Bath yeah just have to wait till the bills are payed then I will be joining, can't wait to have my av up I just love it so much. Thnaks for understanding my crappy mood it helps a bit when you know that someone understands.
hugs xoxo
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Bath yeah just have to wait till the bills are payed then I will be joining, can't wait to have my av up I just love it so much. Thnaks for understanding my crappy mood it helps a bit when you know that someone understands.
hugs xoxo
Hi all,
Amanda - take it easy on yourself :)
Bath - lol at the 'floor polisher'! Oscar was one of those, but now that he's crab crawling he just makes mess again ;) I hope Verity had a great day of proper classes!
Mel - I was worried about the borrowed clothes to begin with, but they all came up well in the wash, initially, and didn't worry about it. Now that he's crawling around, the borrowed clothes look like they've been tried and tested, and I've been assured that if they come a cropper, not to worry cos there are only so many cycles of crawlers that those clothes can withstand! So, being that the survivors tend to look like work clothes (worn patches), they can be the house clothes and backyard clothes, and anything that we are given new can be 'going out' clothes. It's all between brigade babies, so what each mummy tends to do is texta their initial on the tags so that you know who to return what to. It's a really good system we have going and I'm looking at a rug full of clothes ranging from sizes 1-3...I think we'll be right for clothes!
I fell into one of the minty bushes near the door and now things smell half minty...but no the nice mint!
We went to the local pool and met up with just about everyone in my address book LOL! A couple of brigade types and our niece (on DP's side, obviously, not the 2 month old from NZ!), so that was nice. We practiced our 'humpty dumpties' on the edge of the pool and Oscar loves them - he squeals in anticipation and must be taking a breath in, because there was no spluttering afterwards, and we did it a few times. He is pretty tired now, though.
Ok, so I haven't washed my hair since the beach trip yesterday and it's feeling feral - gonna offload this boy to the portacot and get into the shower...
Hi IK :) you've inspired me to get to the pool more often but i just couldn't manage it today... love the Humpty Dumpty idea... I also soooo need a shower but DH is going to be late and I wouldn't dare leave Verity in charge ATM with the boys so needy... I'm kind of hovering between feeding Niall and uploading some new piccys of Niall onto his site... got a lot to catch up on... and Babies Online have changed the layout to rows of three to rows of four and it's upset my groupings of 3 photos in a row :( Now they are all over the place... LOL this is why I haven't attempted scrapbooking yet... i'm too much of a perfectionist!
Amanda- I agree with Bath it must be the time of hte year for feeling down, I woke up this morning feelign a little down and dejcted, feeling lots better now though.
IK- Does Oscar go right under the water now? We are building up tothat in our swimming lessons, Tori has very quickly learnt about blowing bubbles, I dont think it is going to take her long untill she is ready to go right under the water.
Well what started as me feeling a little dejected this morning because I dont have a job, and money is starting to get a little tight, has turned into a great afternoon because I got an interview for the job I applied for last week. I am pretty excited (not counting my chickens before they hatch though) I have some really relevant qualifications and experience so I would like tot hink that I am in with a chance. The interview is Thursday morning.
I have decided to try a different playgroup, the one I went to last week just didnt feel right for Tori and I. The mums in it had all been together for over 3 years and where alot older than me (not that I have a problem mixing with older people usually) but they were such a tight little group I felt like I was intruding. Hopefully the next one I try will be a bit better, if not we might just got to the Library for story time untill Tori is a bit bigger and try again after she is one.
Anyway I better go and finish getting dinner ready, we are having roast pork tonight and it smells just divine!
Bath - I LOVE that ticker pic! he looks like a willing inmate ;) Getting to the pool some days can seem just too hard to bother, I know! Today was easy cos the bag didn't quite get unpacked from yesterday and it was almost ready to go. If you go when you are flustered, you'll be sure to forget something crucial...like a swimsuit component or towel!
Ali - Yeah, Oscar's been going under since mid November, but the humpty dumpties are new since two days ago. The bubbles are very cute! Does swimming give you the warm and fuzzies, too? Oh, and good luck for the interview - that's marvellous how your day turned :)
Gotta finish eating and then see if it's not too late to attempt to get to a meeting I was supposed to go to!
Swimming- Yeah Nixon has been going under since he was about 6months corrected. apparently is can take up to 6months before they get the relfex to hold their breath. We do the humpty dumptys aswell! Oh and when i was in Sydney my sister and i took Nix & Aly (she was 8months) swimming, she had never been before and we took her under a couple of times, she loved it, wasnt phased at all so although every baby would be different she does like water (loves her bath) & obviously has gained the holding breath reflex.
Bath- your new ticker pics is great, and i love your new one to Ali!
Ali- oh bummer playgroup didnt work out, but i can imagine how u felt a little out of the loop if they have been all catching up for 3yrs. Oh good luck for your interview, your job is out there Im sure it wont be too far away.
Speaking of which i have all but decided to become a Tupperware consultant, after thinking and pndering it for some time i had a consultant come and speak with me today.
Ive chatted to dh about it as whilst we are in melb i would need his input when possible to have Nixon when i had a party/training etc. So watch out Melb girls a tupp invite will be on its way, i will have an announcement party at my house to get things kick started
ETA: oops i missed some of the posts on the last page.
Hi Neeny! Nixon had his pics taken about a week and a half ago, apaprntly it takes about 4weeks to get everything up and going so we'll wait and c how things pan out.
Amanda- Oh redcliffe! did u go to that pool that we went to? Its good there great for kids and plenty of shaded area's. Sorry you havent felt that great of late, Im sure when u are at your witts end you just have to look at your beautiful boys that you and DH ceated and give you a bit of a lift!
Nenny good work on the WW front- keep it up, and Ali I so hope your interview goes well. Amanda, hope you feel better soon - did you get the vids? Hope they weren't lost in the mail. Howdy to everyone else:)
Well DH and I had our first "fight" about money (pretty good for 13 years together LOL). It wasn't really a fight but more an incredulous "I can't believe it" from him and a shoulder shrug from me - I miscalculated our cash sitch and sort of just did a pollyanna and now we barely have enough for this month's outgoings. Not that it is a big deal - basically it means we can't pay out our credit card in full this month and will cop about $40 interest - but I am going to work 2 days in the office and one day at home from now on. Pretty soon I think I will work 3 days in the office (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and one at home but I gotta convince my mothers group to meet on Tuesdays instead, which shouldn't be too hard cause none of them are working ATM.
So aside from the bummer about money (and an increasingly sore back - gotta stretch more!) things are going well here. FIL is with us this week again. I just made fruit salad and getting two blokes to eat what I believe to be a small bowl of the stuff is like pulling teeth - I eneded up eating most myself LOL!!
see y'all tomorrow night - I am at work tomorrow so probably won't have time to post, just lurk:)
IK
- hey great score re. clothes. I only give/receive clothes to people I'm comfortable with If I want them back. Like my SIL, and i've already ruined 2 of her things! She laughed and said that's cool you can buy me cute new things next time, which she knows I'd do anyway. Also a friend and I have started a tradition with one of our outfits which she gave to me for 1st DD, then I gave back to her, then she gave back to me and as soon as the Rubystar outgrows it, it is back to her again. Lucky we both had 2 girls!
BATHSHEBA
- how does Verity feel about the whole 2nd hand thing? Being in highschool and all? I'm sure as she is your daughter she is totally mature and cool re. this - I ask for clues in how to bring up G and Rubystar with a good attitude. My mum was a pastor's daughter and they were poor but never knew it, but she says everyone was poor back then. It's just hard(!) living in such a wealthy area everyone seems to have such great stuff for their kids. Sometimes I'm embarassed to invite other kids over because I think they will be bored at our house. I don't have all the fancy food and drinks because G doesn't eat them, and she's happy with a stick in the backyard (no really!)
BTW - waytogo Niall - I want a boy now-so cute! I cannot believe he's standing up...Ruby has got sooo far to go, cute little munchkin.
Neeny - Hiya! Was the dentist bill for Aleise? My friend's dad (who is our dentist) said dentists don't want to see kids until their first tooth falls out? Or was something going on? BTW - she's very cute with her big blue eyes and sitting up!
Yet again I feel that Ruby is lacking on the physical development front... but she's small so everyone thinks she was premmie...
HEy Amanda3 - sorry you feel blah, so with you there. I'm on here typing and procrastinating about tidying up the house...Plus it IS a bit more full on with more than one kid, they just keep you going and going don't they! Do you have one or two at school?
oh Bath! the rubbish bin, hey maybe not so bad ruby's not moving far (plus we've put up the playpen to limit her rolling, found her half under the couch the other day!)
Ali25
- You're a teacher aren't you? Why didn't they hold your job for you? or don't you want to go back??!
Hey hope your new playgroup is sweet. I know at 29(!) I felt very young as the next youngest was 34. which only meant for me that they were all trying to have their next kid asap because of biological clocks!
GOOD LUCK WITH THE INTERVIEW!:pray: Sleep well and remember, you are a teacher for goodness sake - you can doanything!!
Hi Mel, Nickers, Karen, Rory, CeeCee --> sorry have to go, I gave myself a time limit!
C U guys!
Bath - I think you mentioning Savers again is my cue to go in the next week! I spoke to my aunty and we are going to head to the Brunswick store, its huge and they use to have really great things. Would love to pick up a few bargains before we head off. I love Nialls new ticker - he looks very cute! It felt really sad when I removed the bassinet attachment from Marley's pram - she didn't look like a little baby anymore but she does enjoy the new view! Yah for getting a free laptop - mine computer is so old and crappy so I have been investigating new ones. I was going to try and score one through work as they lease thousands of them and surely I can get a cheap deal. LOL about the floor polisher!!!! Put some polar fleece pants on him and a bit of detergeant and let him go!!!
Neeny - well done on joining WW and the 1/2 kg loss. Slow and steady wins the race as someone else said. You are doing so well cutting out chocolate - thats my big weakness! Aleise sounds like she is doing really well and using a sipper cup is great! Marley gets so excited when I get out her cup (its bright red) and usually sucks in far too much water. We are up in Noosa from 25 Feb to 15 March.
Amanda - sorry to hear you are having a bad day. Hopefully you wake up tomorrow feeling much more "you". I think we all have *****ty days you just have to think tomorrow is a new day! Well done Cody for the raspberries - Marley usually does hers with a mouthful of food! The dummy things is great when they can find their own. I hate it when you go in during the night and can't find the damn thing. I spend ages on all fours looking everywhere for it only to find it under her arm or something. Today I went out and bought 4 news ones to keep in her room.
IK - as the Donkey said on Shrek "do I detect a hint of minty freshness"!!!!!! I bet you smell lovely LOL!!! Good system with the clothes. You will save yourself a fortune if you don't have to buy many clothes for Oscar. That is my downfall - I am always buying stuff for the girls but I tell DH that if I am buying stuff for them, I am not spending money on myself - great justification! Great day to spend at the pool and its great that Oscar loves it so much.
Ali - well done on getting an interview. Go knock em dead on Thursday! Bummer about the playgroup. You are better off being with others that you feel comfortable with. Did you have a mothers group? We created a playgroup with our mothers group plus a friends mothers group when Chelsea was little and that was great. I hope you find one as its great for the babies to have some time to socialise with their own age group. Good luck. Yum, roast pork - hope it was yummy (did it have crackling - the best bit?)
Nic - you would do great as a Tupperware consultant. At least you can do work at night when DH is home, I think thats why so many mums do it.
Rory - money is the root of all evil! I think that is the one thing guaranteed to cause conflict. I am sure things will improve when you start working the extra day. What is it about men and fruit? At least you got to eat the rest LOL!!!
Nickel - you are so good to keep to a time limit! I spend ages on here once the girls have gone to bed and DH is at work. I could be doing so many other things.
Did anyone watch Brothers and Sisters on Ch 7? It was really good - another show that has me sucked in LOL!!!! Getting very excited as the girls new wardrobes get installed tomorrow. Thankfully it wont be hot tomorrow as it will take me all day to sort them out and put all the clothes back in. I have decided to go and buy Chelsea some more wooden hangers so they all match (a bit anal, I know!!!). Marley can have all of the baby hangers that came from Chelsea's wardrobe. The new skylight is also being installed in the laundry. Busy day in this house tomorrow.
Sleep well mums/bubs/kiddies!
Good afternoon Junies... had playgroup this morning then had lunch afterwards with an increasingly large group of mums/kids in a nearby cafe courtyard. We all felt a bit "off" today, none of us could quite put our fingers on why... for me it was a lack of sleep last night (I was up bringing in clothes off the line at 2am then I crept back to bed only to be woken by Verity who was scared because she thought she heard a burgular! I said "It was me"... I would have thought she'd be used to hearing me up and about at all hours by now LOL poor girl was petrified).
Nickel: Regarding second-hand clothing: Verity has never known anything different, she's spent her life with me rummaging through Op Shops... she knows that it's just part of the deal. It's just what we do to afford to send her to private school. We can still afford to buy her some key items (jeans/joggers etc) that are popular brands and new but they only constitute about %20 of her wardrobe.... the rest is second hand. Kids just need a few items to feel like they "fit in" you don't need to spend a fortune. For about the past 2/3 years she had developed a good understanding of money. She was stunned when she learned that her school blazer alone was going to be $220 this year... so I know she will look after it! :) Verity doesn't usually get caught up with competing with other girls materially. Infact even though she goes to a private girls' school I'd say about half the girls are like Verity: their parents are sacrificing a lot and they don't generally wear expensive brands either. Infact when I took a group of her friends to the Cinema recently we all got talking about Savers and the girls all sounded very interested! LOL They said they were going to ask their mums if they could go there! LOL I hope the mums don't feel too proud. So it sounds like Verity is making the whole concept of Op Shopping appealing.... unlike when I was her age, she is popular enough to make it The Thing To Do... I was just too shy and suffered in silence as i wore very untrendy homemade items.
Bit of a woohoo: Niall is now giving himself a bottle of EBM or formula (when my boobies are just too sore) and drifting off to sleep when he has finished :) I think he's just drifted off now... gonna check... ETA: yep, tossed the bottle aside, rolled over and went to sleep :) yay!!!
Rory: DH and I are a bit like you and your DH, don't generally disagree on expenditure... although we do kinda have the odd meltdown about once a year that goes along these lines:
DH: "OMG our Visa cards are full!!! WTF are we going to do!?! What if the car breaks down! We're stuffed! You don't know how this affects me I can't sleep!!!"
Me: "Calm down, just DO THE BLOODY TAX and we'll get a huge rebate which will help... we can survive on our pantry stores if need be... we don't NEED to do grocery shopping this week".
DH: "You don't understand (panic-striken rant)...and we need a proper holiday!"
Me: "Oh Ye of little faith... all will be well....this too will pass... God will provide (LOL)"
DH: "Pffft!" (storms off and sulks until about 3 days later when, sure enough, some windfall befalls us and all is saved).
This usally comes in the form of some forgotten work expenditure claim or a timely performance bonus, or the discovery of some forgotten shares that we are able to cash in etc. We've been living this way for nearly 13 years too... and I expect we will live this way for another 18 afterwhich we would have finally paid all the school fees for all the kids and all of a sudden we will have so much freed-up income we won't know what to do with it!!!! LOL So in terms of fighting, we are more likely to argue over slightly differing parenting styles than anything else... that's our biggest issue... thank God money isn't a biggie. I reckon it's a nice balance to have one partner "serious" about money and the other a "Pollyanna"... I think it would be a lot worse if you were both one way or the other.
Well Lizzie's second day at Kinder went really well. This week her group(A) had mornings on Monday and then afternoons on Tuesday. Next week she joins group(B) on Monday til 12.30 and joins group(C) on Tuesday til 12.30. The week after she starts full days at Kinder for Mondays and Tuesdays.
WooHoo here! Pat has 4 teeth coming up from the bottom and 2 coming down from the top, can see them but haven't broken through yet, no wonder he's GrumpyBum!!!!
Busy Week next Week for me. Saturday- Alpacas,Monday-Reconciliation meeting, Tuesday- P&F meeting, Wednesday- Parent Teacher Interviews(yeah I know, they've only been back at school a week!), Thursday- Wool Week AGM (going up for Chairperson!)and I think I'm free Friday!
hello girls,
Ali - good luck for Thursday - I like Tori's new picture!
IK - wow, Oscar is brave, Ally does not really like going under the water too much...she always looks so surprised when she come up for air.
Nickers - good luck with the Tupperwear - that stuff is great - last a life time so environmentally and financially sound!
Hello Rory - sorry about the money stuff up... I did that a few months ago, and was wacked with a $30 bill - oh well, I just put it down to Mummy brain - and a cheap lesson.. It could have been way worse.
Nickel - Ally can't stand up either - where abouts on the Northen Beaches are you? I have a Nana in Narabeen so I got there ever few weeks. Nice area, do you go to the beach much? I soooo miss the beach.
Mel - I'm so excited about your house reno's. I love skylights - what a great invention...
Baths - OMG, $220 for a school blazer - that is a tad out of control isn't it? Surely that is a bit of a rip off? If it is part of a donation to the school, it would be better to say $100 for the jacket and you must also donate $120 for the school, at least that way you could claim it as a tax deduction.. really - sorry if I'm going out on a limb, but $220 is a bit rude... the school should be trying to get parents on their side, not ripping them off every chance they can. tisk tisk, step off soap box.
Jess - wow, what a busy girl you are! good luck at the AGM!
Us: well, I've decided not to go back to work, which is probably why the school blazer costs offened me so much... I just don't think I could manage raising Ally and working at my old job (which was kind of stressful). I'm so loopy these days I just know I would make a HUGE mistake somewhere. So, I'm going to tell them this week... and then I won't have to worry about it anymore as it has been on my mind a lot...
Ally is well and rolling all over the house, which is a huge motivation to keep the floor clean!
Should rescue her from under the bed before she bangs her head.
hello to anyone I've forgotten...
bye, luv
CC
Whoa Jess! Sounds like my calendar too. Wade has 3 yo kinder sessions all over the place too ATM... I haven't really wrapped my brain around the schedule yet... imagine what it's going to be like when Pat is at Kinder and all the others in school!!! Your time management skills will be pushed to the limit hey! I'm nervous about dealing with 3 kids let alone 6! Oh and that reminds me: at Little Aths the family of 6 "forgot" a child as they were driving off after the session!!! OMG! Have that ever happened to you!? I would be worried that DH and I would do that kinda thing... we're still trying to come to grips with three. That Little Aths family also nearly forgot a child when they were giving Verity a lift home on another occassion... and it was Verity that noticed! They were all in the car about to drive off and then she said "wait! Joshua is still doing a race!" LOL OMG my nerves wouldn't be up to it! LOL
CeeCee: sorry.... missed your post. Her blazer will last her at least 2 years. I probably shouldn't have mentioned it. Still, it wouldn't be that hard to spend $220 in the stores buying her new clothing instead of secondhand. $20 of it is GST! That's what annoys me the most! The school blazers aren't made in huge quantity like clothes you buy in the large chain stores and they are made locally, in Melbourne, not some Asian sweatshop... so i guess it's mainly Aussie wages that we're paying for... i don't mind... they are well made, %100 wool and lined... still, sorry for offending anyone... I guess we all just have different priorities. It's not really the school's fault (ETA the school also has a Second Life uniform shop where they resell clothing at about 1/4 of the original price... we use that shop as much as we can too)...anyhow it's just what you pay for an Aussie to make clothing as opposed to an Asian. ETA: I know how stressful it can be deciding to stay at home and relinquishing a second income though CeeCee... I'm sure you will better once you have told them... you'll adjust... it'll be okay :) I know I probably spend too much time in here thinking out loud about my own adjustments to living on a single income... so don't hesitiate to join me! Your heart is in the right place... all will be well :)
Hi Everyone,
Well I'd like to say i had the absolute pleasure in meeting up with Racs and Ronan today! It was great to finally meet them, Ronan is such a happy boy! I have posted a couple of pics on Nixon's website under "BB Junies folder"
Bath- i hope I neever forget a child lol! My dad forgot about me one day. i was at dancing and he was to pick me up, after waiting waiting waiting out the front for a very long time i think i went back inside and borrowed a telephone. When dad answered the house phone i asked him what he was doing and if he planned to be picking me up anytime soon!! He forgot about me!! I didnt let him live that down for a long time.
Jess- i hope pat's teeth cut through soon so they stop hurting him
Mel- i didnt watch that show what was it about. Besides siblings as it is titled so!
Bath - blazers are not cheap, I know - and I didn't even go to a posh private school, just a Catholic one! And ours were also Australian made and nicely lined, made of wool etc. I went to my parents' house yesterday to feed their goat while my dad was away and wandered upstairs to see what I could scavenge. I found some school photos and brought them home. I was actually only thinking last night, when I looked at them again, that the uniform was quite smart and I only needed two blazers the whole time. I think the second one was second hand, from a family friend. A blazer does maketh the uniform! Sometimes, though, I would wish there was an extra lining in there, as we weren't allowed to wear our warm sports jacket over the normal uniform, brrrr in winter!
Also, I totally agree about the cost of buying local. If I were a working girl, I would spend that much on a work jacket that (not happily, but I would spend it) that was locally made...although I suspect it would cost at least that much to get something well made and local.
Oscar may well be like Verity, and appreciate the value of the second hand. In the theme of Jack Johnson's song Three R's, he'll be learning to Reuse! Any brand new clothes he has have been bought my someone other than myself. Any other clothes bought by me have been bought at one of the local kids clothes recyclers. Any other clothes he wears are borrowed (much to my mum's chagrin) and can be given back once outgrown. I can lend out the second hand clothes later on, and the bought-new clothes I can keep for posterity as reminders of the people who bought them for him. If the second hand stuff is cool, then you're getting the 'look' for far less. And, like Bath, I would like to do my bit to reduce the demand for sweat-shop made clothes. My mum used to work for a clothing company many, many years ago (paid for her fees when she left there to go to uni when I was 12), and it's sad that those kinds of jobs aren't available for unskilled people because the rag trade is all offshore. It's not patriotism that has me trying to buy Australian, it's a sort of altruism!
I went for another ride today and we're getting better - Dante no longer feels like a wooden horse! Had a nice frolic in the paddock, too, to finish off. I feel knackered, but refreshed at the same time. Tomorrow I might go, but not to ride, just a workout on the lunge rein. That way I get pony contact, can take Oscar, and don't kill off my credits with DP for childminding duties. I know he should do this happily anyway, but 3 times a week will get a bit much when I'm studying and want him to entertain Oscar for a few hours a week to let me study. I can't push my luck!
Money - we're running on very low reserves, and DP is making some positive moves to get into a job he might even be half way contented with. I have put forward my plan for a job he might like...he's mulling over it, I think. I get told off when I buy something unnecessary, but the things I buy are never really solely for me. Yesterday I showed him the amount he'd need to write a cheque out for to pay the credit card and then I walked away...I know he then opens it up to scrutinise where I've been spending money and he's looking for any indulgences...he didn't find any or he would have said something! My 'extravagances' are anything horse related (and that's just been the bare minimum for about 3 years now), Babyswim term fees, and Tupperware. At least I'm not a shoe person!
This post has taken forever to type, between distractions. Ok, gonna put this boy down and clean up the kitchen to think about dinner...
Hiya Nic :) On my way to check out your new piccys now...
Oh and i was Just wondering about Dee (Heaven) ... haven't heard from her for a while... I saw a BB member yesterday called Seventh Heaven ... i hope she hasn't changed her username without telling us!!! She must be flat out with unpacking still i guess...
ETA: sorry missed your post IK... back in a tic... blast poo.
Nic- Nice pic of Ronan and Nixon, to look at them now you would neer know they were both premmiebabies would you!
Money Issues- It mustbe that time of the year that money suddenly becomes an issues. DH and I were only having this discussion yesterday as our savings are nearly gone and I feel very out of control because I dont have a job. I am a very careful planner, and have quite a strict budget, but there have been so many exspenses popping up latley it is really hard to keep track of. I think I am going to take Bath's idea and write a list of priorities and only buy things on that list.
Nickel- I was only on a fixed term contract bfore I went on maternity leave and that contract ended in Dec. last year.
Cee-Cee: what a huge decision to make to not go back to work, it must have been very difficult for you. I am sure once you have told work that you are not coming back you will feel like a weight has been lifted.
Well I spent today studying up on Out of School Hours care licensing regulations and Accreditation information for my job interview on thursday, and then I spent the afternoon adjusting my most favourite black pants ,which dont seem to fit quite as well as before I had Tori so I took the back darts out and extended the waistband.
Just made meatloaf for dinner and I am off to water aerobics in an hour (3 weeks in a row, I am feeling pretty proud of myself).
If you check out Pat's profile page you can get to the link to Jaegar Alpacas to have a look at where we will be working.
Pat is asleep finally, we usually only sleep for 10 mins before our siblings wake us up!