Well i have looked on the Travelodge website and i can get them a family room (His mum, dad, sis is 16 and bro is 15) for £19 a night in December, So i got OH to call his mum and suggest it and she seemed keen, only she doesnt know when his dad is on holiday for xmas, and they have some relatives going to stay with them over Xmas. So we are going to see them this weekend and i shall see what they have to say! Its just make me annoyed that they dont celebrate Xmas, so it shouldnt be a big deal if we don't go!
I've booked a little cottage for 4 nights over new year for OH and I to say, its not too far from home, we can take the dog so it should be nice to spend some time alone before baby comes. Plus it was only just over £100, cheaper than going to Cornwall LOL
Ur right marie, wots the point in worrying over something that u cant change. I actually camt to that conclusion a few weeks ago as there is nothing we can do about it now. We r putting money buy every week so that we have extra money if we need it plus my parents are great and if we really do get stuck then they will help us out. Im sure we will be fine, it will prob just be a bit of a shock to start with but once we get into the swing of things then we will be fine. Its true wot u say about there never being a perfect time financilly for a baby i just wish we could have been settled in a house 1st but things dont always go to plan Everyone is being so helpful and trying to help us out so we should be lucky for what we have for once i actually feel lyk i am due some happiness esp after the last 3 yrs i have had.
Sara - That is good news that ur in laws seem to be coming round to the idea of them meeting u half way. t would be a nightmare if u's had to travel down to see them esp when you would be 33 weeks. Fingers crossed all goes well and everything goes to plan xxx
Is anyone trying to negotiate better maternity terms with their employer? And is anyone having any luck? I have just come up against a very surly colleague who keeps repeating you'll only get SMP like a bloomin' mantra.
I've spoken to my union to see if they had any advice and they were as useful as a chocolate teapot.
I will drop almost £1,300 a month when I go on maternity leave. I know I am privileged to have a well paid job, but our outgoings are high - so you can imagine I am thrilled with the yawning chasm SMP will leave.
Grrr - I am having a stressful day today - and for no particular reason. Grrr.
Loopy - take a deep breath!!!!! Im not trying to negotiate better terms as Ive been told I'll be wasting my time! The company policy states, 90% for 6 weeks then SMP for the remaining time I take! Ive just accepted that & Im saving every spare penny! I thought it was bad for me with what I lose a month, its somewhere between £700-£900 but you're even worse off! Its not nice, that much I will admit! I too am like you, yeah I earn a good wage & James earns even better but with that income comes high outgoings too - we pay out £2,000 - £3,000 a month! Not much fun I can tell you! For us we are just saving as much as we possibly can! Dont stress about it - you'll be quite surprised how you just manage!!!
Sara thats good news that your in-laws havent said no! Hopefully you'll be able to put some firm plans into place when you meet up with them! Good luck!
Claire you sound like you've got a great support network & I think you've got a great attitude, what will be will be, it would be nice to have a house etc, etc but things could be much worse! xxxx
Yeah marie we r hoping to get a house b4 the baby comes but if not then its fine cos at least we have a roof over our head is the way i see it. So we will just have to wait and see wot happens.
I wish i had a geat paying job but im afraid i dont. Im on basic minimum wage so is my bf so altho we aint losing much its still alot to us as we dont have much at all but we r doing the same and saving esp as we have baby stuff to buy 1st then hopefully we get a house, we will have to kit out the house and still be able to survive on our wages.
As for my attitude, alot of things have happened to me in my past so if i want to survive and not wallow then i have t see it that if it didnt happen then i wouldnt be who i am or have wot i have so i think wot is for wont go past u and ur better make the most out of life cos no1 else is gonna do it for u.
I am soooo tired 2day that i could just put my head down on my desk and have an hours nap lol xxx
Morning everyone - how are we all today? Im okay a little tired (Surprise, surprise!) Talking of surprises, Im now mid-flow to organising my friends surprise baby shower! Im really, really excited as I want it to be really good but at the moment people are replying to my texts saying whether they can make it or not ... how annoying! Im such a control freak when it comes to organising things, you want to see me, Ive got a little plastic wallet with my list of "things to do" - highlighted in different colours for different people. Ive got print out of games we can play, Ive got alsorts. I look like a right boff! But she done my shower for me when I was having Charlie & it was so lovely done, I just want to make her feel as special. As her present, me & my best friend (who is her cousin) brought her sterliser, plus a big wicker basket which we are filling with everything from nappies & talc to booties & mittens, bottles, breastpads & even bubble bath & face packs for her! Ive got the celophane that florists use to wrap flowers to wrap it all up in & Ive got strips of pink, blue & yellow ribbon to put a big bow round it. Its so exciting!!!
Does anyone know if they are having a baby shower? My best friend, Diana & Stacey the girl who's shower the above is for are planning mine with another friend (all 3 girls are godmothers to this baby) so that should be fun! Cant wait! xxx
I say it every week but thank the lord it's friday!! it's been a long week. It's freezing in my office today, I'm sat here with my coat on, I look like a right wally!
How exciting organising a baby shower, I've never been to one but I think my mum, sisters and best friend are wanting to organise one for me so I haven't a clue what to expect! The basket sounds fab, what a lovely idea.
Well, i think I had a couple of little kicks last night, the first noticable ones! 22 weeks monday, can't believe it, time is flying by.
Organising a baby shower can be stressful but it is also lots of fun! Just thinking of all the different games you can play etc - I love it! Im totally in my element! Google is a fantastic tool to have when planning anything! Baby showers have become so popular now, there's nothing you cant buy & there are hundreds of ideas to help you out! You'll have a great time at yours! Especially when you get to open the presents!
22 weeks - you probably most definitely felt kicks - how exciting! This little rascal hasnt stopped figeting all day - it does make me laugh no! There really is nothing else like it, although im sure I wont be as "gooey" about it when Ive got a foot stuck in my rib cage at 3am!
Yay, hooray, Friday! I'm with you on that one Natalie?
I still don't feel baby much - he is lazy. All he did at the scan was roll onto his side. Hopefully he's not getting all his sleep in before he's born!
Funny how I have days of excitement, days of apathy and days of being quite anxious about little one's arrival. Today I'm excited
It's been quite quiet on here recently. What's everyone up to this weekend? xxx
Well, I have taken my coat off but it's still cold, I don't get it, there's blue sky outside.
I hate organising stuff, I remember doing a hen party, never again! it was very stressful. The only thing I enjoyed organising was my wedding, I loved doing that.
Yeah, I'm sure it was two kicks, will hopefully get them tonight as well.
One of our friends has just a little boy, nearly 9lb, they've called him Alfie, very cute. can't wait to see him.
I have been trying to work out my maternity leave this week, nightmare. I'm also going to drop £1000 a month so will probably be back at work after 6 months. I'm very lucky that I do get 12 weeks full pay then SMP. I am trying to stretch to 8 months if I can. Need to have a think! There's sooooo much to do and buy. I've had to say no to a newish car though because we simply can't afford it after ordering the kitchen.
So the baby will be with me in my little yellow megane coupe!! That's if I can get the pram in.
Well ive got a bit of a sore head 2day but other than that im great. Had a really good nite sleep for the 1st time in weeks so feeling refreshed this morning.
As for being cold, i am roasting 2day. Its cold out side but its so warm in my office so u's r all welcome 2 come and get a heat lol
Bought my pram this morning so i am soo excited, cant wait for it to arrive altho i know it cant stay in my house its good just knowing we have bought it and thats a weight off my mind. Just another 120 things to buy i think lol.
I was at ikea last sunday and seen a gorgous white cot and furniture to match for less than £200 and all i need to get is a matress so hopefully going back soon to show OH and agree that that is the one we should get.
Well how is everyone this afternoon ? Everyone feeling baby kick ? Baby has been kicking all morning, im sure im having a boy with the amount of kicking he/she is doing lol
Just a word of advice to all you working mums-to-be...
Don't assume your HR department will get your SMP calculations right - especially if you work for a small company who hasn't had to deal with a pregnant employee for some time.
I was told in no uncertain terms that I would not get paid Bank Holidays. I called ACAS (employment advice) who told me otherwise. I wrote to my employer and referred to the new legislation (which cam into effect last week) and now I'm going to get paid for all eight Bank Holidays.
I got the mama and papas ultima 8 in 1 pram in cityscape which is a dark denim. I fell in love with it the minute i seen it so am soo glad i got it. Have u seen any u like yet natalie ? I have been looking at pram since i found out but wouldnt even put a deposit down on 1 til i was 20 weeks. My mum bought me it tho so cant complain at all.
I love the white furniture and ikea has some beautiful stuff in. Argos also has a good range of nursery furniture as awell which i found cheaper than any pram centres or mothercare. I cant believe how much there is to buy for a newborn, its scary. My gran is giving us money towards our cot and is stocking up on nappies and baby wipes everytime she goes shopping.
Im finishing at 3 2day which is great as ive had my contract changed and i am now only working mon - fri istead of sat as well. Yah !!! I am getting my niece for a few hours this afternoon, gonna take her to the new soft play and ceramic experiance we have just opened down the road from us then going out for a meal with OH as we have been 2gether 5 yrs 2day so having a good weekend all round i think
Loopy - firstly good for you for taken advice elsewhere! I have dealt with ACAS in the past & they were very helpful. What I dont understand is why your employer would think you wouldnt get paid bank holidays? If that is something you currently get then that doesnt change! You are still classed as an employee & still get all the employee perks (what little ones we do get) you will still incur your holiday, you still get paid bank holidays & such, you & the company will/can still contribute to your pension if you have one & you are still entitled to your private health, again if you have it! You're company sounds like they were testing the boundaries & came a little unstuck! I love it when things blow up in their faces ... god Im such a bitch!
all in all, I work for a good company, this is my third baby here & our HR director had 2 whilst she was here so they are pretty trustworthy! I just wish they'd pay me more - ha, dont we all? Before I returned from maternity leave after having charlie I met with my boss & our MD to discuss my hours, I basically wanted to reduce my lunch break by half an hour & leave half an hour earlier so at 4pm! That way I wasnt working less hours & they couldnt take money off me! They tried to get out of it, saying if we let you, everyone will want to do it, but I quite quickly reminded them as a mother with children under 5, I had the government right to request flexible working hours! I dont think they were aware, but done their homework & agreed to my request! You've got to be so sharp on somethings or you can really get taken for a ride!
The sun is shining here & its really a beautiful day! Shame Im not at home to put the washing out! How sad! x
Loopy & Little Miss - I was in the same situation this week as i was told that i would lose out on all my holidays next yr as well as my bank holidays, which is only 24 days but they said they wouldnt evern pay me for them so i too phoned citizens advice and was told that they could not do that. I was adviced to put it in writing when i wanted to take my holidays and hand it in to them. Which is wot i am going to do this weekend.
My company are the same and seem to think we r allblonde and stupid, well they have a surpise cos i aint stupid at all and i make sure i do my research instead of just backing down to them so if they r looking for a fight then i am more than willing to give them one. xx
I cant believe these companies are trying to be so cheeky! Actually its not even cheeky its bloody rude! Would love to see your employers faces when you drop your note on their desk! Oh I love it!
Off to the post office to post my laptop to some stupid insurance company that cant even manage a simple collection from me - god knows how they are meant to fix the laptop! ARGH! x
I love that pram claire, it's gorgeous. I have seen a few I like but I don't know the names, I really need to make a list! I'm so unorganised.
I need to look at the policy for bank holidays as well, not sure how my work place deal with that! I think I'll print out the maternity policy and take it home today.
Well, I should have left and hour ago so definatly leaving at 3.
Have a good weekend ladies and catch up with you all next week.
x
