Second Time Lucky

amycool

We've now paid off 19.9% of the mortgage! So next month we will definitely be at a fifth.

DD loved her birthday presents and got tons from other people. I spent about £12 on a caf! meal for me, DD and my Mum, which was nice and grandma baked a delicious birthday cake.

Other spends have been £9 for 3 tickets to the local fireworks (they started so late that DD was tired and grumpy but she seemed to enjoy it once they started).

I've been really tight with the heating recently but DD doesn't seem to have noticed! I got her some jeans from the charity shop for £1.99, which will come in handy. All she had when she came were thin leggings and they don't cut the mustard when she's climbing and falling over!

The food bill last month was about £40 higher than usual, which is pretty good really. £10 a week! It'll be even cheaper when she starts school and gets free lunches.

Things to buy -

Trainers for DD
More jeans
More warm tops

No idea when we'll get the chance to buy them though! She's not a great shopper! I'm hoping we can start just wandering round the charity shops now and then and if we see something that fits we can get it.

I should get my first adoption leave pay from work in a week's time so I can see how much it is. No sign of any child benefit yet. In theory, we should still have about £300 left over but we'll see! The more I can save the less anxious I'll be when my leave is up and I have to decide whether to go back.

Dird

amycool wrote: »

It's very early days but she seems to like us so far!

It's most certainly already been mentioned but not sure how far back in the 22 pages :f
- How old is she?
- She's British or a Chinese import?
- People get maternity leave for adoption not involving babies? :shocked:

debtfreeoneday

Things sounding a little calmer for you when does DD start school?

Luckyinlife

well done on paying of 19.9% :] feels great don't it 8k in OP is amazing bet the bank hates you saved loads of interest already :]

Muser1

Dird wrote: »

It's most certainly already been mentioned but not sure how far back in the 22 pages :f
- How old is she?
- She's British or a Chinese import?
- People get maternity leave for adoption not involving babies? :shocked:

How rude!

Firegirl

Welcome to parenthood. It's like starting a new job and not having a clue what to do. Learning curve and all that! You'll do great! I had no idea when I was a kid that all the parents out there are just winging it and trying their best! lol

Enjoy:0)

Dird

Muser1 wrote: »

How rude!

What part is rude?

Petal88

Dird I'm pretty sure speaking about a person as an object "imported" from somewhere is rude whichever you read it.

Dird

Petal88 wrote: »

Dird I'm pretty sure speaking about a person as an object "imported" from somewhere is rude whichever you read it.

It was meant as a joke (while still being a valid question given the popularity of Asian adoptions over the last 10 years).
As someone who's only ever dated Chinese girls I'm all about the import

amycool

Dird wrote: »

It's most certainly already been mentioned but not sure how far back in the 22 pages :f
- How old is she?
- She's British or a Chinese import?
- People get maternity leave for adoption not involving babies? :shocked:

She's 5 and British.

Parenting a child who has suffered unimaginable fear and pain, and who has lost her entire life not once but twice, is definitely a full-time job, and it takes a parent and child far longer to bond and develop an attachment than with a newborn. So yes, I do get adoption leave and pay, but it's likely that due to her past I won't be able to return to work, so we will have to live frugally. I think there's a perception by some people that a child should be somehow grateful and will forget all about his/her birth family and foster family and slot into society. Realistically, it's like your entire family and friends have been killed in a tsunami, taking your house with it. It will take years to recover.

I don't think you were being intentionally rude, but having spent the past week soothing a grieving child, it did come across that way. No hard feelings though.