Babies born~February 16th-28th 2009 #11

[AliBaby]

Home again.....movies were sold out!!! So friggen annoying!! Couldnt believe it!

[shellbell3]

That sucks! Its so crap when that happens cause it takes effort to plan a night out! I guess being sat night. You should go over to the friends p[lace and watch DVDs or something!

[Malyna]

Olive - sorry to hear about DH's great aunt passing.
Ali - bummer the movie was sold out.
Meg - Alex goes the same way, some days he eats everything and then hte next day, not that interested - i put it down to his teeth/sore gums/just ain't interested.
Heaven - ohh nooo Miss G with the afternoon nap = hope it's just a one off.

AFM - one of my GF's DH is needing a heart transplant, he's been having health problems for about a year now and it's gone this far - the local hospital didn't pick it up, and he's in sydney, so she's doing the three hour commute one way.. fingers crossed for him.

[Kailani]

How annoying Ali

Shell, he's been doing it for ages, maybe a month or 2?? So over it, I find meal times really stressful because I go to all the effort to prepare and make him something and he just refuses to eat it and I end up frustrated and angry at him and then concerned about why and what may come of it Anyway... glad to hear you're enjoying work. Woohoo on the cleaner!

Speaking of work...on an impulse, I wrote a letter and handed it in today, stating that I am extending my mat leave by four weeks as I want to utilise the whole 52 weeks I'm entitled to. I had initially thought that I had used the whole 52 weeks up but then I realised I actually took 4 weeks of annual leave during my absence, so figured that I'd deduct that from the 52 weeks mat leave I thought I had taken and be entitled to a further 4 weeks off... does that make sense?? Anyway...I re-read my leave details contract and it says this:

The maximum period for a parental leave absence is 52 weeks (including all different types of leave)

and this is on the maternity leave policy information from the HR website:

The 52 weeks absence will be reduced by any period of parental leave (including annual leave and/or long service leave taken as part of the parental leave absence), taken by an employee's spouse in relation to the same child and, apart from up to one week's leave at time of confinement, is not to be taken concurrently with any parental leave taken by a spouse.

I'm mostly confused about the underlined bit. Does this mean that my annual leave was actually treated/considered as mat leave and I am not entitled to another 4 weeks?? That is so unfair! I would have thought I was allowed a total of 56 weeks leave - 52 weeks of mat leave, and also 4 weeks of annual leave (which to me, is totally independent of mat leave!). Now I think I'm wrong, and the new manager who will read my letter on Monday will think I'm an idiot for demanding extra leave when I'm not even entitled to it. She will probably think I don't even want to come back! This is the third time I've written to advise of an extention to my leave...

Sorry this is so long, but what do you guys make of it??

ETA, malyna, fingers crossed for your friend's hubby.

[Nai]

Hi Ellie - I hope you are doing ok! How's the morning sickness? Has it eased off any?

Ali - Grrr! How annoying! Wasn't there anything else you could see?

Shell - Good to hear you are enjoying work. I have one week left. I went and got my hair done yesterday and bought some new clothes in preparation.

Kaz - What colour do you think DS's eyes are? What colour are yours and DH's?

Malyna - fingers crossed for your friend

Olive - Sorry to hear about DH's Great Aunt

Holly - I read it as you are entiteled to 52 weeks leave but if you choose to take part of that as paid leave (being annual or long service) then you don't get any extensions beyond the 52 weeks. I actually extended mine by a week as I was meant to return on Australia Day (a holiday) and then the next day of work I would have had to take leave as DD1 starts kinder that day and I want to be there with her. So my manager said not to worry and just come in the next week.

AFU - I ended up getting the tummy bug so have been a bit sick and tired lately.

[shellbell3]

Holly- I think too it includes the annual leave, I know most jobs do it that way you get year in total regardless of how you took it. I think only sick leave is exempt from it.
Try not stress bout the food intake, ask my mum and she will tell you how shocker an eater I was, only wanted milk, she was always in a panic down at the health centre, but look at me now, I can't stop eating! My mum always brings it up to me. Just keep offering, don't make anything time consuming if hes just gonna waste it, eventually he'll just start eating. DD1 wasn't a great eater now she tries anything.

Malyna- Thats terrible about your friend, in what time frame does he have to get this heart within? What a stress for his wife.

Nai- Hope you get over the tummy bug soon. Just in time for work, new clothes and hair sounds nice tho, dont get to do that in my job.

Snot city here and missy hates having her nose wiped.

[AliBaby]

Holly- I am sure its just another phase. I am starting to work out that there are lots of sleep, eating, whinging, teething, etc phases. Its exhausting though On a good note on L crawling!!! Thats fantastic! Witht he work leave, I would ask if you can have your annual leave back as you would never have used that if you had known that your maternity leave was a max of 52weeks. If you have already been paid annual leave, then ask if at a later date you can take it as Leave without pay. Doesnt hurt to ask.
Shell- Hope the snotty nose goes away soon That is great you are enjoying back at work and yay on the cleaner!!!
Jols- How is DD2? Hope the dimetapp is working.
Nai- We would have had to wait around until the 9:30pm session for the next movie to start and my friend who is pregnant was tired. I hope your tummy bug goes away. They are so awful to deal with.
Malyna- How awful about your friends DH 3 hour commute each way must be such a strain for his wife not to mention the stress of the whole thing as well. Hope all is going better with A at home for you and you are getting some rest.
Ellie- great that you could pop in. I meant to ask you and OP if you both joined a new Belly buddies group as well for your 2nd babies. Hope all is going well.
Heaven- Lets hope the one day sleep was a one off!!!
Kaz- I agree with yout mate who said it can be hard to tell on the computer the colour of his eyes as different quality in monitors/screens etc. but his eyes might still be changing colour. Sometimes DD's eyes can look so incredibly blue and then when we are out in a different environment they can throw off some green. I think it is a little reflective of the environment. He is so gorgeous though! You must be very proud of him.

Sorry to those who I have missed.

AFM- parents are staying tonight as they move into their new place tomorrow. I have to clean the house!! So dont feel like it. DD also refused a bf this morning, Fully turned her head away. I felt really rejected. I tried a bottle and she had that. Does that mean she is starting to wean? if she is. I dont mind her havign bottles but I wanted to at least keep the morning and evening feeds as bfs. We'll see what happens. Was also thinking about a gift for Milana and Tracey and thought maybe something to do with butterflies..a nice print or something like that. Tracey changed her name to baby butterfly so thats what gave me that idea. I'll keep thinking.

Have a good day everyone

[Heaven]

Ali- OMG that is a huge sleep!!!!!!!
Holly- sorry to hear about your feeding problems. Is he picking up on your stress? I would just try to give him some food and then basically ignore him and leave him to it and try not to worry if he eats any at all, no pressure. But I know that would be really hard, it's so hard not to worry and try and make them eat more!! Is he teething? DD just got a tooth and she ate hardly anything for a few days. Re the work thing, it sounds the same to me, 52 weeks no matter what it's made up of itms.
shell- that's great to hear you're enjoying work!!
Malyna- aww... :fingerscrossed: that would be so hard for your friend!! And her DH of course!
Nai- hope you're feeling better soon.

Well! Great news here!! After being up all day, only one 45 min sleep in the morning she went to sleep at 7.30pm and SLEPT FOR 8 HRS STRAIGHT!!!! Omg, she has NEVER slept that long in her life!! Seriously. I am in shock! Feeling good today! Better enjoy it, probably won't happen again, lol.

[Kailani]

Ah crap...thought so. Thanks for your replies. Wish I had read all that info before I gave in the letter I feel soooooooo stoopid. I didn't even ask for an extention...it would be different if I had of asked but I actually wrote that those were my plans and that's what was happening etc...now it seems kind of rude and arrogant? And I'm so not like that! If I had an employee tell me they were just going take more leave, I would be peeved, I would want to be asked. Okay, now dreading the embarrassing phone call this week Ali, yeah I already got paid annual leave during the mat leave (I thought the mat leave would have stopped and then started again once the annual leave was finished), but you're right...I would have rather just taken the 52 weeks mat leave unpaid and then used my annual leave separately when the mat leave ran out. Grr can't believe I didn't work this all out before! Stupid pregnant brain I guess!

Re food, yeah I'm just going to keep offering and if he eats then great, if not, whatever... can't be bothered stressing about it anymore. He ate a few spoonfulls of cheese and veggie risotto and some garlic bread for dinner, then he had 3/4 of a nectarine (probably would have had the whole thing but I ate the rest lol), so yeah, tonight was pretty good. I noticed his seventh tooth (a bottom one) is cutting through as well.

Yes and my baby is now crawling!! Hasn't really mastered it yet but he is getting there. My beautiful boy

Nai, sounds like you've got a flexible manager. Hope you feel better soon

Shell, hope DD is well again soon. Poor little thing! Well I hope L is like you, and regains his appetite eventually lol.

Ali, how did the cleaning go? Wow at DD refusing a feed, is that a first? Will be a bit sad if she's over it and wants to wean, but it will be nice to have your body back that's for sure!

Heaven, yep he is teething, just discovered one today! I'm sure he's picking up on my stress I feel like such a bad mummy when I get cross with him. Glad that DD did a great sleep. Hope she has another one tonight!

Hi to everyone else! I need to make L's 12 month mchn appointment soon as you always have to make it a few weeks in advance. Looking forward to getting him weighed! I haven't had him weighed since his 8 month check.

Anyway, hope you all have a good night xox