August 2008 - I wish it could be Christmas every day, with the TV rows and the ILs you'd like to slay-ay-ay.

[steaknife]

Hmm might be a bit early for a festive thread title but thought we could get in the mood.

None of that tasteful two colour decoration scheme in my tent - oh no. The gawdier the better.

s'alright Dizzy It seems very harsh to me too, especially as we are together all day everyday, give or take a few hours with grannysteak, at the moment.

I was just saying to my mum that I realised how lucky she was, and we were, to have been able to take effectively 7 years out of work to look after us and walk back into, and continue to carve, a very successful career. But that was the 70s.

Life is so very different now.

There is going to be no easy answer on this.

oh and if it helps, for those 2 days a week I'm approx £500 [meep]

So that is around £85 per child per day. eek.

Steaky - what a hard thing to have to thing about, I don't envy you at all.

Well done to all the Dizzys

Hotter - how does it feel to be mother of the bride?

I went to the midwife today and all was okay until she wanted to listen to LOs heartbeat, I queried it as they don't normally listen in until 16 weeks she said it should be fine then couldn't find it and blamed me saying 'well you are on the chunky side, we don't often try on chunky women until 16weeks. It would have been easy if you weren't so chunky' Could she have mentioned I was 'chunky' anhymore often in one sentance. I came away feeling she made me feel the size of a small house! FFS I am only a size14/16 on the bottom, I know I carry all my 'chunk' around my middle but she almost made me cry!

Sazzles - hope today went off smoothly and they happy girl is in bed sleeping soundly after her bowling fun.

Queenie - you have achieved such alot with Seb in the last week WRT sleeping I think it has most likely eased things with DP and makes conversations about things like money so much easier when neither are exhausted.

ooh what a mean lady oops I hope you are having a restful evening with some nicenesses from DH to cheer you up.

Well I've done some sums and we would be better off - depending on childcare and rent natch.
But the thought of doing a days work, commute, looking after DD etc etc etc all by myself makes me feel bone tired.

Right better tidy up and make supper and come back to this later.

oops Honestly! that's outrageous. How nasty. If it had been me I would have cried I think. Mind you I have a vague memory of a mw in London telling me I was large
steaky No decent advice here either, sorry If it's any help, I'm having to consider full time work as well - there's just not enough part time stuff around here. But we have MIL round the corner, and she's going to childmind for us. She's re-registering as a childminder in January, so likely to be taking on some other children as well.

Oops we will send our Hotmama coordinator (aka Sazz) to go round and duff that midwife up if you want I am only a recent arrival in size 14 after years as 18-20 and if anyone called me chunky I would twat them be a bit miffed.

Steaky oh what a hard choice I honestly don't think I could do it if it was me. Also don't underestimate the value of your mum being nearby - I know people do it if they have to but it is so much easier/nicer to have someone close who loves your DC as much as you do, whether that is a partner or family. But you would be a lot closer to some of this lot in London, and with pennies enough to buy red cashmere but not necessarily enough time to sew...

FWIW DH and I are pretty poor by most standards - he doesn't work and I do 24 hours at junior manager level so we don't have any much cash lying around, but we feel like they are only little for such a short time that it's a fair sacrifice.

oops am enroute (collecting Cyteen on my way) tooled up and about to smack her in the face cheeky cheeky mare - please please make a complaint

Steaky remember thats for 2 of them - you would only have Izzy to pay for

humph.
DP just called. Apparently his boss decided to drag them all out for a staff meeting at 5pm. he then had to finish the important stuff he was working on after the meeting. So at 8.45 he calls to say he's just about to leave. THis is bloody ridiculous. If I were him I'd be leaving on time and saying to the boss 'well you wanted to take my time up with a meeting, I'm off on time for a change'
he'll be home at 11.

still catching up but just need a little rant....

good news is that i sold a carrier today to a lady i met in mothercare

the bad news is that the 20min journey i should have had was 4.5 hours!! I've only just got home! there was an accident on the main A road and traffic around it was horrendous. So i told DP not to panic if he was back before me etc. I had to stop at one point because i was starting to hallucinate so DS and i had a picnic in the back of the car. He'd slept until then but woke up hungry and fed up. so a couple of sandwiches later and we got back on the road. I got home to a completely dark house and no sign of DP. He didn't answer his mobile so guessed he must have popped out for some dinner. I went upstairs, turned our bedroom light on and he's fast asleep in bed... at 8.30!! I asked if he was ill, no, apparently he's tired! We were out last night for his work's do. I was on DS duty last night. Have had a nightmare journey home but he's tired!!!! I told him i needed his help downstairs. Due to DS's late nap in the car (trust me, far better than listening to him screaming for 4.5hours!), he's running round like a fully refreshed toddler! I, on the other hand, are absolutely shattered. DP is still in bed half an hour later

FFS i'm really cross with him. if i go up again, i'm not going to be able to talk to him calmly and if that happens we'll have a shit weekend (because he'll suck about me being nasty to him) So, i'm biting my tongue, putting a DVD on for DS and having a cup of tea

ok, rant over. its safe to come out from behind your cushions now!

oh dear Mr Miamle and Mr QofD - not doing too well either of them

DH and I are sitting the living room on oppostite corners on the laptops sniping at each other because we're both tired and miserable from being poorly - this has to end soon

i suspect he's sulking because ds's toys are all over floor in living room and i haven't cleaned the kitchen yet today. was planning on doing it all when i got back this afternoon. it would have been so lovely if he'd done it when he got home but no, its a pink job ARGGH i'm getting really angry now. i came on here to calm down!

oops what others said.... mw sounds horrible. i hope you're switching to a different one

steaky woah...what a decision to make. my 2p worth... i find it tiring working in town and i only do two days. afraid i can't help re childcare costs because i'm really lucky that my mum looks after DS

dizz go on... go and give him a hug.....

Ouch miamla!! that's a journey and a half.
It's funny how if a man is tired, the world has to stop for him, and he doesn't have to do anything. Plus he's allowed to be grumpy. When MUM is tired she has to carry on doing everything as normal, and if she has a bit of a grump she's 'sulking' or 'in a mood' or 'hormonal'

DS and I are both a bit calmer now. DP still asleep.

actually queenie, a herbal tea's a great idea....

Oh my god - I'm hearing what sounds like real sobbing from next door.
I think it is.
Yep definitely. Next door neighbour is sobbing.
Am almost tempted to go check if everything is ok except

1. I really don't know her
2. S is asleep, so I can't leave the house.

Yawn, time for be here. But got to do the washing up first.

Hope all your grumpy DPs remember how wonderful you are and you all get some lovely hugs and sleeping babies.

Night night.

BTW - bargainous baby shoe ebay shop

DS is out of sorts becuase of late nap so was hard getting his routine rolling tonight. He screamed all through teeth cleaning, nappy change etc. DP got up out of bed, started ranting and swearing at me for not shutting any doors. Stomped downstairs, banged a couple of doors and now he's back in bed. Meanwhile, i've still got the kitchen to finish off cleaning. Oh my, i'm soooo not looking forward to tomorrow. I asked him (calmly) why he was so angry at me. he didn't reply

steaknife - oh what a dilemma. You could see if ataraxis, poppy or captaincaveman show up in a bit with some advice as I think that they all have pretty much full time jobs with their babies in childcare.

To tell you the truth, although I love being with DS, and I don't think that I would choose things any other way at the moment, if I weren't 36 weeks pregnant(!) and someone offered me a good job then I would probably take it as not having a job or career is something that I find pretty hard (not just the income thing).

But the house move and upheaval is certainly a big step and that alone might put me off.

miamla - oh lots of sympathy. I hope that things calm down for the morning.

oops - how horrid. Lots of thoughts.

Must tidy before DH gets home ...

Steaky I believe some pretty amazing women have made it work. Go find out what the job is truly all about and make your decision then. Consider all your pros and cons. This is a new life for you. Independence is incredible and a pain in the ass at the same time. Izzy will manage with whatever choice you feel is best for the both of you. The only thing I would do is try and take the "fear" out of the equation. If you didn't fear the change, or fear the hours, or fear the time away from Izzy, or fear the stress, or fear....see what I mean. Take the fear out and see what's feelings you have left. You're a pretty bold chica. Remember that!

Oops I in a mood and willing to kick some MW ass if necessary. Even with my injured hand, she wouldn't have a chance. What an ASS! She needs an enema!!

I'm utterly exhausted otherwise I would spend the next 30 minutes responding to everyone tonight. Hopefully pilates in the morning will pick me up because I'm slipping into a funk again. The holidays sometimes wear me thin. DH reminds me it's self-induced. He's so on target but still. Off now to find my inner snore.