March 2013 - we're gonna need a bigger wine rack

[Plonkysaurus]

Ta da!

eco the sleep consultant sounds magical. Not only for better sleep but in helping you develop greater understanding of ecotod too.
Ooh I must confess I've not yet tried the Mudderella training. I've been getting to the gym a lot and doing things badly on complicated machines, and my body does seem to be on it's way to 'well buff'. Hope the mortgage people let you buy somewhere soon! Are you still looking at the fixer upper?

Any you must have the patience of a saint. Mr Saurus occasionally pulls the 'I'm so tired' card and I do bath, bedtime, cook dinner, clean up, resettle toddlersaurus and eventually collapse. While he sits on his arse complaining. Caused us no end of problems. A bit of empathy goes a long way, but it absolutely works both ways and I hope he pulls his weight this weekend. How's the start up going?

Well last night we experienced the delight of midnight terrors. I felt knackered an hour ago but some poached eggs on toast for both of us and I suspect ds doesn't remember it.it was pretty bizarre though, I'm hoping it doesn't happen again tonight. A quick google suggests it could be down to molars (check), developmental leaping (check) or separation anxiety (major check). So does anyone have any tips for dealing with those things?

I believe the correct answer to, "I'm so tired," is, "Me too We just need to get x, y and z done and then we can collapse. You do x, I'll do y?"

Pretty sure I was supposed to be getting a lie in this morning, in exchange for letting the man watch the football here later. No sign of the man though. Grrrr.

Stormy that indeed is how it's meant to go. So easy to get bogged down in the competitive tiredness though isn't it? On one hand I'm not moving thousands of pounds every day and making important decisions quickly, like dp is. On the other hand that's really all he has to do (though he often does enough at home that we're both happy).

Ds is hovering between the table and arm chair, trying to figure out if he can make it from one to the other. It's a two and half food distance. I'm sure he can, but his dithering is very cute.

DD just had a screaming fit because I wouldn't let her smack me in the face with her hairbrush. Rather less cute!

Can't decide if today's going to be a good day or not. On the plus side, the man turned up, it's a glorious day, and the city is empty of football fans. On the downside, I was woken before 7am by a bunch of Catholic schoolkids shrieking as they boarded the Wembley bus, the landlord's agent is a robbing bastard and wants thirty five quid to renew the tenancy, and I'm not thin yet. Could go either way, this day.

What in the name of buggery do I put in a cover letter? Aside from "Please give me a job, I'm desperate, and I promise to work hard because I'm scared of being shouted at if I slack off. Pretty please?"

Stormy, be enthusiastic, explain why you're the right person for the job, tell them you want to work for their company, summarise your key qualities that they'd be interested in, say something positive like 'I hope to be able to demonstrate my suitability at interview'?Just some ideas from us (dh and I). Good luck!

Hardworking and conscientious?

Do people still do cover letters? If i was an employer a cv would be enough highlighting skills and previous experience. Reading a cover letter and cv is too much to read but if you want to do one stormy summarise skills saying why you are the ideal candidate for this job. Keep it brief.

betty speaking from experience one day your dd's sleep will improve. We have had two weeks of ds sleeping 6 hrs straight through and a couple of all nighters. Last night we had a blip because he was crying in his sleep but I think teeth attacked last night.

Jobsites still have room for cover letters, though they're optional. The hundreds of jobseekers applying so they don't get sanctioned are unlikely to bother with a cover letter there. All done now, and three more jobs applied for.

Downside to jobsites is I can't do as eco suggests, because I have no idea who the companies in question are!

Good luck stormy!

Plonky, melty chocolate pudding? Where's mine? I'm not 'well buff' though so not as deserving as you. Did DS make it between the two furniture items? He's got such a jolly face Plonky, I love seeing him on Facebook. Ecotod has been shown a couple of videos and says 'baba'

Stormy I came to the bath three minutes before end of extra time and it looked like Hull had been robbed? Shame as they gave the rich kids something to worry about for a while. Maybe they scored and it went to penalties though!

Shattered how are things with you presently? We are ww'ing too. Fun not.

Wotta how did DS like zoo? We've only been to farms so far and she loved them. I can only imagine the joy of seeing actual elephants, giraffes, camels, lions, snakes and frogs (read dear zoo a few too many times here!).

Any how are things now? Any movement on dh's position?

Lovely day here weather wise. We headed to our local arts festival that's on at present and watched vintage cartoons in spiegeltent. Ecotod pointed at chickens and said 'bok bok' I had one of those obscenely huge crepes with Nutella and Ecotod tried her hand at eating cherries and doughnut peaches which are bloody lovely. Such is my enthusiasm for them I'd be prepared to lick the juice off her face following her eating them so as not to waste any

Oh and plonk, we had what we suspect to be first night terror last night too. Poor petals. We cuddled and sang and let her nestle into her rabbit. Fingers crossed these were one off events.

eco and plonky - trying day, again. DD had a lie in so I faced the day with a decent night's sleep myself. DH spent all day putting up a new fence. DD had a loooooong afternoon nap (after drugging her up to the eyeballs with calpol and dentinox) and I had two hours, one of which i spent helping him. When bathtime came around, I asked and got a look that could kill. I reminded him of his promise last night but his response was pitiful. He's in a bath now and climbing into bed shortly but I will bring it up tomorrow that despite my helping him (and he couldn't have lifted those fence posts and panels on his own) he doesn't return the favour. If he thinks that's unfair, divorce it is.

My photo stuff still needs a bit of a push to get it going - i'm finding no time to devote to it what with all the solo parenting. DD's christening is in two weeks so i'm only able to focus on that then it's full steam ahead. Will leave DD with my DM so I have no dustractions

B*gger. Lost a very good post because my phone ran out of battery.

DH is rubbish. I helped him putting up a new fence today. He did not help me with DD. Reminded him of promise last night. Nothing. He couldn't do his job today without me so why does he think I can do mine without him?

Oh, Any

I'm so tired I'm swing double but couldn't read and run. Will post properly tomorrow, but for now have a hug. And .

I can't remember the last time I saw the sun rise. Haven't actually slept yet. Dear god let the man do breakfast tomorrow or i'm going to LTB.

Just refuse to get out of bed any. Parenting isn't solely your job it's a joint effort. . I'm for you. Hope you get some rest today.

Yes ok thanks eco. A lot on my plate at the mo and not in the best of moods. Cheer up me!!!

Can't remember anything else, will scroll back and read. We love the zoo wotta hope you had fun

Had a great time thanks Shattered

Any - agree. At this stage he's taking the piss. Someone asked about written instructions etc a while back and for us the answer is a resounding no as he does more childcare than me, since I went back ft and him pt. no one expects me to then need a manual, why should a dad? You both had a child. You both live in your house. I'm sure he's tired (I certainly an right now) but a decent slug of housework and some quality time parenting at weekends (or whenever you take your break) is only fair. Tell him it's his turn. Then, when you've had some sleep, you need to talk. Not row, but big talk. In the meantime.

Right I'm awake now.

Any I second everything Wotta so wisely said. It's not like you have a helpless EBF newborn anymore. You have a little girl. She is a child, not a bomb that only you can diffuse, or she could go off at any moment. Aside from the tantrums/wonder weeking I'd say we're probably in one of the easiest stages of parenting. It is knackering, it's relentless, it's joyous, it only comes around once. It's something that should be experienced together - the good stuff and the bad.

Written instructions? Sometimes I'd like to leave them for DP because we do things quite differently when we take care of DS. I am strict with naps and food, and I get very stressed if DS won't nap or eat - but then I'll stick him in the buggy and walk with him til he sleeps. DP does none of those things, but I always come home to a happy father and son. And if I dared to suggest DP does things my way I'd get short shrift. All of this is actually great, because it means he's confident looking after DS on his own, and, most importantly, has figured out how he likes to do so. I don't worry about them together one bit.

I hope your big talk is a productive one. You know where we all are.

After that I must add...eco yes I broke the diet for one day. A big catch up with a long lost friend who I've missed a lot. She can't make it to the wedding so she insisted on filling me up with pizza, wine and oozy chocolate pud. Delicious!

Ugh. I'm trying to figure out if I'm late for my period. Coil went in at the end of my cycle on 25th of March. Since then I've only had one period. Shit. Better not be a shotgun wedding.

Don't be knocked up, Plonk, I've got my heart set on being the first of us to produce DC2.

Hugs, Any. We're here if you need to talk, or rant. It's funny how these babies change our priorities, isn't it? Is divorce likely, or is it the sleep deprivation and resentment talking? I hope you've had some sleep now at least.

Any it's shit isn't it? I've found frequent conversations of 'what about being a parent makes you feel like you have less responsibility for our child than me, why would I deserve less rest and free time?' sink in eventually.

Plonk, remind me again is it a mirena or a copper coil? Did you POAS before it was fitted?

Stormy I've never seen Hull as empty as it was at 7pm yesterday, the entire city was watching the match. Not a great day to spend in Hull as an Arsenal fan!!!

You mean you don't support Forest Betty?

It's a copper coil. I didn't poas first because it was fitted on the last day of my period, and have had one godawful period since. Hopefully I'm just late? Eek. Bad timing if not. I am starting to get periody type pains though so fingers crossed I'll be wailing and stuffing chocolate into my gob like it's going out of fashion later. Would hate to steal Stormy's thunder.

I know copper coil can make periods super heavy but can it also stop them like mirena? I've always found with anything that might mean you have no periods, I have no periods. (Yay!) I have mirena (see previous comments) and avoided copper because periods when I do have them have always been super heavy to start with and I didn't want to take the risk (and I hate them ). Hope it's just everything settling down.

Any, you woken up yet?

eco we were indeed robbed! Not that I give a flying wossname about the football, but I did enjoy the look on the Arsenal boss's face ten minutes in.

Betty what were you doing in Hull yesterday?

I must admit I'm baffled by the idea that you could ask someone who lives with you to help you with something, and they could refuse without a bloody good reason. If you're physically present, not about to go out or mid-poo or juggling chainsaws or whatever, then you help as needed whether you've a burning desire to or not. I take it that's not the way everyone else was brought up?

Stormy I work here! I thought you knew that!