Cake, gimme cake

but only the way I want it! 

Mother-in-law-to-be has taken over the cake, well I knew she'd taken on cooking the cake - we negotiated out of chocolate as I don't like her chocolate cake... neither do I like her fruit cake but I can't DO anything about that except not eat it. So I'm not getting the cake I wanted - me and the other half did come to the agreement of carrot, chocolate and fruit to please everyone - god knows why it was thought the fruit cake be the largest, personally I'd have thought the chocolate cake should have been the biggest as I know more people who'd have it...... but now were down to 2 fruit and a carrot. So I get carrot if I get a piece of cake, already said no nuts as some people insist carrot cake has nuts, surely that makes it a carrot and nut cake? 

So I'm already fed up about THE cake, now I find out that she's already got the decorations... excuse me but aren't the groom and bride supposed to be involved? I feel like disowning the cake and when it comes to photos and cutting the blinkin thing to go stand by something else (I shall take a fairy cake and cut that!). I could order my own deco and put it on the cake on the day, wipe hers off the face of the cake. Why don't people ask? huh? is it such a big deal to ask - I don't bite unless provoked and asking wont provoke me. I'd even told her I'd seen some nice ones in a shop and WE should go have a look see if they're ok. 

Enough ranting from me for now I have a tiny person, who has wriggled off, to tend to.

Soother

It's only 3 weeks and I'm giving in to my other halfs insistant on using a soother/dummy when Little C wails - only I will wait for a real episode the other one gives in as soon as there's a hint of wail coming. Little C's also been having episodes asleep (of sudden out the blue wailing) - I'm thinking it's soother related. 

The question is, is it a good idea to use one now? I think little C's already hooked on it, which I don't think is good and I'd like to stop it, but I can see how it makes life easy. Particularly as today I took it away and Little C wailed constantly for 15 miutes, and then had a 10 minute break before setting off again. I even managed to do a nappy change and provide a bath (as the little darlings started weeing over the change mat whenever we take the nappy off) and we had a constant wail through it. I'm beginning to wish there were colour coded instructions (blue for feed, red for "I want to be burped/sick" etc.).

Oh well back to servicing the sleepy head.

Wellll hellllooo

Finally, Little C arrived very early in the morning 2 weeks ago. Tiny little person, all soft and fluffy. In fact in 2 weeks Little C now seems quite big to me.

We went to a meal the other day and I couldn't believe how many 5-6 month olds there were there, also they nearly all had red hair! And there I was thinking redheads are rare, well more so than blondes and brunettes. Well I was mentioning these other babes becuase I couldn't believe how big they are. Now Little C was around 7lb's, so not a tiny baby and not a large one either, but will Little C get to be sooooo large and round faced as these others at 6 months? 

Not expecting any long sleeps just yet - except in the car that is - Little C's asleep right now, puckered lips and lying frog-like. So this is now my world - feeds and changing nappies, grabbing kip..... oh plus housekeeping, cooking, teaching and studies (when I can fit them in!!).

Long time no see

Ok so it's been a while, not that I haven't been thinking (I did manage 5 minutes to update my reading list last time). Been busy.

Excuses, excuses, I know - shouldn't have to, and is any excuse really any good? So what's been happening?

Firstly keeping up the same old - dancing, coursework (which I'm failing, but I've got to the point where the course descriptions are never what the course is actually about so, particularly on this one, why should I get myself overly worried), the house, gardening, and well there was work. 

So we decorated the last bedroom and about 2 weeks ago got it carpeted, since then we've had nearly all the decorating and "rubble" removed, a few pieces of furniture moved in and around the house. 

Work was a pain in the rear but I was reminding myself (almost constantly) that it didn't matter. We'd have meetings between 6 of us only for things 5 minutes after the meeting to be changed and for 3 of us who attended the meeting to find out by grapevine. Very badly handled. They even put someone in charge without discussing it with the group and completely p'd 1 person off as they were on holiday for that 1 day and didn't even have the courtesy to go tell them face to face but let them "work it out" during the day. Mind you, what should an employee expect? I remember the time I was off sick for 2 days and came back to find I was in a new group - no one told me for 2 days, and then someone slipped up and said "oh you shouldn't be doing that you're supposed to be working in that group". Makes you wonder how these places stay in business!

Anyway I'm not to worry about that, as long as I have s job of the same pay when I go back... yes that's right I'm now "laying in" as the census details on one of my ancestors called in. The baby was due last Monday/Tuesday, hence one reason I feel there should be no excuses as to not being able to update my blog. Unfortunately it's not here yet. Obviously too cozy where it is and not eager to come out into such a mean world - well it has spent the majority of 9 months at work with me!

So on top of everything else we've had to do the whole baby item hunting in our spare moments. At least the first week on maternity I managed to clean the whole house from top to bottom - from window frames to ceiling dusting. Ok so I did have help, there are things that people feel you shouldn't be doing such as climbing 3-step ladders, and lifting anything heavier than a chair. 

I had help in the garden yesterday and now it looks better - less weeds more flowers. There's a few odd jobs with the veg, as always but generally I think things are now "under the thumb", at least for a little while. Although saying that we get the odd "bad surprise", like the other week when the baby was due the front door lock failed. In fact it was funnier than that. I had visitors to help clean the bits I couldn't reach and when it came to opening the front door we couldn't. They had to clamber over the neighbours garden into mine. Lots of comments about not dropping the baby just yet else I'd have to  climb out the window! Anyway we got a locksmith and eventually got the door sorted, lucky I didn't have to go to work as we could only chain the door shut.

Well for now I think that's enough, must get on as I have some new dances to learn.

Ella Minnow Pea

I know I don't usually comment on books - I read them and my tastes are the same as everyone elses. it's just I had to mention this one, it's unusual. You could probably read it in 3 or 4 hours - I read it in about 8 days bus journeys.
All I'll say is if you like words and are interested in written English this book is worth a read. I can't say I got overly involved in the whole storyline or characters but I enjoyed it for the concepts it put forth. I'd guess a teenager or thereabouts might find it better.

Nearly there

Yesterday was another non-speaking day, until lunch time wen I was approached  by the "offending" party and we had a chat. There were points of "it's not me, I've been asked to" and as I was relaxing all I could think was along the lines of, then it's the way it's communicated - I attempted a few comments along those lines, whether it's picked up I don't know. If it isn't then I'll have to have words to those above to approach and say that tone and wording needs to be looked at.
Mind you I'm only half and half inclined to believe that it's a response from "other people" complaining about me.... who? That's what I like to know, not to be nasty in anyway, I don't think they have valid points, but often these people do need to be looked at and say "well you expect that of me but you don't actual fulfill it either" like the timekeeping business, the person monitoring the time often has no idea when they themselves go out for lunch or come back, plus they question the amount of time it takes to get a coffee and we know their tea breaks are over 30mins..... is it not fair to say look at yourself before causing trouble for others.
And I'd also like to know, why me? Have I done something to cause all this trouble?

Tuesday

Apparently my appraisal form showed how angry I was, I got even more angry in the actual face to face. I got it all out right at the beginning. The points were valid and would be looked into.... I wont hold my breath but at least "we" can work forwards from here, I guess.
Then we worked through the form, that part was actually very good. I must have been inspired because I came out with some good ideas and usually in these things I can't think of anything. We were over 2 hours! Quite a record, most manage an hour more or less!
Still a little stressed in the afternoon and definately not usual self, now I have to wait for the colleague to have their appraisal.