August 08 - We three kings of orient are, one in a taxi one in a car..

[steaknife]

...one on a scooter beeping his hooter, smoking a fat cigar

Apologies to the goodly and the good amongst us.

PB I don't know to be honest, sorry. I know I have to work for myself and my own conscience and find it very difficult due to our cirscumstances HOWEVER you could ask him if it is more important in his opinion for you to be off out at a Sat job earning £45pw or to be at home providing extra support for DS1 and the two wee ones

they're only this small for such a short time and while I am sure your DH is feeling the same pinch as everyone else financially its only for a short time till they're all in school - after that its too late ever to get the time back

just my opinion

Oops For CA I only have to spend 35hrs a week caring and he is at school 32.5hrs so those hours would be free technically.

What a palaver Oops.

Buckets, I bring in about the same amount of money doing my odds and sods of jobs but they all fit it around childcare.

I'd be bullish about that money being my contribution to the pot if I were you, because you have brought that money in ...

Also, it has been so important for you to be at home working intensively with Kurt to a point where you can be confident that he doesn't have autism. The work you do when you are caring for DS1 now is money well spent in terms of 'opportunity costs' because the more independent and reliable he is in 10 years time will have a massive impact on your earning potential in the long term.

In the much shorter term, it doesn't sound as if your dh is factoring in childcare costs when he is thinking about your income.

DH asks me periodically (in a no-pressure way) what I'm going to do next. The fact that he is finishing his uk job puts the squeeze on a bit. I say that my cv is ready, I have my eyes open for jobs and that I'm going to try out a few working from home options in the new year.

What would you like to do next in terms of when you go back to work, times, juggling childcare etc?

Got to run, dd1 killing someone

Buckets good suggestion - but the buggy avoiding is related to all buggies unfortunately. We think that this is partly due to him just discovering how great walking is, as well as the new baby.

Re: work. Could you do a child minding slot - maybe find one child who needs a few hours that would fit in around you and your children without disrupting the rest of life ... ?

Totally agree with Lentil, Buckets - it is absolutely fair to count that as your financial contribution (additional to your other contributions to childcare, housework etc). Lentil's point about long term investment with DS1 is very astute.

Longway congratulations, she is utterly gorgeous! Glad to hear things are going ok.

Oops what a rubbish night, wasn't that meant to be your birthday dinner? Hope you get another chance to celebrate properly.

Lentils have I said that I mostly do tutoring when I work, for distance learning MSc courses? Vaguely keeps me up with the field, working from home. I got all the work that I do have from www.jobs.ac.uk

Anyway, I ought to be doing something useful rather than making unhelpful suggestions, letting my mum sort out the washing and keep an eye on DS.

PS DD doesn't cry much. Is this normal?

PPS maybe DS is also just being a bit clingy, but I will try the catnip too to see if it helps.

Oh no MIL's flight from Newcastle to Amsterdam (for connection to Singapore) has been cancelled. Her alternative to fly on Christmas Day which is pretty pointless as she won't see either of her GSs then. So she's coming on Boxing Day and will reach us on Sunday. DS has been saying magar magar magar all afternoon as well. Very .

Ah snots, that is so upsetting.

oops what a nightmare eveing. I do hope you manage another one.

lwfh she is absolutley beautiful. I agree with dizzy re the scratch and sniff.
I tend to lean towards the bribe in pushchair. DD will do anything for a pack of rasins. Ds too,but on the odd occasion he has refused to get in pram or car seat, I have forced coaxed him in. Held his tummy down with one hand and fastened him in as quickly as possible with the other. Soon stops crying when he realizes I mean it.

pb you def should count your contributions re ds. I am aware of my dbrother and dsisters battles to get what they are entitled too and the dx have taken 8years plus so know it was no walk in the park for you.
hp good luck on the bus, I have been out and about and even when I switch to 4 wheel drive It is still very slippy on the little roads, and country lanes to the farm.
In fact I lost the back end today. Bit scary.

snot about the canx flight.
sazzles delivering the buns with dd1 sounds lovely, I tried to bake with both dcs other day, lets just say it never happened

cc I went out with dcs to make a snowman yesterday afternnon. Ds face planted in the snow and cried a bit. dd then cried beacuse of cold hands. So we came in after just making the snow mans body. I promised to do the head today, but our outdoor tap broke yesterday and water spewed everywhere and melted most of the snow and our garden looks like a pond.

Hi to lentil and Pertelote and anyone I have missed
dizzy hope you are feeling better. Hope you and hd have made up.

LWFH Reese didn't cry much. Still doesn't. Only when truly mad or in need. Enjoy it!

Oops you night sounds like the last 5 days of my life. Mind you last night was a fluke where NO ONE woke after 10:30p until 7a.

Buckets you forgot to include your project managing of the kitchen, your cooking and cleaning, and i'm sure a load of other jobs for which you do "without" pay so that your home and your family life are pure bliss. There is a website that allows you to enter your postal code and the job you "might" be doing otherwise then it calculates whether the job would offer you more money. I've always told DH that the money we get back each year from our income tax (which we wouldn't if I worked) is MY INCOME! Yes we pay it IN first but with me in the role as a SAHM we get it BACK instead of the government keeping it. Made me feel good in January to receive a raise.....for having another baby. LOL!

lots train of thought because dd1 just came and screamed something she thought was important. didn't hear a word she said and totally lost all that i wanted to say. arrrgghhhhh....

off to see if there's a problem in the girls' room.

So do you want to hear of my latest illness/adventure.

So after recovering from having tooth out, then burning lip on boiling sugar.
I woke up yesterday and had a severe Migraine. I lost all vision in one eye so knew it was coming.
Poor dh came home from nightshift and let me go to bed. Pain was too bad to sleep and sounded like he wasn't coping with dcs downstairs but at least got to close my eyes for an hour.

Not had one since pregnant with Marcus so I suppose I have done well this time, still shite though and leaves you utterly drained.

So I also have an incident today too.
I fell down the stairs with ds in my arms. From top to bottom. It all happened so fast, I managed to hold on to ds until near the bottom and he just sort of toppled over and landed in a heap. Me screaming, DH ran downstairs screaming and shouting at me.
DD top of stairs screaming, frightened her to death. bless her.
I was shouting at dh to grab DS and check him as I couldn't move.

Thankfully ds was fine, but kept cuddling me as I layed there.

I am ok but obviously in pain. Hopefully just bruised, and no long term back pain,as it was lower down than previous injury.Still can't lay or sit properly, or put shoes on...
Good job I got a fat arse or could have been worse.lol

Have I killed a bloody Robin or something?

Could be 12 days of illness and injury instead of 12 days of christmas

Ooo, no1 that sounds nasty. Hope you are ok. Very frightening when something like that happens as well as painful of course - hope you are sitting down with something hot/sweet/strong. I am such a coward about falls, as you can guess I am hating the weather and constantly creeping along clutching at every fence/lamp-post. DD is asking for a 'no-man' - no chance until DH finishes work but actually the snow's nearly all melted now. Lots of sympathy for those who've had more of it and especially for Hots and anyone else who very sensibly is reluctant to drive in it!

Oh No1 what a bummer week.

Longway DD doesn't cry much because you are already second guessing her needs and meeting them as soon as they arise (or even before sometimes.) Good job! Nobody was more apalled than I with Kurt to find that babywearing, BFing and co-sleeping really did work magic on him for the first few months.

Snot you were asking about
Steiner schools. The thread I've linked starts oddly but the posts by Justaboutisfatandtired are useful and she is a very thoughtful character generally.

The only Steiner person I know is a teacher who trained with them and then went back into mainstream education. I can mail him and ask him more about it if that would be helpful?

Ouch No1 - I hope you are feeling a bit better now.

good grief No1 - I hope your secret Santa brought you arnica!!

ladies, has anyone heard of a weirdy ear thing that constantly feels like they need to pop? I thought it was sinuses but I haven't had any other sinus symptoms but me ears are terrible - constant echoing, can't hear, I'm speaking too loudly (more so than usual before Sazz chips in) and nothing I do helps - does it merit a phone call to the Dr?!? I feel like a right pillock

have made white choc & cranberry cookies, some of which were sent away with the Sainsbury's delivery driver lovely chap that he was, some red velvet cup cakes and still got to make hummingbird cupcakes and tiffin to send into work with DH - the party food for 18th has turned up though so thats one less thing - am determined to get into the fecking Christmas spirit soon

No1 dh never fell out with me bless him and apologies profusely for shouting back at me I really don't know how lucky I am sometimes

we're off out to deliver the local Christmas cards as the girls have cabin fever AND (main reason) I've just seen the boy gritting the local pavements!!!

love to all - I'm going to try to post a bit more as maybe my abstaining contributed to my misery [fgin]

ah feck. GP just phoned back to say it sounds like I've fluid stuck behind my ear drums and he'll prescribe me some spray however it may take a month to work not good, not good at all, I can't monitor 10 channels and the phones etc with this nonsense going on - arse

DIZZ oops sorry about caps! i had similar with my ears a few year ago, pretty sure it didn't take a month to go though...

Dizzy I get that in one ear. Feels like I'm underwater. I use a heat sock to help. Sometimes that's enough to break it loose other times it just has to run it's course. I've had it go on for a month or more (without meds).

(((hugs)))

dizzy that does sound horrible, I hope it goes quickly. ts that sounds like a good idea re heat sock.

I can't decide what to do tonight ladies.

I am supposed to be meeting bil &sil and dcs and dh cousin,wife and dcs at a pub for tea. (dh at work)
I feel like I should really go as the last few times we have had to canel due to one of us being ill.Half of me thinks just go as I will have enough help with the dcs,and will be lovely to see them all, but other half thinks.
Back still hurts
Windy country lanes to get to the pub
Ice/snow etc...
Not meeting till 6pm. dcs prob knackered by then (although don't all kids get a second wind when you go out somewhere)
Will need to call and get more de-icer from somewhere as I have just run out.(is it worth getting kids out of car to go and buy just that)

Or am I just being a grumpy spoil sport.?

DH got a burst eardrum once from a cold, was incredibly painful and he was signed off work at least another week with it. Might happen to you if not already Dizz, careful blowing your nose!

Off out for drinks at 6pm chez family opposite who we really hardly know. Got to psych myself up, meep. And DD and DS1 have been at each other's throats all day. K has a fat lip after being pushed over by an autistic kid at the library. DH probably won't even be home in time although he has been reminded. Oh FFS I need to chill out. Will be fine. I'll just get pissed and unleash the spirit of Margot or Julia.

LOL No1 did you go in the end?

Do be careful No1. I probably would have just stayed home. I tend to avoid after 5p anything during winter time. It's just too dark for fun.

Dizzy you will probably be offered a decongestant by the doctor. If you have an over the counter type at home you could try a little and see if that helps relieve the pressure. Sinus pressure can come in all shapes and forms. I find expectorants do a world of good for me too.

Forgive all the spelling errors. I'm using Explorer again and it's not nice like Safari with it's built in spell checker.

DH has just completed a toy store run during his lunch hour. He purchased more kitchen items for Santa's big gift and bumped into a friend of ours with her new beau. She was once married to a good friend of DH and now she's dating an old classmate of mine. This town is SO SMALL.

Still all weepy. I've tried my normal destress/control issue tactics but cleaning out kitchen drawers. I even hoovered the crumbs out of each of them. Still weepy. I'm hoping a trip out tonight to Santa stocking item shop will perk me up.

Sun's out. That's a positive.