August 2007- Happy Birthday babies!

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

New thread. Happy birthday to all our gorgeous girls and beautiful boys!!

thanks - will need it!

fridays are better for me (always looking for something to keep the 2 mischief makers amused!) - helibee, can you make a friday?

great - if helibee can do a friday that would be a nice thing to look forward to - feeling a bit down in the dumps just now - probably hormones i suppose.

the big r word is being bandied about more and more at work - i reckon i would be first for the chop as there are three partners, me and a trainee. none of the partners would go before me, and the trainee has a contract for two years of training which i know they've already said they'd honour.

there are maybe some extra secretarial staff/paralegals that might go too, but since i get paid a bit more than they do, they might look to chop me out first. have seen a couple of other jobs that look interesting so i might just have a frank chat with my boss and see if i should be looking elsewhere.

not a great time to get a new job being pg, and my plan was to stop work after this one, but in this climate, it might be better to keep the security of a salary just now although we could just about live on dh's salary if we had too.

sorry total ramble - just the reality of my job not being as secure as i previously thought has just hit home today.

oh dear - how long have you been there, would it be a good package if it did happen?

if you've got that type of relationship with you boss then it might be worthwhile - though if they hadn't been thinking about redundancies, it might put the idea into their heads.....

is there a real lack of sales now (i know how the media can panic people with nhs stuff so presume they can do the same with other areas).

have been there four years so probably just 4 weeks pay - whatever the minimum is.

they are reviewing the financial position of the firm month to month, and i have very few conveyancing cases going through this month. in my favour is that i also deal with matrimonial matters and wills/powers of attorney whereas some of the paralegals only do conveyancing, but i just dont know. i know i am a good fee earner normally, so they would know its not that i'm slacking off, its just there are very few things going through - the media reports are fairly accurate in this case i think. would normally have maybe 6 or 7 transactions a week sometimes more, and this whole month i think i've had 2!

i think if something interesting comes up, i will apply, and if not, will wait and see what happens.

Hello. I'm not feeling too well today. My head is really bad and I feel sick. I think it's because it's sooooo hot in here.

Glad Caitlin is better now Hersetta. I am v of the roast lamb with all the trimmings. I might have to get dh to buy a joint tonight!

While we're on the subject of medicine - does anyone know the secret to opening child-proof lids? I normally end up trying to open them about 20 times before giving up and opening a sachet I'm a bit hit and miss. Sometimes I can open them first time. I wanted to give ds Medised last night but I made my hand sore trying to open it so I had to give up and give him Calprofen (which still took me several attempts to open). I once asked in Boots if they did Calpol without child-proof lids. When I explained why I needed it the woman looked at me like I was a complete imbecile.

Good luck with the presentations My2. I've only had to do a presentation at work once at an assessment day for a promotion. I was really nervous so I don't envy you. I'm sure you'll be fine!

Conker - sorry to hear about your work situation. I guess the good thing if you are looking for a job in the next few months is that they won't be able to tell that you're pg. Sounds like you have things in your favour to stay at your company though. Has the boss said anything officially or is it just rumour at the moment?

poor you Gill - only a couple of hours till 5 though.

they sent a memo round last week cause there have been loads of redundancies in similar sized firms recently, so they were saying that although they have no specific plans just now, they will review it month to month, and then today i was asked how many settlements i have this month etc - so its all just building quietly.

looks like the mortgage market wont improve for a bit so dont see much improvement over the next few months for us, and its usually quieter anyway over winter.

i too often have trouble with those caps - its seems you either get them first time or not at all. typically wont get it while lo is crying their head off too.

Hi All

not been round much, had bad news today-the gorgeous dream house we were going to buy has fallen though speaking of convencying i will now have to pay solicitor, and have no house...moan almost over... it wouldn't be so bad if we wern't 2k down the drain as welland we'd bought furniture, oh well.

Gill and Conker- Sounds like I could of got you to do conveyencing? if I didn't live in another country.
Sorry to hear about your companies not great news, we have a bit of it here too, my friends dh just lost his job. Seems to me a lot of companies have not saved for a rainy day, just keep expecting to always do well, and forgeting about cycles of economy.
my mum has been predicting a ressesion for the last decade and half, not sure whats worse having one or having to listen to her go on about it till one happens she is a glass half empty friend

meandmyjoe- I hear you, we have major clingyness here and crying which is unusual, he does exacty what you say puts his head on me and crys, climbs on me and tries to pull at pictures, hangs on to my trousers, etc. I think it must be one year old molors coming though. i gave panadol but it didn't do much and pain.

hope everyone else has some good news to share, i'm off for milo and bed

PS isn't the walking cute?
LL is a little grinning walking monster ATM

Hi Uki - sorry to hear about the house falling through. You must be gutted. Ds isn't walking yet but he does impress himself when he stands up without holding on.

Ds managed to open a banana by himself yesterday, not the conventional way I might add. Without me realising he split the skin and scooped the banana out with his hands. He ended up a big gooey mess and I had to change him.

James - Hope you're well. If you're lurking, don't worry about catching up just let us know how you are.

Tasha - Hope Bradley is recovering well.

thats a shame uki - seems to be happening a lot just now - ours is back on the market too - just lost the survey fee of 450 so not as bad as yours but still annoying.

lol about your mother - mine is a bit like that with environmental things - predicting the demise of everything - but she's probably right.

dh was at home with struan yesterday and was hanging washing to dry in the bedroom - he thought it was suspiciously quiet so went to find him. he was sitting with my box of thorntons chocolates that i got from a colleague, munching the lemon parfait (which happens to be my favourite), and looking like he'd be quite happy to munch his way through the whole box. not walking yet but still cant take your eyes off him for long

ever found a way of getting banana out of things gill or is it really the hardest thing to wash out?

Hello all !! So sorry to hear about the two houses being missed out on. Not what anyone wants to go through for sure. Still, let's try some positive thinking - these things are a)sent to try us and b)weren't meant to be. When this has happened to me in the past I've definitely ended up finding something infinitely better which is what I think will happen for both of you

Hersetta - can't believe you're off to Spain next week, we're bloomin' just back ! How typical is that, always missing each other. Bit sad really as it was our last trip for some time due to being about 6 months pregnant now. Hey, had my 20 week scan some time ago and guess what.....IT'S A PINK ONE!!! It'll have a bit missing . Won't know how to cope. We were absolutely gobsmacked as there just aren't any girls born in DH's family so it's going to be a big old shock for everyone. We've been naughty and told everyone that we didn't find out as I got so fed up with everyone having something to say last time. Must admit though, this pg is so similar to Paddy. Little wotsit does NOT keep still and is obviously destined for a life with the Cirque du Soleil the way she's going....

Not read the whole thread tbh so really hope all are well and the small people are happy and healthy. Paddy's been walking for almost a couple of months now and is just getting faster and faster. He does look so sweet as he gambols along, arms wide open and little hands flexing with excitement!

Hey TT - Big huge congrats on your pink bean - how cute. Girls are so much fun to buy for - all my NCT friends are so jealous as they ALL had boys and now look enviously as Cait's pretty clothes whilst they are covered in dinosaurs and Thomas the Tank Engine Etc.

I did think of you on monday when lehmans went down as i know you work for an Investment bank in Canrary wharf - hope you are OK though and not affected.

Sorry about your house Uki.

Conker - I think it must depend on the fabric. I had to throw my top out but ds' trousers were fine.

Hi TT. Good to hear from you. I don't blame you for not telling people that you know. When I told everyone I was having a boy most of them said it was great news because I'll have one of each and I won't have to have any more children

hi tt - nice to see you. exciting about the pink bean. although i dont mind either way, a little teensy bit of me would like that too - but a blue one is just great too.

hi hersetta and gill. I see the lovely people on mn were being as non-judgemental as usual on your post Gill. Always useful to have a bunch of people just shout you down isnt it?

Morning all. We were really proud of Alex last night. He let go of the sofa and took 5 steps towards dh Unfortunately, I didn't see it because I was getting the bags in from the car but he did it again shortly after. He was so pleased with himself!

Thanks for your support conker. I'm still really upset about it. I really wish I hadn't bothered posting tbh. It made me really angry and I said things in the heat of the moment that I regretted afterwards. None of them know the situation and made us out to be completely heartless and neglectful. They don't know how awful sil's children are. Whenever we visit we feel like leaving within 10 minutes. It's not their fault but they are all very naughty, disobediant and destructive. Fil was almost in tears on the phone to dh the other night saying that having the kids there is tearing his relationship apart with his partner. He said they've hardly slept or eaten since they've had them (the youngest still wakes several times in the night) and the eldest has already destroyed the bedroom they are sleeping in. They are both really struggling to cope with them. I don't know why it was so difficult for some of the posters to understand that I can't cope with 5 children under the age of 4. We have literally no money at the end of every month and can't afford to feed another 3 mouths even for a week. Dh and I both work for the same company and they're not going to let us take 2 weeks off to deal with the same situation. In our company compassionate leave is for a maximum of 2 days to give you enough time to make alternative arrangements, even if it's for your own children. I was going to say something on this thread anyway, just in case anyone from August 2007 read it and thought we were horrible people. I think I'm going to have stay confined in the safety of the post natal section.

Just read your other thread gill, I see the mumsnetters are oh so understanding . For what it's worth, I could no way afford to feed 3 other kids and couldn't possible manage 5 under 4's. Ignore the mnetters and don't feel bad. You are not a horrible person!

Well since I last posted, Joe has got worse. He whinges to be picked up which would be fine but then he cries to go down again. i put him down and he sobs. He is so unhappy and I can't do anything right. I tickled him earlier and he cried .

I feel so sorry for him. I've given calpol and teething powders but not sure if it's the MMR or teeth. It's 9 days since he had it so if it is I'm hoping he'll be better soon. He is so grumpy all the time and has a snotty nose but other than that he doesn't have a temperature or rash. I've heard the MMR can cause runny nose but so can teething so I'm clueless and so worried it feels like we've take a massive step backwards again. He is just as grumpy as he ever was and I don't know what to do.

Sorry to moan, just feeling a bit demotivated and down .

Thanks meanmyjoe.

Sorry to hear Joe is feeling bad. I never know what causes these things but they all seem to come along at once. Also, IME kids go through so many phases that, once you think you've turned a corner, everything changes again (sleep, eating, temperament). Dd spent 2 weeks around xmas last year being a complete horror and then just snapped out of it all of a sudden. It can really wear you down when they're constantly upset. Hope things improve soon. You're doing a great job

Hi Again

meandmyjoe- sounds like joe might be comming down with something LL is always more miserable the 2 days before he gets something, than when he has it. Or he may even be bored, try sitting in the garden with him or going out to a park or something, they all seem to need more stimulation now, LL was a complete joy shopping today looking and talking at people pointing at everything and telling me things (well trying to)

He also looked very cute in his plaid shorts, and little cookie monster shirt (not all thomas here), the first day of spring sprung here, and it was nice to see his slighty cubby little knees (wink)

TT -congrat's on the healthy girl

James - how r u you going?

Meandjoe,

Sorry Joe not feeling well it is so hard to know what is wrong when they can not tell you. As gill said as soon as you think it getting better something else will happen.

Gill i was going to post on your other thread and tell everyone to shut up if they had nothing helpful to say . Don't feel bad that you can not help there is only so much you can do when you work fulltime and have children.

LL sounds cute in his little summer outfit uki. It's lovely when you can get out an enjoy a nice spring day. We've finally started to see some sun here but the nights are getting rather cold. I'm hoping it will stay warm enough for dd's sunflower to flower properly.

Thanks Lizzie I felt like saying that myself but then they start going on about it being a free discussion board. I've seen other posts before telling people to go to Netmums if they can't take criticism. I think some of them have far too much time on their hands and have nothing better to do than have a go at people. I wouldn't dream of being that nasty to anyone.

Thanks everyone, hopefully it's just a phase. He really does seem very unhappy a lot of the time this last week. Thankfully I went out to my friend's house for dinner and had a girly day with her and 2 other friends of ours while dh looked after Joseph for the afternoon. just got back now. It didn't help that 2 of our friends took their babies who were both born the same month as Joe and the difference in them is enormous. Not one grizzle or tantrum so I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself! Even on a good day Joe is prone to the odd whinge and tantrum when I say 'no' to him. These babies were being dragged away from things and having things taken off them and not a single tear! Granted they didn't listen and when straight back to what they were doing but the difference in temprements between these 2 and Joseph is just immeasurable . I'm starting to doubt myself more and more. What the hell have we done wrong?

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Hi knickers, thanks for the reassurance. I know in reality that ds has always been harder work than most and is most likely always going to be firey and fussy but when he's teething/ ill he is just about unbearable. I do feel awful as he must be feeling pretty crap but everything has been a huge struggle since last saturday. Anyway, enough moaning!

Hope everythings OK knickers and everyone else!

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