the suitcases including the UK ones, so we shouldn't have much to do when we get back, except washing and giving the apartment a final clean.

DS is full on all the time no more at the present. At the moment I've got a break as DH is giving him his bath

stan must be close to the end of pg now!

PA have a great trip. Take care and enjoy!

Baked raspberry cheesecake is in the oven. I'm warm standing next to the oven! Need some

Stone Can I have a slice? Will bring

soc you're welcome.

That's the 3rd pud I made in 2 days! Summer fruits pud and lemon tart yesterday and the cheesecake tonight. It's our sale of cakes tomorrow to raise money for various local charities.

I am impressed SB
I have just washed puke out of my hair. My clothes,DD's grobag etc in soaking.....DD finally asleep. She cried and was in such a state was sick. I don't know what was wrong, wind? teeth? just didnt want to go to bed.
DP in pub.

LBH poor you and DD. It may just be caused by her crying as I seem to remember she use to do that a few months ago. Hopefully she'll settle for the night.

I think you are right. I thiught I would leave her to cry it out for 5-mins.
Now I know why I dont normally!! She too has been pretty full on this last week. Asserting her independence....