Nic: Looove Nixon's new ticker piccy! Does that say "security" on his t-shirt? LOL Oh and I think I've seen Back To The Future but it was at a friend's party on video when it first came out and I didn't really concentrate. How are you coping with the heat? did you buy an a/c? I've just closed up the house to keep it out... it stays relatively cool that way...at least in the front part, being an older style house with high ceilings... plus thick curtains help.

Rory: very interesting musings... I recall the gradual transformation with my own realisation that I was going to put the needs of my family first too. It happened soon after having Verity. It also came as a shock... I had all these things planned to do in my life that I just assumed Verity would fit in with somehow. Then I realised that it wouldn't really be fair and that maybe it didn't matter if I waited until my children were older. I'm also fortunate that my DH has supported me with a few aspects of my career such as returning to uni and travelling o/s when Verity was 7 during which he didn't hesitate to assume total care for her for a month. I've found that I'm now very settled and comfortable with my new "old fashioned" beliefs in putting my family first for a while.... but that some other women in my life seem to imply I am letting the "team" down. They are slogging it out with full-time jobs whilst raising their children and I get the feeling from them that I should want more from life. Sure when Verity was 5,6,7 years old i juggled uni/part time work and domestic duties but it certainly wasn't sustainable. Anyhow, I believe that balance is the key: being a SAHM isn't sustainable forever either... it would drive me insane. However I am going to try to enjoy it more and ignore the pressure from other women. I suspect that at the end of the day when I do return to the workforce i'll be less likely to "burn out" and have children that are also not dizzy from all the shuttling around. As IK says, "i'm thinking aloud now"... But I also need to add that I do not lump all working mums into the 'slogging it out' catagory. Many love their work, and their children love the time with other carers... and these are usually families where the father is very hands on... so i agree... it CAN work... but it does depend heavily on the man... ironically as you said.