March 2013 - 6 months down, 210 to go!

[StormyBrid]

Old thread.

Keep on rambling, ladies, we have a whole new thread to fill!

[Plonkysaurus]

Something I certainly shall call on you if it all seems too much. Thanks, you're a sweetie - and I hope your work will see that on Friday!

Very jealous of the Gerry/Worse/Eco rendezvous, sounds a lot of fun.

So it took me an hour and 45 mins to get from work to nursery, by which time the cleaners were in and DS was the only child left. So we hotfooted it home, I quickly made up a bottle and bathed him then got him to bed. Thankfully he went down easily. Then the ocado man showed up. Then I remembered my sisters visiting tomorrow evening and my house was an embarrassment. No bother! Cat fed, two beds changed, bins emptied, cat litter scraped off tray, tomorrows bottles made and now I'm sat eating leftover cottage pie and inhaling wine.

I'm tired just looking at that. Thankfully I had the good sense to empty two pallets of wine earlier.

[Plonkysaurus]

Eco, meant to add, ill be doing a basic accountancy course. Not the sexiest, but should prove worthwhile.

[worsestershiresauce]

Excellent plan Plonky... and your passport to joining me and wing on the boring bench

[StormyBrid]

worse those carrot sticks, they are just crisps, right? Wotsits in a healthy disguise. DD occasionally has one or two, but buggered if I'm letting her loose on the whole bag. As for food here, it's going much better than it was a couple of weeks ago. We had wonder week combined with top two teeth coming through, but now we're over the ww and the teeth are there. Still not hugely fussed about feeding herself a lot of the time though. I've been rejigging the daily schedule a bit this week. She has her first bottle when she wakes up (usually around 6am) and goes back to sleep, so we've been getting up somewhere between 8 and 9. So it's been a good couple of hours since she had milk when her breakfast is served. This morning she had half a weetabix (weetabic?) with a bit of banana mushed in, followed by an entire prune (which I fed her with my fingers). Then it's milk immediately before naps, so she's going to sleep with a full tummy, which helps. Normally works alright, but this morning she was ready for a nap an hour after finishing breakfast and obviously wasn't very hungry - only four flozzes downed. Reduced milk is a lot less stressful when they're eating proper food though. I never dared to reduce milk in the hope she'd take more solids though - when you have a 25th centile baby you don't like to risk them losing weight.

What's this about having to wear makeup a year after giving birth? I've made it twenty eight years without the stuff, I'm not planning to start any time soon.

Good luck on Friday, something.

What's this meetup all about then? I've finally looked at a map. Plonky, you're actually not that far away, are you? If I could drive (and could afford to run a car) I'd be suggesting meeting up. Trains and babies seem like a scary combination though. Maybe when they're a bit bigger? We should all have a nice day out somewhere sunny next summer. Failing that, if we ever get round to visiting MIL we'll have to sort something out.

Progress in babyland: we have learnt to clap! Clapping is good fun. It staves off the need to walk around for a whole minute at least.

I have a question. Honest answers please. Is it weird to feed a baby black pudding? Everyone I mention it to gives me a very funny look...

[Plonkysaurus]

Stormy hull to near matlock isn't too far, it takes me about 90 mins to get to Lincoln to give you am idea. Whenever you're down in Matlock I'd be very much interested in meeting.

Right ladies. Do any of you have any HR experience? I gave notice this morning and have been told I've given inadequate notice but they'll be good and sort it for me regardless . My contract states a notice period of a week for 1month - 1 years service, and a months notice for two years. I've been continually employed by them since march 2011, but as of 23/10/13 on different hours, different pay, different job title and had to sign a new contract as it wasn't just an amended version but had a 'date effective from'. So what do you think? A week or a month?

Nb I am only here for another week. I'm just positive that I have accrued one days holiday that I'd like to take in this time.

[Plonkysaurus]

Also feed your baby what you want! Nowt wrong with black pudding if that's what the family eats, but I wouldn't have it frequently.

[worsestershiresauce]

Stormy sounds like you've got the handle on things food wise. The not so tiddly tiddler was 50 centile at birth and has been creeping up, so cutting back her milk in favour of solids seems sensible. Easier said than done, as although yesterday was pretty good I've just binned her entire lunch today. Two steps forward one step back....

I'm all for feed your baby what you feed yourself, but you do need to watch the salt content of what you eat. Babies shouldn't have more than a gram a day, which isn't much when you consider a slice of bread can contain half that. Processed meats are all very high in salt, and also nitrates, so are best avoided or only given in tiny amounts. Personally I'm paranoid about salt so don't feed dd anything interesting at all yet. Poor child.

It's been one of those days, I've spent so long attempting to type this MN has logged me out!!!

[StormyBrid]

Bugger, I suppose that means there's salt in everything fun, doesn't it? We don't have much interesting meat, because she can't chew it up very well yet, and my patience runs out halfway through shredding one slice of salami. Bread intake is probably about half a slice at most per day, because most of it ends up on the floor, so no worries there. Still, I get the feeling baby-led weaning is a bit of a lie. Feed your baby what the family eats? Fine if the family lives on rabbit food. Less fine if the family lives on ham sandwiches. On the plus side, at least I don't do what the woman at number eight does - takeaway every night, for herself and her two kids, whom I believe are six and three.

Plonky times to Lincoln give me no idea of anything, because the roads are so crappy in Lincolnshire it takes a million years to go five miles. MIL takes an hour and a half to get here from Shirebrook (and a further half hour driving round getting lost, usually). Not sure when we're likely to be down that way though. Probably next Christmas.

As for your notice period, tricky one. I'd be inclined to work a month, as you've been with the company for nearly three years. But if they're willing to sort it so you can go after a week, then bonus. And also, yay for an extra day's holiday!

Speaking of holidays, I'm looking forward to next month. After next week the man hasn't got a full week at work until January. Odd days off here and there, and they told him yesterday he's got two days' holiday he still needs to take before Christmas. And then he'll be back there day in, day out just in time for the start of the next wonder week hell. 24th of January is the magic date here, so I'm expecting the demon baby to put in an appearance around Christmas. Joy!

[BettyOff]

Plonky, I think a month too I'm afraid. I have to sign a new contract every year but when it comes to notice/mat leave etc it takes into account my total years of NHS service.

Wors and Stormy, I have to say I'm very lax on the feeding and I think DD probably has a little too much salt. She has either a slice of bread or a small brioche roll every day, if I use butter it's salted and she has some cheese too, I don't add any in cooking though so a tad high but not terrible. As for black pudding I think a little bit once a week is probably fine but probably not a lot more than that I would say. People tend to be a freaked out by offal generally and that probably explains the reactions more than anything else. As for the 'carrot sticks', they are in plentiful supply in this house as they're one of our rarely fails bribery/strop stopping techniques.

Madam finally had a good night again last night, woke up at 3 but went back to sleep, feed at 4.30 and then back to sleep until 7.45. Immense. Fingers crossed for tonight as she's usually shattered after swimming. Once again it seems we'll have got the sleep sussed just in time to go away next week and ruin it again!

Plonky great news about the career change, I bet it's a big relief! Are you working in Nottingham at the moment? How far from there do you live? We'll have to meet up one time when I'm down visiting the parents.

[Plonkysaurus]

Ah bollocks then, ill admit defeat. I've never had to sign a new contract and give notice etc, I've never stayed in a job this long that wasn't on a temporary basis anyway. Oh well, I suppose for once they are doing the decent thing then.

SoYo I can't tell you how glad I am of the career change. It feels like lately I've been doing a normal shop job. I thought I'd be fine with that but I can't really mentally adjust to taking such a huge step back. I live 20 or so miles from my work but Nottingham remains my spiritual home. Can we have a semi northern meet up? Hope the sleep stays good.

We have baby junk food in the house too. My favourite baby bribing snacks are Ella's kitchen biscuits and rice cakes. I did invest in some marmite rice cakes, much to dp's horror. Hopefully DS will take after me and love them.

Gerry how's the diet going? Your Hanson inspired escapade made me remember my one pre-6th form attempt at bunking off. Two friends and I hid in a multistorey car park for three hours because we were terrified our distinctive (bottle green) uniform would give us away.

[Gerrythetootallgiraffeswife]

Tut tut plonk, schoolgirl error not taking a change of clothes and dreaming up a fake career. 16lb down but struggling a bit now, need to find a new diet mojo. Tonight at dinner time I found myself whinging "but I don't want stupid vegetables. I want cake. Can I have cake with my chicken?"

[worsestershiresauce]

Gerry no you can't have cake with chicken. It wouldn't taste nice. Victoria sponge and chicken mayo sandwich anyone? No? Thought not.

Plonk bottle green here too! Flattering wasn't it. Not. I suspect school uniform designers of purposely thinking up colours and cuts designed to render the wearer completely unattractive to the opposite sex.

The latest amusing development here, the worselet has rediscovered boobs. Having not been bf since 3 months, she would appear to have suddenly remembered that there is something worth remembering about them. First thing she does when I sit down is pull down my top, stare in wonder and stroke them. Goodness only knows what she'd do if I had boobs worth stroking. It is funny, although probably ought to be stopped.

DH is working from home today, which is good and bad. Good in that I get some company, bad in that he'll be on conference calls all day so I am still effectively flying solo.

Have a good day everyone.

[BettyOff]

Wors my one has also discovered the joy of boob stroking. She pulls off feeding, looks at them, sometimes tweaks a nipple & then tries to pick the mole on my right boob off. It's very funny but you're right, it probably shouldn't be encouraged!

[Gerrythetootallgiraffeswife]

Worse you're right, nobody want lemon drizzle Kiev.

Boobs are hilarious- we had a bath together the other day, and nipples are the most fascinating thing in the world. Rather irritating. Also, I think she's trying to regress. She keeps launching herself head first into my crotch. I keep explaining that she can't go back, she's too big now!

So, another working week done, and I'm still enjoying it for the most part, although it's completely exhausting. Trying to catch up with you lot though!

Plonk, I think everyone's right, it's about continuous employment not contracts signed. But hooray for handing in notice! You must be so excited! What will you be doing in your parents' business?

Stormy- re:black pudding, echo the salt thing. Although like Betty we're not as careful as we should be with salt- most days she'll have either toast or a sandwich, she loved cheese spread, and although I always check salt content nothing like that is great!

Those carrot stick things are a bit of a con I think. Yes they're healthier than adult crisps, but I think because they look like a packet of crisps they're still teaching them the wrong lessons. Like serving an apple in a macdonalds wrapper. Having said that, on a Friday swimming finishes at 5.15 then we have to drive home. The only thing that will stop her screaming the whole way back is by handing her rice cakes or carrot sticks at regular intervals! So basically, she has them, but I know I shouldn't!

I'm very excited about meeting up with the worses and the ecos on Tuesday! Although I'm not convinced that just because we're MNers we need to discuss roomy vaginas (or should that be fanjos?).

I'm feeling really emotional at the moment, 18 months ago my best friend and her boyfriend moved to Australia. They're back for a visit and came to surprise me on Tuesday. I haven't seen them since before I was pregnant, so there were tears all round. But the knowledge that they're going again soon is breaking my heart.

[worsestershiresauce]

Somebody ate their lunch. All of it. In fact I had to scrabble around for extra. This is huge!!!!

Gerry it must have been lovely to see your friends. There is always skype I guess, although it isn't the same.

I'm about to actually put my feet up, because on top of the success that was lunch we are also experiencing a nap. I'm in shock to be honest.

[ecofreckle]

Worse! Worselet! Great strides With the nap too you are just showing off! What was the secret of the appetite? What gastronomic delight appealed to her?
Plonky accountancy? There was a really interesting thread on here last week that made me feel like education wasn't perhaps the best choice of careers to pay the mortgage off that was so insightful into the array of work we all do and for what renumeration. Accountancy was top dog by all accounts so good choice.
Gerry/Betty/Worse we have boob love here too. Mind you, ecobaby is also fascinated in the tiniest specks of stuff on the floor and will spend ages just picking up and staring at such small nuggets. There may be a link!
If there is a Northern meet up then I'd like to piggy-back that one too. Dad/sister are 30 mins away from Notts so we could do Plonk/Betty/Something and hopefully Stormy too one day.
Gerry how lovely that you got to see your friends from Oz. What was their reaction to dd?
Stormy with regards impending ww doom, I think because you just had a stinker then you are due a much less bumpy next one. I bet you wish I'd never mentioned that sodding book! How lovely to have DH around a bit more but be prepared for more crumbs do you have any plans?
I went out with 7 other Mums last night. We went to Jamie's Italian and it was actually really good food. Ecobaby paid me back for my fun by requiring 4 get out of beds overnight. Gah. Ih well, it was fun whilst it lasted. And I got my legs out.
Due to my terrible habit of using smart phones in the bath and ruining them through the moisture that gets in I have had to wait in nearly until dusk for a bloody parcel (with new phone) and I nearly went stir crazy. We managed to get a walk to the library and park. 8 more books for ecobaby and a Ryan Gosling DVD for mummy (DH is going to football and then gig tomorrow so I have a night to myself). My only other news is housework and 3 loads of washing so I'd best strop writing now before I bore you senseless.
Have lovely weekends and do tell what you are up to.
Off to be milked and then into a fragrant bath, without phone. With a book. How every old-school.

[worsestershiresauce]

No secret recipe Eco, I think she just got it that food can be picked up and put in her mouth. Well food that is toast or rice cake based anyway. The stuff I read about babies enjoying broccoli florets and chunks of fruit . Lies, all of it lies...

I'm not resting on my laurels however as last night more than made up for the success of yesterday. The worselet's cold has taken a turn for the worse and she is so bunged up she can hardly breathe. I did a shift until 2am, before DH took over, and neither of us got any sleep whilst with her. Poor little thing.

[somethingbeginningwith]

Well done to the Worselet on the eating, but not so good on the cold. Or for your lack of sleep, worse. I hope she's feeling better today and shows you by eating everything in sight!

I'm interested in this Northern meeting so count me in

Well, the meeting went marginally better than expected. Although they declined my 3 requests of a 24 hour contract, a 30 hour contract and the idea of a job share, they offered to halve my role and give me 19.5 hours and recruit for the other 19.5. In the meeting, she said this would stretch out over 3 days some week and 4 days for other weeks. Fair enough, not ideal but thanks for the compromise. However! Looking over the proposed rota she gave me, it'd be 19.5 hours over 5 days. Does she not understand the issues I had would still be the same? I'd need childcare for 5 days and the majority of the shifts are down as 2 hours long. 20 miles there and 20 miles back for a 2 hour shift?! F**k off!

betty my skills are pretty transferable but I work in a theatre and have a theatre degree so I'm in the industry I'd like to stay in even though my actual role is a shit one. However, I'm now looking for another job. Needs must!

Right, time to get the small one ready for his swimming lesson.

[Plonkysaurus]

Something I'd email her ASAP to say this is not what was agreed.

Eco hmmmmmm. Maybe we'll allow you to show at this theoretical semi-northern (compared to Kent) meet up. If. If you bring me an eclair. Also, I'm looking little life back packs for the occasional ramble (nothing too adventurous yet, I'm not about to climb snowdon) - which one do you have? How did it fare on your road trip?

Gerry are you finding a rhythm on your working days yet? I've found a level of organisation I never knew existed! Does balancing being a mum and working work for you so far? Also, kudos on 16lb lost, that's fantastic. Would you feel comfortable allowing yourself a treat perhaps once a week? Might make the rest of the time easier to bear.

My parents are essentially training me up to run their business, starting with giving me a web project to learn about seo, marketing across different media and all that jazz. Ill then do basic accounting and payroll bits and bobs then move onto elf and safety. It's an incredible opportunity as I can set my own hours, which means working from home in the evening if I want to/it's necessary. Mums going part time in order to enjoy her grandson so ill be taking on some of her responsibilities in the long run - its win win really, we get reduced nursery hours (and fees), more family time and actual career progression.

Right, I'd best put my other sock on (you ladies are seriously distracting) and get going. We're off to buy Christmas.

[StormyBrid]

something they're taking the piss! Dunno what you can do about it though.

Awesome work, worselet - give her a high five from me. And worse I know exactly what you mean about finally getting the idea of food going in mouth. It took DD a bloody long time to understand that one. Once she did finally get it, I noticed her motor skills improving dramatically too. Babies liking broccoli is totally a lie though. DD will eat it if I put it in her mouth. Buggered if she'll eat it herself.

I was having a fag on the doorstep late last night and I could hear youngest niece crying. Made me realise just how far we've come these past few months, and I really don't envy them the night wakings. SIL's boobs clearly know what their purpose is though. I remember some of us bemoaning how little we could express way back. She's complaining that she only managed to express eight ounces yesterday. And the baby's gained three pounds in four weeks. Super tits. It's the only explanation.

Most awesome news of the weekend: I get a proper lie in tomorrow! My dad and my brother have buggered off to Amsterdam for the weekend and my mum can't be left on her own for more than a couple of hours, so I'm doing the overnight stay there tonight. What are the bets I wake up at 6am regardless?

[BettyOff]

Plonk I've got a little life cross country (got it second hand for £40) and I loves it! We don't climb mountains with it but its handy for taking to places without much buggy room and on dog walks plus dD loves being up high and seeing all the trees and leaves at the moment.

DH had volunteered for extra work today (I don't mind as he's off next week) so it's a lazy girly day here.

I hope everyone's having fun, we're off for a coffee and a bun in waitrose.

[ecofreckle]

Plonky I have a little life traveller. Mine too was £40 off of gumtree. I like it. Ecobaby adores it; never a grumpy moment in it. I struggle to carry her far as it all feels a bit prolapsed afterwards but you are probably better with your exercises! DH carries her no problem in it. I use it but not for longer than half an hour. If I could choose another I'd go for one with some accessible pockets (on the waistband for example which I have seen) because if you are on your own you can't get to your own pockets because of the waist belt and you can't carry another bag. There is a storage bag at the base of it but you can't access that whilst you are wearing it, but it's fine for food, nappies etc, just not for keys, purse, mobile, lipstick etc. Also, I love the sun and rain shades that tuck inside the bag just in case; really handy to get one with those. If possible when you buy it try it on with a baby in it! As DH is out he has left me 4 choc eclairs. I wouldn't dream of attending any sorty of meet up without them unless it's with worse and gerry who are healthy Did you buy Christmas? Is there a box on a shelf somewhere that says 'Christmas'? All you needed in one bespoke package. How convenient that's be for us mothers with babies. We have 2 choc advent calendars and a terrible santa's elf onsie for ecobaby so far so please tell me where I can buy such a package.
Worse the rice cakes are a hit here too. So popular are they that they get the legs doing the excited froggy kicks. But not because she wants to eat them. Oh no! Because she likes to bite a chink off and then spit it on the floor. Repeat until it's all gone in the style of a beaver. Lovely. I also had asparagus thrown at me with a big grin. You sure you want to meet us!
Gerry it sounds like you have had a lovely weekend so far. And there's still half of it left!
Something I am for you. That makes no sense. Are you continuing the dialogue with them? Does your boss have children? I fear some that don't just don't get it.
Betty bun and coffee in waitrose? You are living the dream! I think if you have a Waitrose card you get free coffee. Hot tip there. How was your girlie day in the end? Great jumperoo action btw. Ecobaby does high impact star jump in hers and I sometimes think she's going to ping out.
Stormy hope that you have fun girlie times too. And a lie in until at least 0900. Oh how brilliant would that be?! Fingers crossed.
So, it's saturday night and we've just had one of DH's friends over for post-football defeat dinner and they've now run away to a London Grammar gig. I'm not cool enough to know who they are. But I do know they're from Nottingham like all the cool cats I am therefore home alone. To Ryan or not to Ryan, that is the question.

[StormyBrid]

eco I did better, I had a lie in until half past twelve. Although I did wake at 6.30 for a pee, and at 8.45 when my dad was ringing the doorbell (hadn't taken his keys). My favourite parts were: food just happening without me having to think about it or cook it or ask anyone else to cook it (one of my dad's friends was also staying so between us there was always someone there, and she cooked); being able to smoke inside; staying up until half past one in the morning and not having to worry about being woken up! And I didn't get home until just gone three this afternoon, DD's having a nap, and in a few hours she'll be off to bed, so easy day for me.

Christmas shopping's really going to have to happen soon, isn't it? Arse and buggeration.

[BettyOff]

Wow Stormy, sounds like a proper break! I'd love a lazy day, at the moment my idea of bliss is checking myself into a hotel and eating dinner in bed while watching TV, having a bath, reading a book and then sleeping all night. Mmmm.

I am just about to jump in a hot bath though and then pack for our second trip to Center Parcs in 3 months! Once again I'm astounded by the amount of crap we need!

[worsestershiresauce]

Stormy that sounds like a well earned rest. Yay!

Betty Center Parcs again! Now I want to go. If it's good enough to go twice... With you on the crap though. DH has decided our (sensible) car needs to be replaced, because it is a) knackered and b) burns more petrol than can be justified either environmentally or economically. His first choice is (wait for it) something without an enormous boot. Why??? Just why? It's not just baby stuff, we have 2 dogs.... Huge sigh

Eco spitting and throwing food you say? Well she'll fit right in then! On the basis I have just cleaned puréed carrot off the wall, I'm guessing the table manners here aren't anything to aspire to either. The fact puréed carrot hasn't been on the menu for at least 3 days is something we will gloss over.

Quiet weekend here, as given the worselet is snotty, and I am snottier we decided it would probably be best to stay inside in the warm. I have however cleared the washing and ironing mountain, sorted out the mess that was my wardrobe and in honour of the MN meet up have bleached the mugs . So there you have it, you guys are on a par in importance with my MIL

On that note, night all!