Babies born~ September 2007 #65

[Cassius2]

ooohhh squishy newborns! that would be gorgeous Oz xx

[Ozstar]

Cass she is a tiny little thing too only 2.8kg when born a week ago. Gotta love my job lol

[Cassius2]

mwah! i love it! Leila was so so tiny at well, just 100gms smaller than the bubba you are about to meet...i can't believe how fast they grow!

[Trillian]

busy busy buy here again. Easter was fine - just a quiet one because DH was working night shift. But got a phone call from my sister on Saturday night saying that Mum was in hospital again as she got another infection in her foot and they had to take another toe off (same foot as before). So she is stuck in frikken Monash Clayton because she and my brother were down there for a week to have easter with my sister. So Monday I had to drive to Albury to pick my brother up and bring him home so he doesn't miss school and to cap it off he is a debutante partner for one of his friends so he also has rehearsals for that. We're hoping that they will transfer her back to wagga now they have done the surgery but they were talking about her staying in melb for a week to monitor dressing changes and mum is not at all impressed with that! She she is going to keep hassling them about coming back because if she stayed a week with my sister when she is incapacitated, she will either kill herself or my sister LOL.

[Cassius2]

oh far out Trill! how are your mum's spirits about it all? busy and stressful times for you

[Trillian]

She is really low Cass. She is just so upset that it has happened again when she was doing everything right with her original wound. The Dr's seemed to think that it has something to do with her circulation because they went down by train so they had a 10hr train trip where she was sitting for most of that time and they think that the blood flow to her foot was compromised and allowed an infection to happen. It happened really quickly though but it's a good thing my sister is the massive pain in the arse that she is because she forced mum to go to the hospital instead of waiting till she got home to see her own Dr about it. And now she is in her element because SHE is the one who gets to run around after Mum and make all the phone calls and basically gets the world revolving around here which is the way she likes things. Trouble is she keeps telling us all the wrong information so we've (brothers and I) have told her not to call us, we'll just call the hospital LOL. But she can have that job - I've been there done that and it's hard! It's not as glamourous as she thinks it is

[Ginger]

I can't believe my dh tricked me into thinking that camping at adaminaby would be fun! He owes me big time for this one! Lol

[AnyDream]

Cally, have things calmed down at work now? Seemed a bit crazy and out of control there for a bit.

Ginger, I think there are some things in life that we just need to learn to cultivate acceptance over . You will get there eventually. xxx

ETA - I sooo didn't mean for that post to be a MD pity party, but it's just kind of crazy to me that we're supposed to be some kind of middle income family and yet it can be so tough. When I was SAHMing with DD1 we could live on less because we didn't have the double-income trappings. For example, back then we only had one car, saved a load of $$$. But last year it wasn't worth selling our 2nd car when we were going to need it again as soon as I started working (it would've cost us a lot more to buy another bomb than just to keep paying the rego on our old but highly reliable car). The current refinance is a good thing, a good opportunity for us to go through everythign and work out how to cut the expenses and make the $ work harder.

[Cassius2]

it's just kind of crazy to me that we're supposed to be some kind of middle income family and yet it can be so tough. When I was SAHMing with DD1 we could live on less because we didn't have the double-income trappings. For example, back then we only had one car, saved a load of $$$.

this is what i dont get either. DH is by all standards on a good income (an income that say, 7 years ago we could only of dreamt of) and yet, we have much less cashflow. but then of course we have much higher outgoings too (mortgage and childcare). we have moments where we just dream of selling up and buying somewhere else and being mortgage free: just so that we can have a bit of extra cash each week. this sounds really shallow but i hate being in my 20s and not being able to dress pretty lol! i get all sad sack like and look at other girls my age (obviously girls that dont have kids and no mortgage because i am selective with my observations ) wearing pretty clothes and gorgeous haircuts and want a bit of that cake too.
i guess for us though i have to be thankful that at least on his income we can afford our mortgage and our bills each week and that when i finally get work it will be a bonus (but even on that front it has been a reality check as with the grad positions that i am applying for, the income will be chewed up on CC fees and rent - if we move to canberra).

ok, rant over lol.

MD: far out! that AF sounded very full on. was it the first in a long time? make sure that your iron levels are ok after that too...some good mushrooms and fresh basil!

G: this is what has stumped us too. we were so set on 2 babies and that being it, but now we have other friends having their third and it does stir something up. but i need to wait at least until marta is 18 months old to be honest with myself that it is not just hormone driven (which i am certain it is!). we love our girls and although another baby would also be loved, i just dont think it would be totally right for our family (i have this feeling that having any more children will just make the lack of family support all the more acute).

ooopss, gotta go, Marta is getting cranky pants and the builder is about to turn up along with the plumber...it never ends.

[Artechim]

I am not sure where our money goes. DH is on a good salary (about 2.5x what I would be paid if I were working with the same degree!!) but we still have almost nothing left to spend once all the bills are taken care of. It doesn't help that we are spending $400 per week on food and petrol alone. We have revised the budget recently because the old petrol budget just wasn't cutting it - prices are up to nearly $2.20 per litre now which makes quite an impact when DH is driving 1/2 hour each way to work and I am going into town 4 days a week for kindy now. I was double tripping, but now I just drive for a couple of minutes until A falls asleep and park up with my study notes or have a kip lol.

Cass, the lack of family support is hard. I am really envious of those people that have family that will happily look after their kids and enjoy it. I am beginning to accept that my mum is not going to be involved with my kids. W is a smart boy and he is going to start to notice soon and I am not going to bother trying to cover for her like I have so far. He is having a birthday party this year so I will be interested to see if she can be bothered coming. Even with the new baby to meet it is unlikely - she wouldn't drive an hour out of her way last time for W's birthday and to meet A. LOL, I have mum issues! I am just bitter atm that we have this crazy thing going where neither of us mention the pregnancy so she can pretend it isn't happening or something.
DH signed a contract here that gives us a massive bonus (a years salary) if we are here in 5 years. It is too much money to pass up, so we will be here until then but after that we are thinking of heading down to the South Island a bit closer to the IL's. They are fantastic grandparents and love spending time with the kids. I really want them to grow up with extended family and they aren't getting any cousins any time soon. It isn't like we actually get to spend any time with my family anyway, we only make it down there for a weekend every 3-4 months because it costs a small fortune.

[Trillian]

Arte, that would be really tough knowing that your mum is too self absorbed to care much My Dad is like that, but then Im not worried about the loss of relationship kwim? We are pretty lucky really that DH's family are only a few km's up the road and will have the kids at short notice if we need to and when I go to melb in June they will have 3 of the kids for 2 nights for me while DH works so I can go. Even Mum would do that for me, but with her health being so bad now asking her is out of the question. I never take it for granted either because I know that other people would give their left arm for even half of the support I get. But that said, it is only maybe 3-4 times a year when I even need them to look after the kids which is good - it's one of the bonuses of the kids being older now that I can take them most places with me and know they will behave and be OK with being out.

G, it has been a real struggle for us financially the past 10 years, but it is slowly starting to pay off now. With the drought at it's worst we were living week to week nearly and had hardly anything in reserve for emergencies and DH had to work his arse off making enough money to cover all our costs. But now we're at the stage where the farm is making enough money to pay for itself so what he earns out at the mine is being used to get us ahead of things and the poor bugger is finally getting himself a brand new ute after driving this old XD falcon that was worn out when he borrowed it from his parents. But we still live pretty frugally - we 'pay' ourselves $400 per week and combined with the FTA which is only $300 p/f we have a max budget of $550 per week to spend, but then all the utilities are paid for by the farm. Its tough at times, but it really makes us think about what we buy and if it is needed kwim? But I also don't have huge costs like child care, preschool only costs $280 per term so our overall living expenses are generally cheaper. I just think though that everyone is doing it tough atm regardless of how much they earn. To cap it off interest rates will be going up again too which will put even more pressure on things.

[Artechim]

Trill, I am glad that the farm is starting to pay its own way. I was really happy for you when you posted on FB about the price you got for your lambs.
Is a mo-poke the same as the owl we call a morepork? I used to have one that lived in the trees outside my bedroom and OMG that thing invoked rage!!

[Cally]

Cally, have things calmed down at work now? Seemed a bit crazy and out of control there for a bit.

Ask me this time next week - if we have pooh in the pipes my stress levels will be much better!!

No owls near here, but those ****atoos at 6am can sure make a racket!

Cass - she's not fully swimming on her own, but she's confident enough to head off by herself with floaties or a back float or a noodle on. The other parents were laughing at her the other day, in her free time she was kicking up a storm and there was water going everywhere! I think she wore herself out though, by her free time at the end she was just sitting quietly on the step waiting for her next go with the instructor.

There is an emergency services open day this weekend - will go and check out some trucks and a helicopter!

[Ginger]

so i joined the gym and had my assessment today. put the boys in the creche and L was great and loved it but J was a total nightmare. he kept trying to escape and was hysterical when the lovely lady wouldn't let him out the door. they had to come and get me twice. feeling really down about it all cos i just want to do one thing for myself. one bloody thing. i only need 1/2 an hour and i can't even get that.

[Artechim]

Ginger It is f'ing frustrating when you can't even get a few minutes to yourself. I took up secret smoking last year because it was 10 minutes at the end of the day when I was entirely alone, no chance of kids, just me. Probably the opposite of joining the gym but the same sentiment.
I am finding life so much better now that my days are busy with all the drop offs and pick ups and then on the weekend I get some study time which it just an excuse really to have kid-free-I-am-still-a-real-person time.

Cass, what is cheese worth over there now? It is around $15-18 for a 1kg block here now, but I buy whichever brand is on special for $10-11. Still, it has turned cheese on toast into a reasonably costly meal!

Cally, I hope the poo flows where it should on schedule! Wow for K at swimming! We went to the pool the other day and W was brave enough to touch the bottom without clinging on for dear life - in a pool that is only his chest height! He is miles away from being confident enough to be on his own. A on the other hand pushes away from me and will only let me hold her under one arm to stop her sinking and she must be in front! I am amazed at how water confident she is.

MP, have been thinking about you, how is the rash going?

There is no bargain grocery shopping here. We only have one supermarket and it isn't full range so often there is only the choice of a couple of premium brands with no homebrand option. No brand loyalty or multinational boycotts here either. And don't get me started on the veges! We live in the NZ capital of parsnips, carrots, potatoes and brussel sprouts, yet we pay more than big supermarkets in the city! I don't know why the super doesn't cut a deal with the packshed and buy direct - it is only 3 blocks away!! It costs around $50-60 per week just for our fruit and veges.

ETA, Cass, i hope you had a fantastic birthday

[Ginger]

Cally- I hope you're right that when the boys get older the cluckiness will fade. I agree with you, I just think I'm finding it hard as a lot of people around me are having number 3 and I'm not.
L has been going brilliantly at swimming since I stopped going in the pool with him. He's much better behaved and really listens. I love it.

Md- dh is not interested in having any more kids ever so the decision is really out of my hands anyway, even if I did decide later on that I wanted another iykwim?
You guys have been through so much the last few years xo

[Junglemum]

Yeah, if the girls didn't get eczema I'd be looking at cheaper local ones, (they come complete with how to wash in the river instructions!) but unfortunately they don't go well with S's skin.

Oh yeah, I'm feeling every one of my 33 years ATM.

[Artechim]

What about the ones that you can make from baking soda etc. Do they upset the girls skin?