July 2010: Their speech is improving but it's sleep we're still losing

[DesperateHousewife21]

Welcome back everyone!

Glad you had a good time cake! Told you so...

Chulita am keeping everything crossed you get a better night - enjoy your sleep tomorrow.

Had a dreadful night on Wednesday night, was zombie-like yesterday, but then J blissfully slept through last night (while DH was away for the night) so felt v human today. It's my lie in in the morning, hooray! We got our new car yesterday so we're hopefully taking it out a bit over the weekend to get used to it - DH hasn't even driven it yet and I haven't had a chance yet to figure out things like setting the time, setting the temperature to appear in celsius rather than fahrenheit etc.

woodlands cross everything again tonight please, I had a lovely night's sleep plus a lie-in and a lunchtime nap What car have you got?

Fantastic! So glad you've managed to catch up on a bit of sleep, we are all worrying about you! We had an amazing night too, he slept straight through from 7.30-8.20.

It's a Ford C-Max. It feels huge! We like it so far. Today we took it out for a jaunt on the motorway (I considered calling in with cake, we weren't far from her...) and went for a lovely pub lunch in the very pretty village of Pleshey, and wandered around and saw ducks and chickens. Then we came back via a cup of tea with friends in Chelmsford. A very nice day, especially as (for a change) J is neither ill nor teething so he's been really cheerful and giggly. I always forget just how lovely he is when he's healthy - it happens so rarely!

Sounds like a brilliant day! I like the C-Max, my friend has one and it does feel massive.
I agree re jolly toddlers, feels like S hasn't been lovely for a long time.
Fingers crossed for another good night for both of us! I'm off for (another) bath and then bed, DH just semi-told me off for complaining about being tired despite having so much sleep today...seriously! You'd think he'd know by now what being maffisly pg does to me!

oh no woodlands you should have - we were only mooching about walking and stopping for tea in thaxsted today - would have deffo caught up with you!

great news re the car! makes life so much easier having a proper family car, uncool tho it is (not yours, just in general!)

wishing you a good night chul

dh has been contacted about a super duper job paying megabucks (double his current salary). tis early days - telephone interview next week but i'm feeling quite nervous about if he gets/takes it as it would be london-based full-time and he'd be around far less for us as a family etc. and then i feel guilty like i'm holding him back. sigh....

anyway, off out now to watch Woman in Black. meant to be way scary!

cake do u have a baby sitter, very jelouse of your holiday and cinema!
chu Im very glad that you have had some good sleep, but you can never get enough can you! We did manage to get both dc's down to sleep this afternoon at the same time and we, ehemmmm, made the most of it, so to speak! lovely! hehe! Then i had a lovely kip for a few hrs. D had a good night last night with only one wake up so he's been in a good mood all day, as you say woods you do forget how lovely they are. Could have done without my day starting at 5.50 though but on the bright side it ws only F's second wake up, just wish i could have slept!!!

L woke up crying at 4.30, woke S who's been up since. Thank you very much...

woodlands I loved my c-max but miss the Fiesta sometimes, to get dh to agree to a family car had to think of cool so we got the zetec so its tinted windows and alloys (that I scuffed in first week!) and our is a 2 litre tdci, a lot bigger than my 1.25 fifi!
cakes what was the film like, would love to watch it but dh is a girlpants! Is the job for your dh something he wants career wise if you took away the lure of the good salary DH doesnt have any extra qualifications apart from all the courses he has done in his company, he has been there 9 years, but they are getting bigger and bigger and dh is doing 70 odd hours most weeks now, its ruining us as a couple, but he hasnt got much choice as he couldnt get the pay he does elsewhere :( every single one of his closest friends has been made redundant had hours cut in recent weeks, I suppose we should count ourselves lucky!
chul get some rest if dh is off today, so close to the finishline now

L had a really unsettled night with his teeth, dh and I argued...again, he is now at golf, we are going out for a nice famiy lunch later (and dh has decided to invite his fussy sister and family!) But one plus he has agreed to me decorating the bedroom feminine maybe as he doesnt see himself here much longer so Im going to look for curtains today!

Whats everyone buying for their Mums for Mothers Day?

mlic you ok? not seen you one here for a bit?

I'm fine thanks memph :)

I hate scarey films

I don't buy mam anything for mother's day. Since I've had DCs we cook a Sunday lunch together and that's it, other than a card obviously.

Chul, I really feel for you :( So close now though, two weeks to go and then even if the sleep doesn't improve much for newborn-ness, at least you won't be uncomfortable and that makes things easier to deal with.

I got a new car yesterday too! I'm maffisly downsizing. My car tax alone will reduce by £390 a year! Woop woop! And the first year is free tax! It's only a 3 door but E gets in and out the car himself anyway (I just have to help with the seatbelt) and W will be able to from now on too as it'll be lower to the floor. I'm also going to look at moving E up to the next stage carseat which may be a bit narrower, as there are only two seats in the back and no third 'middle' seat.

I'm v excited, should get it next week. It feels weird downsizing when I have two small children. But the reality is, we don't need 2 big cars. I think dh may keep my car but even if he doesn't, he has an estate so he will have a big car either way. I just need something for small journeys to the supermarket/softplay/friends' houses/ my mam's etc. I only do less than 7000 a year so I just needed a little runaround car and now I'm not working my car was totally draining me in fuel alone. And that's before you factor in things like my insurance renewal (£600), I need two new tyres (£170 each) and other stuff like servicing. Like your dh though woodlands, we had to get the sport version

mlic what you gone for? I think once kids are out of the bug pushchair and in a stroller there isnt a massive need for a big car, if its a nip around, will save you loads of money too by the sounds of it to spend on crisps cant believe your cartax was so high! but this car we have is £40 a year cheaper than my old fiesta as its a diesel!

L has climbed onto the roof of his cozy coupe! I can see tears happening soon even if he seems very proud of himself now!

Yes it's £420 a year for my current car With no 6 month option, only a 12 month renewal. I don't know what my insurance will be but I know it will be much lower! I'm getting a petrol, as it's £3k cheaper and although it does less miles to the gallon, petrol is 8p(ish) cheaper per litre so should even itself out. Must. Remember. To. Put. Petrol. In.

Memph did you ever get round to making a mushroom stroganoff? I made this tonight (but with rice and garlic bread) and it was yum.

I too hate scary films but I studied Woman in Black for A level so I know the story, still don't want to watch it though!

DH made lasagne for tea, very nice, and plenty to freeze for any emergencies in the next couple of weeks.

I'm currently trying to get up the ertia to phone my sil, DH hardly keeps in touch at all and she's going through a rough time at the mo so I should phone but would rather just go to bed! Still, if I don't ring her, I'm as bad as he is.

Oooo chul, you're brave aren't you? Posting in AIBU?

See the thing is, I am never BU so that bit doesn't scare me

Which one is it chulita? I can't find it.

aaaargh still no computer

just bookmarking

Ooof... have unblocked kitchen sink, reviewed a webpage design, folded dry washing, sorted breakfast, and stopped various fights over who gets to play the piano, xylophone, drum, guitar... ad infinitum.

am now having 5 mins to sit down before i hang washing

wss didn't realise you were having computer probs. hope you're back with us soon.

where's your thread chul? how are you feeling?

how's everyone else? tsc, vik, trudy, spirael, kk et al?

memph i wouldn't say the job is his dream job exactly but it's his specialism (it's the strategy and implementation of customer experience across all channels for RBS) and i think he's excited/flattered about the £££ and also ready for a change.

we spoke to my step-bro at dinner on sun (he works in the investment side of rbs) and he had good things to say about it including the culture in terms of working hours and flexibility about wfm sometimes so maybe it wouldn't be as bad as i fear.

if i'm honest, there might be a bit of jealousy too in that dh's career will have totally over-taken mine and i'll be even more firmly in the little woman at home role iyswim?

what are you all up to this week?

nothing much planned today, just lots of bits of pieces need doing at home/in town after being away next week.

work tomo & wed am (tis my first week of working wed mornings. ) then meeting a friend and her 2 DCs in the afternoon, working thurs. fri will be leaving mid-afternoon going to a cottage for the weekend for my mother's 60th.

I know what you mean cake, my career is not going anywhere (I took a step backwards in order to come back part time) and, looking at others around me at the same life stage, I can so see why women end up earning less and are so under-represented at the highest levels.

This week: not as busy as last week. Can't meet up with my normal Monday afternoon friend for the third week in a row, I miss her! Her DD has a hospital appointment this afternoon, and they were away the last two weeks. I need to go to Sainsbury's when DH gets home with the car.

I want to take J swimming at some point - we haven't been since before Christmas as his eczema on his back was so bad, but it's much better now. I have also sorted my bikini line so am good to go!

Er... not sure what else is going on!

it's shit isn;t about women scarcity at the highest levels it really annoys me that you have to make a choice between being with your children or having a proper crack at a career. i don't understand why flexible/part-time working isn't more supported/accepted.

i was v lucky that i didn't technically take a step back when i went back p/t but really i did as i was literally being interviewed for a promotion (i was already doing the job and had been for ages) when i was pg with F and it never happened (my director left) and is unlikely to whilst i'm p/t despite the fact i'm actually still working at that level

so they're getting a bloody good deal out of me but somehow i'm the one who's meant to be grateful that they're letting me work p/t

we should meet at westfield sometime woodlands!

Chul I haven't ben back on your thread, were my hardhat and flameproof coat required?

Boys being really well behaved today

Even if you do work full time, there are still glass ceilings everywhere and it seems to be a lot harder to progress as a woman than a man!

DH and I were earning pretty much the same when I went back to work after maternity leave. Since then, we've both pushed for and obtained promotions to the next level in our respective careers (accountant/database developer). DH has had a salary jump of around £8k, I got a salary cut of £1k!!

They basically took the performance based, set amount and never missed bonus for my previous team off me, haven't added me into the one for my new team and didn't make up the difference in my pay. My objections might as well have been directed to a brick wall for all the notice they've taken.

Hense the reason why I'm trying to escape my [insert gratutious swearing] company.

On the plus side, I have an interview tomorrow for the awesome job, and have two more very nice sounding ones that I've been submitted for. So hopefully there's something better out there for me... [crosses fingers]

In family related news... M is pretty much fine. She's started showing signs of the terrible twos approaching though, she was stroppy and argumentative all weekend. "No!" is a new favourite, it seems.

At least the tantrums aren't too bad, she just throws herself on the floor and sobs into it like the world was ending. Easier to handle than some of the stories I've heard! Also only happens once or twice a day when we do something evil like stop her from playing with scissors or eating things off the floor.

Though I realise there's still plenty of time for the tantrums to get worse-!

in further sahm joy news... i have done another load of washing (still catching up from hols and the impact of all the vom) and made some dahl for lunch

glad you're feeling good mlic

do you think it's mothers, woman or you in that bloody place spirael? best of luck for the interview! do you feel all prepared?

We were having a discussion about working/ sahms and it seemed those who didnt work were better off financially (assuming they rent) and get to spend alot of time with their kids but don't have a career or have sacrificed gcse's/ a levels to have children. Those who work can barely afford everything, are having their tax credits cut and feel guilty they don't get to spend as much time with their children but own/ will own their own houses and have good qualifications/ jobs which will be better in the long run.

People got v sensitive about it, defending their situation etc. The dynamics of the group have changed alot. It's become cliquey and stressful for some and D cries everytime I leave him in the crèche.

Really hoping it all settles down soon, I like the group and we get free lunch and gets me out the house for 3 hours.