March 2013- the one where plonk gets married!

[Gerrythetootallgiraffeswife]

Perilously close to filling the old thread suddenly!

Trump Now he is going nursery he has developed a couple of English words and says daddy instead of baba but he understands Turkish better.

Oh mystery solved. I read books but never remember the authors. I really need to get back into reading. I love reading but find it hard to stay awake after a couple of pages. I had a serious aversion to books when I was pregnant. The smell of them would make me heave.

Yummy that's so funny! Isn't pregnancy weird . I read literally hundreds of books last time round. this time, not so much. For obvious reasons. Books are one thing I really miss as I used to read and read every spare minute I got. I'll read pretty much anything and everything but strangely enough no Terry Pratchett. DH has a few, but it isn't a genre I appreciate. It's like Star Wars I guess, you either love it or hate it. I am also deeply suspicious of anything Booker Prize nominated. You get the odd gem, but so many are frankly Emperors New Clothes. Badly written and tedious, but supposedly edifying

Today has been so lovely - the tiddler appears to be over her latest 'phase'. She gave her Key worker a massive big proper arms round neck hug at nursery this morning, then waved bye bye to me, and was over joyed to see me when I picked her up. Apparently seconds were eaten at lunch (it was fish pie.... who'd have guessed), after which she napped nicely at home, before spending the rest of the day giggling. DH is currently doing bed time, and I hear no screams. Not even his. This bodes well. If she sleeps through after this I'm awarding her gold star and declaring myself fully rejuvenated.

I had a saunter over to the Feb Ante natal group earlier. It felt like cheating! I have yet to join, I probably won't. You know how some things feel like tempting fate? Well that's one of those things. I was worse with dd. I didn't buy anything, and I mean literally anything until the final few weeks. Even then it wasn't anything like enough, and DH was one of those dad's doing the panicked Babys R Us run after the birth. At least that won't be happening this time. We've got pretty much everything, slightly worn, and a bit chewed, but serviceable none the less.

yummy that's so funny. I love how strange pregnancy can be. I didn't have any weird cravings or aversions; I so wish I had! I wanted to be that pregnant lady who wakes DP up at 3am to make him get pilchards and vanilla ice cream. Without any vanilla pods. But, alas, I wasn't

doli Did she sleep through? Have you adorned her with a gold star? Glad to hear you're over the worst touch wood

DSis is a huge Pratchett fan. In fact, I bought her his latest children's book for her birthday not realising it was a children's book but I've never got into him. I probably would if I read any though. Once I start a book, or book series, I can't stop until they're all done, even if I don't enjoy them. I just read a set of four books from the Beautiful Creatures series and after the 1st book I had completely lost interest, but powered through nonetheless. I've just started Game of Thrones and I'm hooked.

Last day at this crap work today! WOO HOO! And all the senior staff are trying to make me feel shit about it. One turned the light off when I was still in the room and she was walking out yesterday, and I went into the office and said Good Morning to a senior, senior staff member today and she looked me up and down before ignoring me. And it's exactly this kind of attitude that makes me so relieved that I'm outta here. My manager told the cleaner yesterday that if her manager found out I'd told people I was leaving the week before I take my annual leave that she'd sack me. Urrrm...I don't think that's quite how it works, and also stop threatening me. Phew. Sorry. That rant made me feel better.

As you were.

Zed did I read that right? They turned the light off while you were still in the room? That's both sad and hilarious, and snacks of jealousy.

If the smell of books had made me ill while pregnant, Fartypants would definitely be staying an only child!

I counted up all her words last night in bed. She has at least forty, plus half a dozen animal noises. New word today is ohdear, when waving her spoon wildly and flinging a dollop of weetabix on the carpet.

Zed she has indeed been awarded a big gold star, and an extra special hug for having been a little angel and slept right through from 9pm to 7am. I on the other hand was up puking my guts up at 3am. Not ill, just pregnant.... the joys.

Trumps just you wait until number two, I'd put money on you being struck down by the full gamut of weird and wonderful pregnancy symptoms. I have been. First time round I looked and felt like a million dollars, and believed myself invincible. This time, less so. Apparently this is because I have a toddler .

Pilchards and ice cream you say. Hmmmmm.... pilchards and cottage cheese I could go for, so perhaps ice cream isn't such a major stretch.

And, Scotland voted no. Who's pleased????

Our latest count is about 25. I think The ToddleStorm wins the prize for chattiest toddler.

Doli I can only imagine how tough pregnancy is with a toddler in tow (hence our decision to wait). I think gold stars all round in the House of Doli.

I am a bit dismayed at the no vote. I honestly thought the scots could do it, and wanted them to prove my Tory loving relatives wrong. Although my slightly funky freesat box only picks up BBC London, so it looks like London is getting a devo max package out of this! WTAF?! I am quite angry about England once more making this about them. Specifically London. Which is like another country altogether anyway.

Fucking London*. Fucking Westminster. Fucks sake.

*absolutely not bashing Londoners. I'm just an angry provincial.

Excuse me. It's not just London. The silly BBC just omitted to mention anywhere else in the country, as per usual.

I was in two minds about Scotland. If they wanted to go it alone, fair play and I don't blame them, though I have reservations about how successful it would be. On the other hand, I really didn't want them to go and leave us with those southern English wankers. Must google this devo-max thing during naptime.

And I've known chattier toddlers - eldest niece said her first word before her first birthday, and has still yet to figure out how to stop talking!

I'm quite pleased with the result. I don't think it would have been a successful move for Scotland, and also I feel that we would have lost a lot more than a country if they had decided to become independent.

trump yep. Lights off. It was pretty funny having to walk around the pitch black, windowless room trying to find the light switch. I like to believe she did it by accident, though I'm not sure.

Oh no, don't make me count the words. DS makes an awful lot of noise all the time but I never know if they're words or not because he's never quiet enough for me to pick them up. I do love hearing him say 'mumm-EE' now instead of 'mama'

zeds their behaviour is appalling! Countdown to 5pm or whatever time you finish today. Are you going to do anything to celebrate last day at hell office?

Go fartypants! It is so cute when they talk.

I am trying to encourage ds to use a word instead of grunting and moaning when he wants something. The moaning etches into my brain.

doli you are an amazzzzing woman for being pregnant with a toddler. You will have the last laugh in the end when babax and dolitoddle grow up together and you can start getting your life back together whilst we are still nappy changing and doing night feeds.

I didn't really have a view about Scotland but did wonder if the oil prices would rise if there was a yes vote.

Trumps with the greatest respect ion the world I would suggest you go and look at just how much of the gross tax yield for the entire country fucking London provides, and just how little of it is actually spent on Londoners. Salaries may be higher, but disposable income after tax, housing, and much higher cost of just basic living is pretty shit for all but the very few.

Can I change the subject with a bit of a rant? It's not about the NHS, thanks to stealth privatisation. I have an embarrassingly located skin tag, which I was referred to a private hospital for. First appointment, checking details, they had my parents' old phone number (that was cancelled a decade ago), they didn't bother telling the consultant I was there so I was twiddling my thumbs for nearly an hour in the waiting room while the consultant twiddled his in his room, and they eventually called me through by addressing me as Mrs. Pathetically bad service, considering people actually pay for it. Anyway, they've just sent me a letter, op on the 3rd, routine swabs on the 25th. I can't do the 25th, it's too far to walk and lift-giver one will be at work while lift-giver two will be in Cornwall. So I rang up and rearranged for the 26th, when lift-giver one isn't at work. They just rang back to say they don't actually do routine swabs on a Friday so could we rearrange again. I am staggered by the incompetence. I have to have a general anaesthetic and I'm starting to wonder if I'll make it through alive...

Doli you are correct, I would never deny that. My rant was based on living in a part of the country that is not London, and all we hear/see in the press is London constantly. I understand what London does for us economically, and I'm not daft enough to think we could do without it. But sometimes living apart from London is like living in another country. Not going to apologise, because I think we have crossed wires.

Stormy that sounds a bit ridiculous. I take it there's no other route open to you to get there?

There may be buses, but I'm a bit skint so I'd rather just reschedule. I was just expecting them to offer an alternative when they could, y'know, actually do the test they need to do. Surely they should check when appointments are available, rather than plucking a time and date out of thin air. And they want my credit card details, which is not happening until I've seen a comprehensive list of all the "incidental expenses" I may possibly incur. Mutter grumble bloody privatisation mutter grumble grrr.

Aghhhh! I really need eyes behind the back of my head. Ds has filled the toilet with his toys! He is just too much sometimes.

stormy do you need to pay for it even if you are on low income?

yummy strictly speaking I shouldn't pay a penny - the NHS foots the bill. But the admissions leaflet that came with the letter mentioned other costs that the NHS won't pay for (and quite right too), eg TV headphones and meals for visitors. Which is in no way an exhaustive list! Vaguely worried I'll be charged just for breathing in there...

Also, stairgate across the bathroom door. No more toys in the loo.

Well if you watch BBC London it is going to be about London.

I'm just SO angry about the constant bashing on Southerners on the internet in general. Life in the SE sucks, it's expensive, over crowded, roads are full of holes, schooling is ridiculously over subscribed, I could go on and on... but people live here because they need to work, and it's where the jobs are. We don't even resent that our taxes cross subsidise the rest of the UK. We don't complain that even when earning an above average wage affordable accommodation is of a standard that would be rejected up North as unacceptable. When I worked for an investment bank I lived in a one room studio in a shit part of South London, experienced Yardie guns fights on my doorstep, and had a burnt out car at the end of my road for months.... and you know what, I thought I was LUCKY, because I could afford to live on my own and not share with strangers.

So in response to everyone everywhere who thinks it is acceptable to bash Southerners (not you Trumps, I'm talking generally) fuck off Northerners. But it's not acceptable to say that is it??? Oh no. That's racist.

Politics is really pi55ing me off right now. Shout shout shout rant rant rant

....and that is all.

As you were

Admittedly BBC London is not a place to go for non-London bias. However.

London is all over our national press. It is the seat of government, so you can see why. But it's also a hub for economics, media, fashion, you name it. The street food craze that's 'taken off' in the uk? It's happening in London. Investment from wealthy foreign whatever-crats - london. You didn't have to take a job in London anymore than I had to. You chose to, and whatever informed that choice was up to you to determine.

At university I was the token northerner, believe it or not. All my uni friends, bar one, are from London. They routinely referred to me as the bumpkin (who had been living in a city centre) and laughed at my inability to use the tube without consulting others for help. I find there is a feeling of London vs Others without we 'Others' being particularly represented.

I actually think we are two sides of the same coin in this, Doli. You seem to resent everything you had to put up with in London - and I resent that you worked so hard and that was the best on offer, because to me that represents broken capitalism.

And if I haven't made it abundantly clear already, I am not bashing southerners. I'm bashing a divide that, on the face of it, is part of our country's "charm" but is a very real problem. You can hardly expect those who find 30k an ample salary up north to see eye to eye with those who find that a pittance down south.

Actually, I've heard quite a few southerners say fuck off northerners. And it's not racist, because we're not actually a separate race, despite repeated media attempts to paint us all as a feral scrounging underclass. We have gun fights here (though not so many), we have burnt out cars here. We have a lot of atrociously substandard accommodation, and very little opportunity to work to pay for somewhere decent. Londoners don't have a monopoly on shit situations, they just happen to live where the government does so they come in for extra ire.

I live in the middle It's the worst bits of the south and the north!

Just swung by to announce my period with a fanfare. So apologies for the drama queen antics last week. No idea what was going on but it sucked.

We did a word audit in bed last night and it was fun to actually spend some time marvelling at the progress that's being made daily by these toddles at present. Their brains are on fire! Today's new word was bubble. which is nice but it was inspired by a bad situation. I brought porridge to table at breakfast time and plonked it down. I returned to kitchen to get drinks. Meanwhile dh popped Ecotod in high chair and she shoved her finger in bowl of porridge that wasn't cooled yet and howled. Cue enormous blister that looked like a bubble. Poor mite. Bad communication parenting!

I had a friend stay over last night. Due to the gorgeous weather we ate a leisurely dinner in garden with Ecotod and when dh then put her to bed my friend and I went to the pub. How lovely and normal. It felt great to sit in pub garden with jovial folk around having a good old natter.

Stormy dh ended up being sent to private facility for two knee operations and our experience couldn't have been more different really. They tried to be very accommodating. The credit card thing was same for us but it was zero at the end. I hope you get it sorted. If I lived in Hull I'd give you a lift of course.

Yummy toys and loo sounds poo

Doli the toddle has cracked it just in time for you to get some major sleep in the bag pre babax. Good on her! Have you seen geri recently at all? Not heard from her in ages and hoping her new job is going well.

Something I can't remember your new name but I'm sorry if your last day was a bit lonely. Onwards and upwards! Your new job sounds great. Do that flaming gcse and get it out of the way! It'll open useful doors for you. If you're interested in teaching and get on well at the school they may further down the line be happy to support you through one of the on the job teaching qualifications but I think you would still need that dang gcse.

Went to our toddler group today. I learned that one of the ladies lives in a house that cost several million pounds. It made me wonder how she deals with play dates. Would she come here to my tiny two bed mid terrace and chat over coffee whilst our offspring played with our hand me down toys. Why ever not cried dh when I told him my musings. Have I got a chip on my shoulder it made me wonder. Would any of you think the same as me or am I being silly? When you think about it she must be cool with play dates of that nature because when you are in a village where there's no other houses anywhere near that type you don't have much choice and it's entirely normal. I wonder if my insecurity is around feeling embarrassed or inadequate or judged..... But here's me judging based on her house. Silly billy. One thing is for sure, our children would be bloody oblivious.

Great swearing in thread by the way Doli. You trumped my bloody!

Happy over familiar Friday you diverse bunch of lovlies.

ps. I started my Christmas shopping

eco I have started too. Well I bought one present for ds that I saw in the sale. I am quite excited. I am planning to spread the cost out by starting early. Whatever, race, religion, class we all have babies that need feeding, bathing, entertaining and disciplining so don't worry. I am sure she is grateful to know you.

I've just remembered I haven't had a period I can't remember since when though. It must be the effect of the coil.

I must be so naive I didn't realise there were tension between southerners and northerners.

Me and dh decided to stay in south to be close to our community and my extended family. Yes my salary is higher in London but it all goes on bills/tax. I love the diversity in London.

Oh, Lor', Christmas! They're not going to be big enough to really remember this one, are they? I hope not, cos I can't afford a sackful of toys. Anyone got any ideas for suitable presents?

yummy the north/south thing goes waaaaaay back. Time was, the northern border of England was further south than I am. I forget all the details (didn't do history at school), but it's all very interesting, and also explains why hating the French is a national pastime. Don't blame you for not knowing though, and if it makes you feel better, I have no idea why Cyprus is half Turkish and half Greek!