We're taking the train...some now boarding, some delays, some still standing on the platform! TTC 'Waiters' IIT!

Welcome Getovaryit! Make yourslef at home!

JBells, how's the fudge! It's a bit of a cheaty one the simple one, it is sort of chewy chocolate IYKWIM? Tis yummy tho! :)

AC - yes carry on as normal, but probably super-size it! :o

Hi Getovaryit and welcome to our alternative form of transportation! Is your DH fully on board?

Oh yes JBells how was the fudge? It sounded too simple to work iyswim? If it's yummy I'll be making some.

Squirrel re charting didn't mean to suggest you need to obviously, but if you were we could all peer at your luteal phase temps and go "ooooh" and "hmmmm"!

Oh dear so the advice is just carry on as normal, basically! It's a shame you can't properly appreciate lie ins unless you are deprived of them. Same goes for everything really.

Hello . Please can I join your thread? I'm currently in the 'waiting' stage and it seems to be going on FOREVER!!! DH and I have agreed to start TTC in May (the 1st!!), as I have some issues to sort first (weight and no periods-just a minor detail) Look forward to getting to know you all.

Lie ins would definitely be on my pre-kids list. I think that is one of the things i would miss most. Also, go out for lots of romantic meals with your OH.

I do actually have a "things to do list" some of them would be easier pre kids but i guess i can do after i retire!

Things that are/were on it include
Learn to Ski
Go scuba diving
Run a marathon - actually done 2 now!
Do a triathlon - done many!
Go to the Carribean - done, OH took me to Barbados for my 30th and proposed :-)
Go to New York - going on Honeymoon :-)
Visit pyramids in Egypt - not done, yet!

I am actually really enjoying this waiting time. We are making the most of it and doing lovely things. One of the nicest in the summer was a lovely meal in a Yorkshire Dales pub followed by a walk along the river ending in afternoon tea on the village green reading the sunday papers.

Oh yes....lie ins!!! I remember those! Forget going out, sleep as much as possible! :o

I will second the "getting absolutely trashed" bit..... although hangovers are never fun.

Am dying today after a "compulsory fun" team outing that finished with me attempting to walk home at 1am.... not big or clever!

Squirrel - so sorry to hear that you didn't get a BFP

Thanks bebe and AC - I wasn't really expecting a positive test anyway, so I'm not too disappointed! Am probably just adjusting to lack of hormones :) I'm not charting, might give it a go in a few months if still no success.

I guess my things to do before kids include an extravagant holiday, lots of eating out, visiting friends in different parts of the country, go to the gym lots, take an evening class, drink lots of wine, splash out on nice clothes that aren't going to get ruined by baby sick, have lots of lie-ins and probably more that I can't think of!

Squirrel - sorry about the negative test :(

AC - I may well still be waiting with you! Going to use the Christmas break to bully persaude DH to TTC in Jan, but he doesn't usually give in to my demands very easily! I'd definitely suggest a really nice longish haul holiday (somehwere where you might need jabs?!), and also getting completely trashed (I do sometimes miss that, although don't miss the hangover). I'd also say make an effort to be spontaneous as much as possible! I miss just being able to go and do random things on a whim! Basically, do anything that you would require a babysitter for! In that time your DH might change his mind & you could end up being one who TTCs earlier than planned!

I've already been waiting and wanting to start trying for over a year. It was November last year when I joined MN. I guess it's passed quickly in a way... Any suggestions for things to achieve that are seemingly impossible with a small person in tow? I need cheering up!

Sorry about the negative test Squirrel. I'll keep crossing my fingers for you. It's not over till AF comes up the path! Are you charting?

Hi all! I caved too and did a test this morning - came out negative. I thought that getting pg immediately was too good to be true! Still no sign of AF though, but I'll probably be on the august bus soon :)

AC it's good that you finally have an end date and hope you can make the most of the child free months.

jbells how was the fudge?

wyorkslass shame about the flat, but I'm sure the market will recover and you will eventually sell. And if it doesn't, having rent as a source of income while you're on maternity might not be such a bad thing?

Speaking as someone who has been waiting well over a year it will pass in a flash! I cannot believe we are nearly in November already!!

Make a list of all the things you would like to do/achieve that are seemingly impossible with a very small baby/child in tow. Then set about trying to do/achieve them! I wish I had done this before DD! It will focus your mind, & occupy your time!

Had a bit of a :( moment last night! DH & I were talking about my diet. He told me to stop stressing, go a bit easy then I can start again in the New Year trying to lose weight! I want to be gaining another person (and their weight) not dieting!!!

Lol I guess so Quodlibet! It does seem like the sensible solution, as long as I can put out of my mind the worry that I'll be 34 when we start trying. Other than that and the emotional factor it all makes perfect sense. Maybe I'll get a cat instead. Or two cats and call them George and Jake!

How are you doing yourself?

Well, hurrah to an agreement in the AC household! Do you feel better about it? Looking on the bright side, it's good to be out of limbo-land surely, and at least now you know you have a year to really enjoy being child-free, if the notion takes you! Call it going the scenic route?

Hi girls! Well this is interesting: I have my long stop date for ttc. Unfortunately it is January 2012. But at least it is agreed. By this time DH will be settled in his job and we will be in a better financial position (supposedly). I guess it's sensible really. May as well make myself comfy on the train if I'm going to be waiting here another 15 months .

JBells - our collection is very varied! I quite like the 'West Wing' box set, and DH & I did once sit and watch the entire 'Sharpe' set in a weekend once! (pre DD!) DH has a lot of sci-fi & I have the entire skyline edition of 'Friends' which I will have to start watching when E4 stop having it on all the time!

Sorry you are still feeling rubbish, hopefully you'll be feeling better in time for xmas!

evening all DP is upstairs putting DD to bed so got time to catch up on the days activitied :)

100years- i was also wondering how u had such control with a test in the house, think id test even if i wasnt trying if i had them in the house lol, i hope your AF comes soon so your not stuck in the am i arnt i was the test right limbo si annoying

wyorks- ooh wot r u planning on putting in your hampers i am planning on doing 3 one for DP's dad one for my mum and step dad and one for my nan and grandad, hopefully i can master sum recipes by xmas

bebe- i really hope your DH takes the time to speak to u it is so so frustrating when they just dismiss your thoughts grrr, we also must have about 50 boxsets, and likewise dont get out enuf in fact cant remember the last time we went on a nite out or out in the day alone for that matter hence the huge dvd collection, wot r some of your fave boxsets?

strawberry- i agree about the wire's first few episodes it does take u a while to grasp the whole thing, the shield wasnt like this tho has u gripped from beggining, im also a big fan of 24

squirral- not sure whether youl want a hamper the food mite taste rubbish yet lol wot is it they say its the thought and effort that went into it that counts hehe

been feeling really sick agen today wish this nausea and exhaustion wud bugger of soon so i can start feeling like a normal person again

i am pleased to report that i have just finished making the easy chocolate fudge :) just wanted to share that hehe

100 - :( But you did think it'd be a long shot!

WYorks - we desperately want to get rid of our flat but we wouldn't make enough to pay off the mortgage stupid negative equity rubbish! So we are stuck with it & hate renting it out after it got trashed!
Weddings are an expensive business aren't they! We didn't get a honeymoon & it still costa small fortune! We will be expecting a picture of you in your frock!

Nannyl - tis very sad about your friends dad, at least there must be some comfort for them that they got more time with him than was expected. Still very hard though :(

x-post 100.
I was wondering how you managed to resist POAS, i would have been dying to!

I'm sorry it was neagative and hope AF turns up soon so you can get on with it. Only 1 more for me after this one then we can join you :)

Sorry to hear about your friends Dad nanny, i hope she is doing ok.

I'm loving all the recipes. We were talking about making hampers for Christmas this year too. The parents will also be getting a framed wedding picture of them and us, hopefully. When we were kids my brother used to love making peppermint creams and i loved to eat them. I think they are very easy. I don't have a recipe but you should be able to google one.

OH and i went over our finances last night and after paying for wedding and honeymoon we are pretty skint. It's very frustrating as we have quite a bit tied up in my flat which we have been trying to sell for the last year, this also means we are paying 2 mortgages :( We really don't want to rent it out but may have to reconsider. We really need to have it sorted by the time i go on maternity leave! We've already reduced it to less than i paid for it 3 years ago :(

Well you know how impatient I am, I couldn't wait till Sunday to POAS - it's negative, I'm betting this will bring AF on now. I only did it as I was feeling sick and stuff so I did it anyway. Kind of knew it would be negative, so have no idea why I really actually did it, but it's done now.

I am off out now, going clothes shopping if I can find anything I like.

I think I need to watch the Wire, sounds good!

Squirrel - Originally (way back when we first started talking about TTC) it was going to be last Xmas...then June...then this Xmas...then he said he didn't want anymore! Everytime it gets close he changes his mind! He is very stressed out & things are very difficult right now with work etc but it can't get any worse & surely a baby would be something to look forward to? It's not like it's the first one, we don't have any big stuff to buy! So him talking about 'cost' is irrelevant coz I can't see that there will actually be any more strain on our finances than we already have! Maybe I am being totally naive?! By the time DC2 arrives DD won't be in nappies (God willing) so still only one set of nappies to buy. I'm going to try & bf again (and hope I have more sucess) so for the first 6months there isn't even a 'food' cost involved! Plus when weaning comes along they don't actually eat as much as an adult anyway so it's not like it costs that much to feed really little ones! Plus, if we have a second girl we don't even need to buy clothes!!

I LOVE the wire! I found the dialogue hard to follow for the first few episodes because of all the 'street talk' but I was saying 'true dat' with the best of them by the end! And the main guy (McNulty) is English-you would never guess, he plays a really good part (and pretty easy on the eye too although Idris Elba/Stringer Bell was my fave...very hot) :)

bebe do I remember right that you and DH originally both decided to start in Jan, but now he's not so sure? I know he's stressed out at work, but I don't think that's a valid reason for not being able to think about stuff. If anything, he needs to find ways to address the stress and stop it affecting him (and you) so much. Easier said than done I know!