June 07- Some fat babies, some thin ones...but all equally gorgeous!

[deckthehallswithboughsofholly]

I'm here!

"playroom" doesn't make you sound posh andie, "DH has gone out to fly his helicopter" does

bumper the one thing I have worried about most about resigning my job is the idea of not having that work identitiy but at the mo I am quite happy to kiss it goodbye

bumper they are model ones he builds from scratch tis his nerdy hobby so not a real helicopter

i guess it depends how much you feel your job defines you. i have always been academic. don't have many hobbies/talents, my job was my 'thing'. now the baby is my 'thing'! part of me is looking forward to returning to work. part of me dreading it. but fortunately i can go back part-time. can't afford not to work as i earn more than DH.

You are right Bumper, thing is I was never truely fulfilled or ambitious in my career. This life does it. Its a personal thing I guess. I am defined by my children. They are my life's work. To some people that makes me a bit of a saddo!

I think I fear it more than i think it is is sad foxy. with a dysfunctional background such as mine i try hard no to become reliant on anyone, including DH. i feel myself becoming more and more dependent on DD IYKWIM? like my happiness depends on her, that scares me.

bumper that is normal methinks we feel that we can do everything for them and want everything for them the hardest part of being a parent I always think is just to let them 'be' iyswim

foxy I am exactly at the place you are now I wasn't when I had ds1 but now I have no 2 I feel they are my job and I am happy to look after them and dh and I don't care if that makes me sad
also my dh is away a lot and I also feel like you that one of us needs to be around for consistency

Hello all,

Foxy and Andiem - I don't think that makes you sad at all. It does make you kind and unselfish people...I feel like I'm too selfish to stay at home with the kids...that and the fact that like bumper I earn more than DH so I can't really get away with not working. Of course when my novel's a bestseller we'll all be able to live off the proceeds and I'll get paid to write full-time...ah aren't dreams wonderful?

Andiem - I don't think you should feel guilty about giving your boy some food so long as you avoid suspect foods like high gluten stuff, meat and shellfish etc for the moment? I've been giving DD2 all kinds of tastes of things for the last several weeks now - including porridge at breakfast, and the only thing that seems to have given her a bad reaction is banana. (pretty sure it was that as I've been doing one new thing every few days) Any veg, fruit, ricecakes, etc etc are fine. Having said that apparently ALL weaning foods are lower in calories than breastmilk, so I'm not sure if it will make a big difference. Must be really exhausting feeding every 3 hours though!

I don't think it's at all sad to want to be home for your childen. I didn't go back to work after having dd and don't regret it (most days..). My view is that there are plenty of years left to go back to work later if i want/need to.

Andiem - although weaning food might not be as high in calories as bm, I find that it makes DS sleep longer, maybe because it's more complex to digest. You could try giving him some ebm with some baby rice or fruit puree mixed in, for one 'meal' a day, maybe at DS' tea time or a bit later? I personally don't see why that should stop you doing a form of BLW later on but it is all a very personal thing so go with whatever you feel is best. Are we still on for trying to meet up this week? I could do Tuesday or Thursday (although thursday not so great as DD is at nursery so I'd have to be home by 12 to collect her)

Evening ladies...

I'm with foxy and andiem on the consistency and DH being away all the time thing. Which is why I'm happy to put my career on the back burner for a bit. Parlty because I've not been happy at work since going back when DS was two, and partly because with DH away, I kinfd of feel they need me to be around.

I do want to do something part time though, and am looking at various career options. The most likely one is teaching, as they are crying out for maths and science teachers, and those are kind of my thing . I would get a £9K bursary for training for a year, so it seems worth it, and then there is the holidays and hours to consider. However, I'm not sure about being faced by 30 new little shites every hour for 6 hours three or four days per week.

I'm still thinking about it and want to do some open days. It would be a shame to let my maths and physics knowledge go to waste though.

Good news is the sale of DHs old house can now go ahead, so things aren't as bleak financially. The valuation is being done next week, so fingers crossed it's woirth lots!

And I've shown DH the diamond trilogy ring I've got my eye on....the rest is up to him

Hi Daisy. Teaching is something I've considered as well, but will probably not do it for a couple more years.

that the finances are looking up. i think a trilogy ring is the least that we all deserve for going throuygh childbirth, now if i could just persuade DH.....

evening all, back from weekend away, trying to catch up. Sorry I missed your birthday Andiem, hope it was a good one. Also, sorry to hear about Chloe, Trace. I used to volunteer on the hospital radio at the children?s hospital in Sheffield ? useless piece of info there. Chocolate with chilli is yum! Conversely I often put a teaspoon of cocoa powder in my chillis. I understand what you mean Bumper, about wanting to be recognised for more than being able to clean up dribble with one hand and wee with the other, all the while singing about green and speckled frogs. However, I also love time with DD, and don?t want to give it up. So I think I?m doing exactly the right thing for me by returning to part time work. Whether I?m right will I guess be proven in time.

hi fairy I could do tues if you are around
hi daisy go girl about the ring he he

I thought a trilogy was appropriate...one diamond for me, and one for each of the DCs

foxy will obviously need a cluster

DD was a real cutie most of the weekend, and won her Grandad's heart over completely (if she hadn't already). Just as well really, because the bit when she wasn't a real cutie was when we were out and my parents were babysitting, and she woke screaming about an hour after going to bed (which I don't think she has EVER done) and wouldn't be calmed by either a clean nappy, a bottle of milk, or any amount of cuddles. Bizarely, my Dad putting the TV on and watching a bit of "Coast" stopped her howls instantly though. I think it was all down to teething pains, as the tooth that's coming through seems to have moved a bit. We got back from our curry just in time to rush up to Tesco and get some Calpol (Bad Mummy had left it back home ) before they closed for the night. They were officially closing but the guard on the door was very nice and let us in for Calpol, as he remembers how valuable it is with small children

The trilogy sounds lovely. I personally think you (one) should get a carat per child (that includes DH) . Chance would be a fine thing...

DH and I made the conscious decision for me to stay at home once DS1 was born. It was made easier by the fact that my boss was an alcoholic bully who made some wholly inappropriate remarks about me whilst pg. That said, I loved my job but not nearly as much as I love this one (most of the time).

I am going back to study when I go to oz though - I do have the possibility to start in January so will have to give it some thought.

The separate identity thing does drive me mad some days though. I hate being referred to as 'Mum' by nursery/music etc teachers who don't know your name.

Sounds like a great weekend Jammy. Poor DD, hope her teeth aren't too sore.

Thanks Andiem. She seems a bit better today, though we had to use some Calpol this morning. I felt awful last night though when we got back from our meal. The one time my DD had really been upset and in pain and needed me, I wasn't there I know she was in safe hands and my parents love her to bits and did everything they could to make her feel better, but I did feel bad. However, I've promised DH that I won't let it stop me going out again.

sorry aboout all the poorly LOs.

DD has been very dribbly, but not in too much pain thankfully. I've been giving her chamomilia powders and she now gets all giddy when she sees them coming!

andiem, I am starting to give DD more solid food already after a couple of weeks of purees. she loves her food an gets very cross indeed if it doesn't come quick enough.

BLW doesn't seem to get much into them though, so I give her some bits to hold and spoon feed her some too. It seems to be working quite well, and her sleeping patterns have settled down again. She still BFs the same amount, if not more though.

she had her first fairground ride today , on the carousel at the Christmas Market. Bloody operator charged for her as well as me though, even though we shared the same horse

about the fairground ride Daisy, about the fare!

she looked very bemused by it I must say.

Off to watch Charlie and Ewan.

Oh, I took a fluconazole tablet last night and again today and things are much better on the boob front, so thrush it is

I can't believe I've been putting up with the pain for nearly two weeks, thinking it was blocked ducts again (never thought it might be thrush again)

Gotta get to the docs tomorrow for 10 days supply, as it'll cost £50 if I get that much over the counter

Andie, I'm definitely on for tuesday. WOuld you mind if we went to cafe Au Play? I know the coffee isn't great but I'll have both DCs and DD won't sit still for long.

Jammy, sorry lo is suffering. I think we have a similar problem here as DS has been really miserable for the last couple of days, but cheers up markedly when he gets bojela! I've also been giving him Nurofen

Thanks Fairy. Lets hope these teeth come through soon, eh?

unfortunately the teething just seems to go on and on and on. DD is also suffering at the moment as her back molars are coming in.