December 2011: Of Mice, Men and Tables

[NorthernChinchilla]

Here we go...I hope!

We have no real routine set. I waited until six months to wean as I was being paranoid this time round, just as we got going octoboy got tonsillitis and refused to continue. We're back at square one with tasting and such, so it's pretty much a free-for-all boob-buffet as far as the tentacled one is concerned. On a night he'll go down at about seven-thirty, and if I'm lucky will only wake at 11, 1 and 4. Wake up is six/ish.

Oh joy, I'll get the hankies at the ready as wiping my runny snot on DP's shirt often offends and will get ready to be even more horrified when they run the trailer for next week...
Sounds a bit ominous Oi, is all OK?

That was such bad luck LMF, as if he hadn't had enough already (and you as well). How's his chest/asthma doing at the moment- I know that you were planning to move him off the inhaler/mask thingy but he'd not reacted well, so has it improved at all?

Rather fed-up here. Trying to organise our trip up North, where we see both mine and DP's family, as they live only a few miles away. So, we drag ourselves 5/6 hours up North, with a baby, as we have done every 4-6 weeks since he was two weeks old, and yet trying to keep everyone happy, and get everyone visited is horrendous.
So:
DP's adult brother is back home following breaking up again with his girlfriend, so sleeping at DP's house will be a pain.
My mother is never satisfied unless she gets 100% of my time and DS's time.
DP's parents can never say they want to see him lots, but then just try to hold onto him all the time and make him even later than he already is
DP's Dad's dialysis has to be factored in.
DP bagsies a day for seeing his friends and forgets I've got friends too....but then never sorts out whether the friends are free so we don't know if we'll be seeing them.
We have to ensure that DS's time is split reasonably 50/50 between the GPs.

And three million other little things that make it feel like a chore...and I love my Mum.

Argh.

DH had a bad day today. He works for 2 brothers. The other employee was sacked 3-4 months ago, and they've finally settled out of court. During that time they've often said, in front of DH, that having employees is crap, they'd be better off without,... Etc. so today he was told that he's being suspended pending further investigation. He's done nothing wrong. They're saying things like "excessive Internet use" - which means on the odd occasion he's worked in the office, he's put on the radio via the Internet, in the background whilst he's worked. So you can imagine there are quite a few minor things like that, but nothing to create gross misconduct. He's never had any previous warnings. They just want him out. He's furious. We can't understand why they're doing it like this. Why not just say "times are tough, we'll have to let you go." surely they can see that they're inviting another unfair dismissal case.
Not the best news with a new mortgage, but at least we can get the patio painting finished!!
I'll let the dust settle before I present him with his "to do" list!
I'm a firm believer in stuff being "meant to be". This is an opportunity for him to improve his situation. and not to watch th'olympics all day.

Hi all, been meaning to reply but really busy and haven't had a chance and am exhausted and have to go to sleep. Tomorrow I hope!

Haven't seen honey for a while, hope she's ok.

Hope all with waking babies have a better night tonight, it's so exhausting and just makes everything seem more difficult.

oi, that's shocking! (though with an attitude like tht he's probably better off in the long run working for someone else). But still, in the short term that's a right PITA.

Poor northern, you guys need a break on the scheduling front. Is there any way you can cut down to say, half the people one visit and half the next? If anyone complains remind them gently that they can come to you more easily than you to them, and are welcome to at any point. (we had considerable pressure to visit a set of relatives who are a ten hour flight away, they have no children and far more ready cash than we do. I pointed this out politely in a sorry-but-not-gonna-happen way, and we are going next year when we don't have the hassle of bottles/tiny baby seats/airlines.)

Hope tonight is better for you gee, we have relatively little routine here due to the three: wakeup is approx 5.30am-6.40am, dds wake 6am-8am, 6 oz bottle at 6ish, breakfast is about 7.30-8 (a bit of cereal or toast), mid morning snack about 10 with a bottle before or after, lunch is 12 ish, bottle 2ish, tea 5-6ish with a bottle at 7ish, then bed with an extra bottle some nights at 10-11. Water overnight if he wakes and doesnt settle with rocking/sucking fingers. We just lurch from bottle to finger food and back again (puree is apparently the stuff of disdain at the moment! )

And i hear tell there's rain coming! Yayy!

Oi That is terrible. Tribunal calling?!

Well both my girls have been moos to get to sleep tonight but are both now sound asleep so I can have some much needed peace.

oi it would definitely be worth sorting out a solicitor. Often they will give you half an hour for free at first. What is his notice period? Have they given him notice of an investigation and disciplinary meeting? Even if you don't want to go the tribunal route it is worth knowing the law so he can press for what he's owed in notice etc. If these guys are aware that your DH is well informed and advised they are more likely to give him a bigger pay off.

Oh, and if he can remember when it was he heard them commenting about being better off without employees he should note down when/where it happened etc.

figgy another for your DH over here!

BJR sorry to hear about the dairy-avoidance. Eva still has her lactose intolerance, 'tis a right pain in the arse. I've been recommended by the HV just to keep trying every now and then, but I feel so awful when she's crying in pain with a tummy ache and I know I've caused it :(. I'm waiting at least another 2-3 months before I try again I think.

oi I agree with aethel, sounds like he'd definitely be better off somewhere else! Get him looking for something else ASAP while they do their stupid arsey investigations.

And they can't really promise to give him a good reference while sacking him for gross misconduct. And from their past behaviour you can't trust any promise to give a good reference either so I would tread v carefully there.

Last thing, google ACAS code of conduct for disciplinary and grievance procedures. It outlines what steps companies should take and if they don't follow the ACAS code it can provide evidence of an unfair dismissal. It will also make DH sound knowledgeable and not let them think they can get away with stuff.

Right, I'm off to bed, to be woken in 15 mins maybe?!

Thanks gee - some good advice/points there. I'll get him onto it. Cheers.

Oooo: did we all get a tiny bit of sleep this night? Hope so! Not here, DS was up at 2 and 4 and we foolishly watched lord of the rings til midnight

Oi I was going recommend ACAS too. Hope you get something sorted sharpish.

Well both girls have only just woken up however, it rained slightly last night so not sure what to do today especially as not been paid yet and have no pennies

Yep a little bit of sleep here! DS kindly allowed me just enough to keep my functioning not enough to feel completely human, so as normal really .

Currently packing for a ten day trip to my parents. Hopefully the M25 won't be as horrendous as yesterday. Am being a bad Mummy DS is infront of the TV in some sort of TV coma so that I can actually get stuff done before we leave!

Sleep? No, not head of that stuff

Octoboy is playing with toast today. He seems to approve:)

3 weeks to go .,...

We had 2am and 6am feeds then up at 7.15am. Not bad, considering.

dsm I don't really want to introduce a bottle at all, and I don't think a sippy cup has the same back-to-sleep comfort as a bottle, so not keen on a 11.15am dreamfeed. She also goes through to 2am some days.

Just looked at all the baby sleep books in the library and they are all really rubbish/annoying, saying if you're having problems its because you didn't follow my special sleeping plan from Day 1 etc etc. And others that just said to do CC from 8 weeks which I don't agree with. I got out the Pantley No Cry Sleep Solution but don't have much hope, think I've heard every sleep theory/trainig method now and nothing works on DD!

Another 5.30 start here this morning he then refused to go back to sleep until 8.30 and even then only for half an hour so we are both grumpy!!

The paddling pool is up and full for this afternoon I have a pile of magazines to catch up on so having a crap lazy day today but since lo has been out on trips every day this week he probably needs a break too.

Will lurch round to the local shop for pimms and lottery tickets at some point ahead of the opening ceremony tonight. Not fussed about the Olympics really but I do love some pomp and ceremony!!

We had sleep here an unprecedented 4th night in a row that DS slept through . I'm hoping that sleeping 7-6 is his new routine....don't want to write his 'routine' on here in case we jinx things as we've only really settled into it over the last week.

He doesn't normally nap much in the today but has been very grumpy and sleepy today. He's currently on his third nap since midday. No idea what this will mean for tonight...

Hi everyone,

Quick update, the kids mum is under a section 2 which means that she is under hospital care for 28 days, however, she has been allowed home for a weeks trial with daily visits from the community health team to ensure she is taking her meds and letting them in etc. The kids can visit her with adult supervision, but they can't go home yet. Their dad is going to have them from Sunday, so that's good.

Our routine is:

7am get up and have approx 7oz and then breakfast e.g. Half a weetabix/porridge/yoghurt and all with fruit.

9am nap (anything from 1-2 hours)

11am 7oz bottle and then an early lunch e.g. Savoury muffins, Toast, crumpets and fruit/ yoghurt

3pm 7oz bottle followed by a nap (usually 2 hours)

5pm dinner (whatever we are having)

7pm 7oz bottle and then bed

Oi It sounds like an awful company to work for. Easier to say than do, but I think if it was me I would go down the tribunal route....fed up of these people getting away with treating people like rubbish!

Figgy That sounds bad, it's not easy to be everything at the same time! I hope things improve soon.

Northern I'm with you on it being a pain to fit everyone in! I think you just have to be blunt and grow a thick skin!

Hi i havent catched up yet sorry.

I finally have five mins as both kids are sleeping but hope is bf as well as sleeping so i cant do much else right now.

Aaron is on school holiday. Dh has been to docs and has depression and anxiaty(sp?) Hope is doing great.

Kid crying back later!

So DS2 appears to have totally gone off purees. But he has just demolished a fish finger and a mini waffle - not exactly the most nutritious food

Can anyone tell me better options for blw?

Gah! I knew he wasn't himself today. Temp fine when I checked earlier in the day but now 37.8. Have given nurofen, cold flannel on head, trying to chuck as much water down him as possible. Any other ideas? Could be a long night. Hard to keep him cool when it's boiling outside. His room is 24 degrees

Hawthers the BLW cookbook is good. I did home made fish fingers that went down a treat with both DD and DS. Have also made cheese and lentil wedge, cheese and spinach muffins and healthy sweet muffins. I've also done some Annabel karmel finger food recipes - chicken and apple balls, and salmon footballs - and made them into sausage shapes instead.