MSE Parents Club Part 7

searching_me

*runs up and pinchs BM* :rotfl: x

Buttonmoons

Obviously she had a good feed cause she's fast asleep on the sofa now. Her body has probably went into shock after having something more nutricious than a scrambled egg going in lol.

searching_me

thats great BM shows your making progess x

ladybirdintheuk

I've done lots of sums, and we've had a chat on the phone. Current plan now is

- I have already asked work to pay me 5 of my holiday days (I've got to take 16 by Christmas, and can carry some over, but not all!) in November, so that will cover christmas presents and Christmas drinks (realistically we have to go to at least some parties ). I will probably end up getting paid for some more in December/January too, but will worry about them when we get that far.
- get a boot sale or 2 sorted to try and get the cards paid off a bit quicker, as that will reduce the minimum payments. (All my budgets at the mo cover minimum payments only - we are trying to pay as much extra as we can as and when.) Not sure how much we actually have to sell, might have to sacrifice a few treasured posessions - pick the computer games/cds/dvds we least value and add a few of them to the pile etc.
- see what else we can sort out in the way of reducing costs - For starters we are curently renting a garage full of crap for £40 a month, and both our parents have lofts (and we are going to have a boot sale ). Also can change phone/internet for cheaper package (were planning to do that anyway!) and get cashback via quidco for doing that too!
- carry on looking for a full time job locally (must finish the form I am half way through!). I have also spoken to the job agency and told them I'm looking for contract as well as permanent - a 6 month contract would buy me a bit more time to look, although a bit risky, so would only do that if it was excellent money and something would look good on the cv.
- call my work and start getting child care vouchers, now that I know I'm not entitled to any tax credits I will be better off with vouchers till the end of the tax year
- leave Izzy in nursery, as taking her out and putting her back again will disrupt her too much
- look for an additional part time job for me locally as a temporary thing - if I can do a couple of shifts of evening/weekend work while DH can do childcare then that will get us some extra money, which can be split between things we need/spending money and paying a bit extra off the cards. Not something I would want to do permanently, but if we both know it is not forever we should be able to cope. Would give DH more 1-1 time with Izzy too, and distract him from the fact he isn't in the pub

Once I can find a full time job locally we will be back on track, as we will have more money, and won't be paying as much for petrol. Will be paying for an extra day at nursery, and definitely won't get more than £10 a week tax credits but that will still leave us better off.

The other subject I might broach with him this evening is working out if there is any possibility of him getting a better paid job... the trouble is he has been promoted above his qualifications, so if he looked for a job equivalent to his in another company he wouldn't be qulified to do it IYSWIM. (Plus he doesn't drive, which limits the options further). This isn't a short term solution, but it is probably worth us having a brain storm about what he could do (maybe a pcso or something?). He keeps threatening to [strike]run away to sea[/strike] join the merchant navy... mind you I'm not sure if he is qualified for that either

ladybirdintheuk

Now I'm going to stop whinging.

BM - great news about the pie!

Susan - I assume the babies are too small to eat lettuce, as it's one of the things that is tricky with no teeth? Izzy nearly choked on some once, so I'm careful not to give it to her now. I'm sure she would be fine with it blended, but who wants to eat lettuce soup?!!!

And hugs for Krystal.

Anyone else want some hugs? Hugs for everybody :grouphug:

MadDogWoman_2

Hi Everyone,

Not had chance to catch up - DH was hogging the laptop last night.

Hugs to whoever wants one.

BM - that's fantastic new about Keira eating hope it continues.

DD's development check went ok, the only thing they picked up on was her speech - she's quiet around people she doesn't know. They were impressed with her colour naming though.

She didn't manage a dry night last night but we were still up so not too much of a nightmare.

MDW

Buttonmoons

My friend has just given birth to her 3rd child, a girl (she has 2 boys, 1st one is same age as Keira) she has called it Aimee, and she weighs 3lbs, as born early, I know it was by C-section as the baby has her bowels growing on the outside? Apparently it's quite common, but must be worrying all the same, she knew about it before she gave birth, but poor mite will have to have an op soon.

searching_me

hope everything goes ok with your friends bubba BM x

Buttonmoons

Everyone on FB who plays Cafe world, add me as a neighbour, it's well addictive, like cooking mama. I've ran out of invites for today

Yeah me too SM, it's funny, she lives down in England now as her husband is in the army and they get moved around a lot, yet she always comes back to Aberdeen to have her babies hehe.

ladybirdintheuk

Oh - I forgot to say (with all the excitement) - Izzy is 19lb. No wonder my arms have been getting tired and it is such hard work pushing the buggy up the hill She was 18lb 1oz 3 weeks ago. She had been putting on an oz a week for ages but she has been eating LOADS these last few weeks. She has been really active for ages, but I suppose her appetite has caught up with her now!

BM - I hope your friend (and baby of course!) are ok. One of my friends kids had something similar, plus problems with her lungs too - she had her third birthday not so long ago Keep us updated, we all like our tiny baby updates, and Rhys is growing out of that category now