Taking control in 2011

LittleBit_2

Hi all, not updated for a little while but we are all doing ok.
I have told our childminder that the boys will be finishing at the end of April, so although she is gutted, she knows she will have to look for some other children around that time. I haven't handed my notice in at work yet, but my manager knows I will be going. I can't remember if i have already said on here, but they have told me there is no chance of voluntary redundancy for me, so there will be no pay off
We have worked out that if I finish in April I will get maternity pay until about Feb 2012, by which time baby boy number 3 will be about 8 months old so I can go out and look for some part-time work if needs be.
DH has been cracking on with the jobs around the house so we can put it up for sale. There are still a few bits to do, but we are definitely getting there. We don't think we will have enough money for a deposit to be able to get a reasonable mortgage, but if needs be we will rent for a while, as long as we are all together who cares

Also, I have been buying bits for baby boy at the car boot sales and nearly new sales. I think we have everything we need in 0-3 now apart from vests. We still need to get a Moses Basket, but will get one second hand and then buy a new mattress. Other than that I don't think we need much else at all.
DH is out getting us a takeaway atm, which is very naughty as we can't really afford it, but we have been out all afternoon at a kids party and the little terrors have got us absolutely shattered!! The boys jonked in bed at 6pm, so DH and I blasted through DS2s bedroom, got all the clothes he has grown out of in the loft and shifted loads of things that shouldn't be in there. I thought we deserved a treat for working so hard

LittleBit_2

Just a quick update this morning.

DS2 has been poorly since Monday, so DH and I 'attempted' to work from home Tuesday and yesterday. He has perked up a little bit today, and CM is at a funeral, so MIL is watching the boys today. She brings out tea with her when she comes and puts it in the oven too so it's warm for when we get home from work. She is a good 'un!

Money wise for we are doign the same as usual really. Need a little cash injection to keep us out of our OD and then we can start afresh...

I am 23 weeks pregnant today, so will be finishing work in 9 weeks exactly! Scary, it's going sooo quickly. We will be having a few days away in Scotland in March staying at my friends parents 2nd house, so I have only 8 weeks to work! That equates to 24 working days. I still have 5 weeks holiday to use, so I was planning on taking a week (probably split up into separate days) before I go and then tagging 4 weeks leave onto the beginning of my maternity leave.
I can't believe I am finally going to be a SAHM!!

SmlSave

Corr 24 working days left seems like nothing!

LittleBit_2

Got a huge parcel through the post this morning. A friend of mine has sent me a MASSIVE box of vests, baby grows, little knitted cardigans and loads of other gorgeous little things :j I will have to Paypal her the money and see if I can give her a little extra too. She has 2 boys the same age as mine, and I really appreciate her taking the time to sort all the little clothes out for me, wash them and trail them up to the Post Office.
Nothing much else to report really. DS2 was ill all last week, and it seems DS1 is ill this week. He was sick last night and he has a high temperature today. They are both in bed at the moment, so I'm having a little bit of peace.
Will be a busy week at work this week, I can't wait til I am finished. I don't need the stress of it all. Counting down the days til I hand my notice in.....

SmlSave

Ahhhh, how nice of your friend to send you the baby stuff We've found people to be really nice and happy to lend/give us stuff too.

Hope the boys feel better soon

LittleBit_2

A quick update from me.
I now have 2 poorly boys, they are both throwing up and DS2 has bad diahoreah too. I am having to take tomorrow off even though I'm snowed under at work, but the boys have to come first.
Money wise we aren't doing brilliantly, but we're not doing terribly. We have got everything we need for the baby now apart from a mattress for the moses basket. I'm almost 25 weeks pregnant and things seem to be going well, so fingers crossed I will have an easy 3 and a half months til baby arrives.
We went to see a mortgage advisor last week to see how much we would be likely to be able to borrow, and what kind of monthly amount we would have to pay etc. Basically they said to us if the house sells for asking price we will have enough deposit. If the house doesn't sell for asking we won't, and will have to rent for a while. If we are going to move there is no way I'm prepared to jump straight into another high LTV mortgage with massive interest rates. We WILL make our money work for us somehow!!
Right, One born every minute is coming on, had better go and see what I will be putting myself through soon...

LittleBit_2

Finally both boys are better and they have been at the childminder's today with no sick or poo to be seen :j
After a shocker of a day at work today I've decided I'm going to hand my notice in this week. I was wondering whether I should hang around in the hope that redundancy might come up or I might be offered something in the evenings, but I've decided that I'm definitely just going to leave. I will get all my maternity pay in a lump sum, so will pay myself a little allowance out of that and try to make it last as long as possible.
We did the food shopping today at Sainsburys (which I always thought was expensive, but it wasn't bad at all!) I am trying the 5 meals for £20 thingy that they're doing. I've improvised a bit, but everything for the week came to £26. We will probably need a bit more milk and bread, but I don't think that's bad at all.
OH has just popped out to pick up some baby clothes from Freecycle, and my sister has just rung to say she has got us a Moses Basket and baby bath from her next door neighbour. So now we have 2 moses baskets, 1 for upstairs and 1 for downstairs

LittleBit_2

I handed my notice in yesterday :j

SmlSave

Ohhh LB, now your on working day countdown till finish

LittleBit_2

We are just having a quick tidy up before the estate agents arrive to take photo's of the house. Exciting