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.