To TTC or not to TTC, that is the question... as Hamlet sort of said about something else entirely

Going to read the diabetes bit again but in the meantime, this is the dress cgi.ebay.co.uk/M-S-AUTOGRAPH-Black-Silk-Maxi-Dress-Size-8-NEW_W0QQitemZ390151776473QQcmdZViewItemQQp tZWomensClothing?var=&hash=item99ab25bc20

But not, alas, in a size eight!!

Yay to decisions, ovulation and HP's DH being a bit more positive!

I'd better get started on the cardigan hadn't I?! I located enough yarn from my stash but then it didn't make it as far as the 'projects ready to go' box.

Perhaps naively, whenever I see kids behaving really badly, I'm supremely confident that mine won't be nicking crisps/kicking off in the supermarket/whinging because they want a Big McVomit Burger or whatever! So I second YTD's suggestion that parenthood doesn't change your essential views.

Ooo, and I cant open the link to your new dress - it just goes swirly. Maybe try posting it again?

I cant believe a child helped himself to your crisps. Lost for words. Sometimes I think that some children 'these days' seem to think they are the centre of the universe, aided in this opinion no doubt by their parents. Unbeliveable. Perhaps a lot of it stems from the massive emphasis we put on children - nowadays its such a huge decision, as we all know, that having children has become a huge deal, whereas previously it was 'oh, the kids are somewhere around, I think'. But we all know people who are great parents, who have well behaved children that are corrected if they are naughty. Maybe its the definition of naughty that varies too much?

I definitely stay away from AIBU. I dont mind a healthy discussion as much as the next anonymous, code-name protected person but I like a little sugar with my tea. Basically, I dont like confrontation and some people on MN get really angry. No doubt sometimes rightly, but I dont come on here to be yelled at (not that anyone has, but I wouldnt like it if it happened).

You two are making me laugh. BFP? Tee hee. Look at all the palavor (sp?) about just coming off the pill!? But the next confession is that Ive been doing some maths and the only way I can have a baby in my current job is if I get pregnant between now and the end of June (for maternity pay due to length of contract). Otherwise, we will have to wait at least two years, when Im in a new job and settled. Im not going to bring that one up with DH just yet, not as things are so good after todays decision. I think he has come to terms with a few things, it is just taking a while for both of us. Im still a bit freaked out that Im really coming off the pill. eek!

Confused, regards S's treatment, I know about general haematology but not cancer treatments, so I just did a quick literature search for you. It seems that chemotherapy-induced anaemia is quite common following therapy. It can be treated using conventional methods, such as transfusions and mediciations. They will keep a close eye on his numbers and take action if it is needed. If he feels faint or weak, he can tell them straight away and be checked out.

And, T1D. I will type an outline of what I know. If its too clinical or sciency, Im really, really sorry, I dont want you to worry about anything I type or be confused (!) about anything, so if you dont want to talk about it after all, I understand, or if you want more information, I can pass it on (to the limit of my own understanding!).......

As I briefly mentioned on that 'other thread' , T1D falls into a group of conditions known as multifactoral disorders. What this means is that the presence of the condition cant be attributed wholly to genetic factors, nor wholly to environmental factors. In fact a combination of both genetic and environmental factors are required.

For T1D and other conditions like heart disease, the situation is made more complex by the fact that there isnt a single gene responsible for the condition, unlike conditions like sickle cell disease or haemophilia. What happens in complex disorders is that a large number of genes are involved, each contributing a small part to the risk of having the condition. Hunting for these genes is difficult and requires very large study groups of affected people. The current thinking with T1D is that an individual with a combination of 'risk genes' (mutations in some of their genes, which are common and normal and nothing you can do anything about, please dont worry) are perhaps exposed to one or more environmental events, which triggers the beginning of the disease, often at a young age. Now, the environmental factors for T1D are not well understood, but it could be for example, exposure to a common virus, which might not have consequences in a person lacking the risk genes, but sadly does have consequences in the suceptible individual. With T2D, the environmental factors are known to be weight/diet/exercise, but there are also very strong genetic factors as well. So if a person has risk genes AND is very overweight, then they increase their risk of developing T2D.

Is that ok - let me know if you want me to clarify anything Ive written?

YTD I'm glad to hear your thoughts on the pub scenario. I would be horrified if my child was pissing someone off in the pub, but I am saying that now when I have no kids to be doing the pissing off. I'd like to think I'd be more considerate all the same!

The AIBU threads are very scary indeed, as I discovered when I created one (the one about children running around restaurants - about 65% said I was BU and the others said not, but some of the reasons given were, in my opinion, quite shocking - along the lines of the world revolves around my child).

When I came off the pill I had a big surge in libido (but that's worn off a bit now ) and that's about it. Nothing more obvious at all, which is kind of a relief. Would have been horrendous to have the stomach cramps and so on that I had when I was, er, 16.

Oooooh HP-SP moves one step nearer to being this threads first BFP. I know this is no TTC, nor is it even NPP (Not Preventing Pregnancy), but this is an important preliminary step - PPLV (Preventing Pregnancy Less Vigilently)?

However its classified, I think this is a huge step forward. And really good that you are talking about it with DH. And it is pretty good getting your body back to the way is should be. Since I've been off the pill, I have started to notice more variation in my mood and physical well being at different points in my cycle. There's lots of ebbing and flowing and gurgling goes on that I never noticed before.

Most amused by the idea of being unfaithful to this thread! I am two timing with the First Time Frolickers thread and just occasionally make forrays beyond there. I try to stay away from AIBU - its all a bit too muscular for a delicate little flower like me.

Confused, re your child in pub scenario, I don't think you would turn into a lax parent in public places. Obviously, I'm just speculating, but I don't think having children alters people that much. If you are pretty self centred and think that your needs superceed those of others around you, then you will think the same for your children. If you think that occupying a public space requires consideration for others using the same space now, then you will probably vigilently police your children whilst in a public space. I don't think parenthood changes our essential opinions and behaviour - just enhances and develops what is already there.

By the way, I too was expecting cramps and lots of other horribleness when I came off the pill and too my delight, it was no different. That's excluding the increased sex drive, obviously...

Oh my bloody goodness! That's fabulous news! I realise it doesn't mean you are 'going for it', so to speak, but, my god, it's a step in that direction! Also, and possibly more importantly, it must surely mean that your DDH is getting into the swing of things more too - am I right or wrong in assuming that it must have been going round his head for quite a while before he first mentioned it?!

I KNEW you'd be the first BFP on this thread, I just knew it!!

And tsk you being unfaithful and posting on others! I realise this is very naive etc, but I often forget others may read this thread too! (And that's despite the occassional post from other people too!)

S is now home and, I presume, feeling somewhat bulletproof due to the steriods and the transfusion. Is it 'normal' to get so anaemic, and is it the chemo? Is this something relatively easily helped or alleviated? Please share what you know!

So, T1D - is it genetic or isn't it? I am the only one in my family to have it (and no type 2ers either) but my dad's mother had pancreatis (sp) which is the only, albeit vague, connection.

Im back, and can type a bit easier! Waiting for tea to cook.....

At risk of being totally self absorbed, and because I may have built it up a bit, I may as well cut to the chase. It may not be a big deal for many, but I know you will all understand what this means for me....DH and I have decided that I will come off the pill!!! And not some time in the future, but next week . Now, admittedly, the plan is to use condoms instead, so its not like we are actually [whisper] TTC, but I feel like this is a Big Deal. It all came about because I have a slight medical issue that there is some evidence that the pill exacerbates (dont worry, nothing serious). After an appointment I had this week, I mentioned it to DH today, and he just said, look, why dont you come off the pill and see how you feel? So really, it came more from him. We had a calm, positive chat about it and decided to do it, although he said it was 'my body, my final decision' kind of thing.

But thats not the weirdest bit. I said 'if I come off the pill, I think it might be a good idea to start taking folic acid, just in case of accidents' and DH agreed totally!! So, I bought some folic acid today and am going to start taking it!! And regards accidents, he said that he is happy to take full responsibility for anything that happens and he will be ok with it, in a dealing with it if it accidently happened, kind-of-way.

So of course, Im really worried now about losing my precious level of control, but have to say I am fascinated as to what is going to happen. I last ovulated 17 years ago! After spending too much some time reading threads on MN, I realise that nothing may happen for months, so it will be a case of waiting to see. Im not looking forward to PMT and cramps, as well as unexpected arrivals, as per my last experiences!

Well, what do you all think? I realise its not that big a thing, but I feel it is for me, personally, and us both as a couple.

As for posting on other threads, I generally dont, apart from this week, when I have been unfaithful on a couple . The diabetes one came about by accident, because I saw another poster make a comment that Type 1 Diabetes 'Is not hereditary', which I felt compelled to correct, for the sake of having the correct information 'out there'. Now, this does reveal my scientific background, which I havent mentioned at all given lovely Confused's personal experiences with the condition. But my previous job was working in a group that investigated the genetic causes of T1D, so I know a leetle bit about it, and by association, T2 as well. If you want to talk about it more, feel free, I think I have outed myself to anyone reading MN that knows me by now anyway!! As for my current role, reading your post about S I can take an educated punt that if something should be 13 and is now 7, and he needs a transfusion, it is likely to be his haemoglobin levels, so he has gone a bit anaemic. Haemoglobin is in red blood cells, it carries oxygen and is one parameter you can measure with a full blood count. Tell hime to keep eating that steak!

Right, have to go and scoff my tea now....back soon (DH is eying me wondering why all the typing is going on).

While I am waiting for the update (!) from HP-SP I just want to pick everyone's brains. I have just bought this dress for a wedding we're going to in April. I am thinking of doing it up a bit - ie embellishing the flowers with, perhaps, beading, edging them in ribbon, or even sewing on sequins (as long as it doesn't look too home made!) I am lacking in both sewing skills and patience so I need it to be quite simple and not too fiddly (rapid progress makes me keep going whereas messing about for hours on end just makes me frustrated). Any ideas?

Oooh! Sounds exciting! I'm waiting with baited breath! x

ps Bugger - I was excited then about the cardie claiming!!

Hello there! I'm totally here, the reason I haven't posted on my favourite thread today is I have a lot to talk about, some slightly Big News (no, I'm not going to claim the cardie!!!) and I wanted to type it out and reply to everyone posts properly, on the lap top.

So, I will be back soon, once I've eaten and got settled.

HP-SP xx

Hello...? Helllooooo?
We've all gone quiet. Very quiet. I take it that nobody else has anything interesting to say either then?

I have been on this website on and off all bloody day - I think it's addictive - and keep dipping into the childbirth / pregnancy threads in an interested but not enough to do it myself way. HP I have also found you on one of the threads talking about diabetes and the two types. As ridiculous as this sounds, I forget that we all might be posting on other threads too! (Doh!) I guess you can't go into too much detail over what you specifically do in your job, although I am interested if you do want to share a bit more...?

I was talking to DH last night about MN and he was asking me how it all worked. This was prompted by us sitting in the pub (not drinking, as having a month off, but we were sick of being in the house so went for a 'drink' after walking the dog) and being surrounded, or at least it felt like that, small children. Our local is 'pretty much anything friendly' and so there were two mums and their 4 DC's (one was a baby so on the mum's lap) who were messing about in the pool room. (It was about 5pm so not late.) One of the kids, about 8 I think, was stood looking at us with a grin on his face and then, when we opened a packet of crisps, reached over and grabbed one asking 'can I have a crisp' at the same time. I was quite taken aback which is why I didn't instantly say 'no' and make sure he didn't. It's not that I am especially posessive over my bar snacks, but it was the principle of him leaning and grabbing; it would be rude even if he knew us but we'd never seen one another before. His mum told him he shouldn't do that, but halfheartedly - I would have made him apologise as well as apologise myself if he were mine. He then did it again about ten mins later but I saw it coming and pushed his hand out the way saying 'no you can't!'
The reason I have written all this ramble is because it has made me wonder if I would also turn into someone who didn't really care too much what their child was doing as I was too busy enjoying the fact I was in the pub, and making the most of being in the pub doing adult things rather than children things? And also, if I would be someone who'd take their child to the pub in the first place? As I don't have children, I am not keen on children being in pubs (they are surely adult places only) in the first place (however, as I have a dog I think they are should all be very dog friendly which not everyone agrees with!) I think pubs are very dull for children and bored children (and subsequent noise or whatever) isn't great for the other people in the pub with no DC's. But! Am I saying that as I don't have any children and therefore can go to the pub whenever I like...? And would I be saying something totally different if I had children?

I should be ovulating around tomorrow/Friday, and have a job interview Friday morning! Which if i got, would be a huge improvement to our lives and set us up even better for starting a family. To BD or not to BD??? THAT is the question. Was so looking forward to using my ovulation sticks etc, now i'm feeling it would be silly to TTC if they were to offer me the job.

HP! How dare you? Paracetamol and flat lemonade indeed, humph!

Cannot add anything baby (or unbaby) related today. S went in for second chemo only to instead be given a bloody transfusion as his something or other is 7 and needs to be around 13. He is also meant to be having a portal attached to his chest (like a line into the artery) but this too has been put back due to the blood counts so he has been nil by mouth all day for no reason. I suspect he is now wanting steak or similar (be good for his iron levels too.) Talking of his food, he has been advised to have lots of junk food, little and often. While I can see the idea behind it (lots of calories to keep weight up) it doesn't seem the best way surely? I mix of full fat but nutritious stuff would be better, surely? Lastly, he has decided he is going to donate his body to science. This is a lovely lovely idea (help others blah blah blah) but I do find it quite upsetting all the same. Think it's the idea of him being in a cold drawer being prodded and stared at rather than sprinkled in his favourite place (ashes, obviously) or in a wicker coffin by a nice tree etc etc.

Sorry to just talk about cancer stuff, it's a bit hard not to at the moment.

Hi all, long day at work and just got out of bath, so a quickie from me too, and will catch up properly soon. Am pretty tired, apologies if what follows is nonsense...

LST, what a difficult, difficult situation. I hope the aftermath of your IVF meeting does not go as you fear, I know all too well how such discussions can play out -one minute all is calm, the next all heck has broken loose and tears are falling. Your comment about regretting not having a child in the future seems to gave struck a cord with many of us.

Confused, perfect summation of all our current thoughts and struggles, I think. We all seem to be encountering a proportion of a list of troubles that are interfering with either our freedom to make a decision or to get on with TTC. Sigh. Also, hope you get sent more photos.

YTD, hooray that you got the repeat bloods done. Shame DH hasn't repeated his sample yet, men huh!

Suerock, that completely sucks, what rubbish timing. And how crap of them to keep you in the dark for now. Pants. Fingers crossed for some good news to follow.

(I really do think it's weird that so many of us find ourselves in similar situations)

SeaGreen, how is the head?? Between you and Confused there are a lot of paracetamol tablets and flat lemonade lying around the thread at the moment. Good work, ladies!

Oooh, YTD, hope your DH gets his act togehter sharpish too! How long does it take for his sample to be analysed too? Is his more immediate? I agree that men can be rubbish with these things, although mine at the moment seems to have gone the other way and is there all the time (slight exaggeration) as he's convinced he's gluten intolerant. I hope you were very brave with the blood test - I am the opposite! And get pissed off with people remarking on how weird it must be for me to freak out at blood tests but not at injections - the injections I do myself are 8mm and into subcutaenous fat, not in a bloody vein - and my veins are both small and hard to get at, trust me many have tried!

Talking of medical stuff, do GP's surgeries have to hit certain targets re patients? I ask as mine have contacted me for a 'Diabetic Interim Review' - I last saw someone re diabetic stuff, the preconception woman at the hospital would couldn't understand why they'd sent me as I am so well controlled (smug!) and so surely don't need to see someone at the GP's under 4 months later? Apparently so, according to the receptionist, who then added that they can't keep writing out prescriptions without seeing me 'regularly.' As the nurse at the GP's (nice woman but utterly crap) is always trying to send me on courses, have tests for things like coelic (sp?) and so on I am wondering if they have to see a certain number of their diabetic patients regardless of their control? And do they have to have a certain number go on these courses, for example, too regardless of the fact the patient is managing perfectly without? It's a pain in the bloody arse!

We have had a depressing evening looking at houses in Hebden Bridge. All of the one's in our meagre pricerange are either on main-ish roads, too small, tiny nasty kitchens (and no scope to make them bigger or much better other than cosmetic) and so on. As we have two cats and a dog we can't be in a main road, and really do need a yard or similar as know the idea of having to get dressed and walk up and down the street every time the dog wants a wee will get very tedious. (Sunday morning when it's freezing for example.)

Oooh! I've just seen I have my own face - look!

Evening all,

Quick update from me. I had my repeat blood test today. The nurse was very nice and checked before she took the blood what she would be testing for. I think there must have been a note on my record in VERY LARGE LETTERS! . Results should be back in about a week. However, I am still waiting for DH to make his appointment at the urology dept to re-submit his sample (boys, they are rubbish, its not like I can do it for him, he has to sort this one out himself!) so it looks like it will be another couple of weeks before we get all our test results back and can get our referral.

Confused - I think you sum up our TTC dilemas perfectly, we either can't decide, don't have circumstances conducive to decision making or, if we have decided we want to procreate, can't bloody well do it!

Hello everyone! Or, should I whispher on account of SeaGreen's sore head...?
I didn't manage to post anymore over the weekend as I had a humdinger of a hangover on Sunday (trust me, it was horrific - and I was doing SO well up until about 11pm) and was throwing up. Now I am back to normal and also have decided, largely due to these spare tyres, go on the wagon for a month. Wish me luck!

So, where were we? Ah yes, it does seem as if a lot of us are having job shite (and, by proxy, money shite.) Add to that the bastard that is Mother Nature, terminally young DH's and no signs of any BFP's and it looks like we all have various reasons to be fed up. If I could find some answers for at least some of the problems I'd be very popular indeed, but unfortunately I can't.

Life can be really bloody unfair, can't it? I mean, those of us without the Peter Pans in our lives and who have, at least relatively speaking, made 'The Decision' (ie to get up the duff!) can't, and the rest of us either can't get to that stage because they are incapable of making a decision themselves, or have cash / job issues (or potential one's.) It does make you wonder how on earth anyone does it? Surely not everyone is like this?! Or maybe you swap some things (spare cash, or even just some cash) for others ('daddy daddy daddy' etc - hmm, I can't say that's doing it for me!)

As for the confusion re the Fimo figurines - it was the bride and groom and their three dogs. It went down a storm, I am very proud to say, but I can't post any pics just yet. I only have them on my phone which I can't download onto my laptop as I have lost the cable (ooops) but will hopefully wangle some pics off the groom's dad as he took loads with his posh camera. I'll let you know if or when they're up. Oh yes, and the dog was being held by the Fimo bride, not the real bride hence the Fimo arm had to go round the dog (it didn't in the end as it wasn't strong enough and we couldn't use glue as they had to be cooked in the oven.) Hope that has cleared things up!

As for the photo's for the book, I have a grand total of.... 18. Yup, 18 Despite having 40 responses, most of whom promised to send a selection, only a few of those have actually come up with anything which is very frustrating. I am now nudging those who previously said they'd send one, and am not going to bother mentioning it to anyone who never responded in the first place due to the massive divide in opinion. Hopefully I'll end up with at least 30 otherwise I can't do it (and it would be such a shame to not be able to use the pics I have got as some are lovely. It just won't work with a few though, it has to be all (or close to all) or nothing.

LST I think one of my major reasons for this whole baby do-I-or-don't-I situation is the worry that I may regret it. I think I probably will, but it doesn't actually, job and cashflow aside, make me want to do anything more about it. My DH is of a similar mindset (I may be more keen if he was) which doesn't help and I think if he wasn't keen at all I'd be at a bit of a loss about what to do at all. It does sound positive that your DH is into babies to an extent though, and loves his neices etc so much. Hopefully this implies that when it is actually a child of his own this enthusiasm would be amplified enormously. Fingers crossed!

Right - I think I rambled on a bit there but what the hell! Time to take this dog out I think... Bye for now!

{ooh my head }
paying the price today!

Suerock - thanks for the thought! the stress is messing with my head ,and i swear, this was the year DH and i had said we would try starting christmas- only we can't anymore. and i don't want to give too much away but you can understand that there is some common ground in our circumstances!!
today's the first time in AGES (can't remember the last time- christmas, but wasn't high then!) that i've had a drink and got buzzed.DH poured me a nice HUGE glass of wine (which i topped up later!) and am sat here nicely buzzed watching tv.
good luck suerock !! this too shall pass..i hope with all my heart.

I keep meaning to post, but then I don't have time to be articulate about all the things I want to say, so I put it off, and then I think of more things, so I put it off again. But I am going to give up being articulate.....

Right, rant alert. You might want to skip the next paragraph.

The job situation is worse than I expected - they have announced sweeping job losses but are making us wait a month before saying who/where/when/how. I understand the economic reasons, but I can't believe how bad the timing is for me. I had a hunch it was never going to be a job for life, but I'd hoped I might get through maternity leave and the first couple of years of childrearing before having to move on. I know I sound like a complete drama queen and there are loads of people in a worse position - but my chances of finding another job in the UK are almost nil unless I do something completely different. And DH and I had an unplanned and unprovoked but ultimately positive conversation at the beginning of the year about how this year has to be The Year We Really Try, and how, while I consider myself a thoroughly modern woman who is equal to her male peers in nearly all ways, I cannot actually get pregnant by myself. So I was hoping we might make some progress, but my first response on finding myself preggers right now would be to cackle hysterically and then turn into a panicked gibbering wreck.

OK. Rant over.

YTD - sorry ho hear they messed up the tests. I'm torn between saying I hope the repeats all come back completely normal, and saying I hope they find something really simple they can put right, so you can find yourself with a BFP straight away.

HP and LST - I completely sympathise with your unenthusiastic DH dilemmas. Life would have been so much simpler if they'd given sperm sell-by dates too! Your description of 'Peter Pan' is very apt here too, so while my DH doesn't object to the idea of kids, he has very little concept of the urgency either

LST - finally saw your photos BTW, and I wasn't far out in my imagined image of you - although you seem not to have the long ash-blond wavy hair I expected!

confused - you'll have to post some pictures of the Fimo dogs cos I'm quite confused myself - I thought they were going on the cake and not on the bride's arm??! Or was this the real dog? I'm dead impressed though - I always have high hopes of Fimo but I can never make it turn out the way I imagine things in my head! This is going back quite a few posts now, but sorry to hear you had criticism about the book you're making for S. After all, as I think someone else said, it's what he thinks about it and no-one else that matters. But I wonder whether the person who criticised you was dealing with their own grief at the news - I can see how maybe they might feel that making a book somehow made it more real, IYSWIM? Just a thought.

SeaGreen - hope the stress in your life isn't getting the better of you.

Fingers crossed that February will turn out better than January for all of us....

Hi all,

Really sorry to hear about the test shenanigans, YTD - what a pain! I had all sorts of delays due to different surgeries, and even bits of the same surgery, not talking to each other, which was maddening enough, but this sounds a lot worse. But at least good news so far, which must be encouraging.

Of course I don't know exactly what's going on with your DH, HP, but he does sound uncannily like mine. Not that I have a clue how to deal with him/the situation. In fact I'm slightly dreading the meetings with the IVF people in 10 days' time, because I think it's going to prompt another big horrible discussion/argument and plenty of black looks (at best) and anger (at worst) from my DH. And I've been thinking about something confused said a little while ago about not forcing anyone into it that really doesn't want it. I don't think I can do that, either ethically or in terms of safeguarding our relationship, so the whole thing may be a non-starter after all this.

We're basically at the impasse at the moment where he's going along with it because he thinks I might go a bit mad (or at least be very unhappy) with regret and delayed longing for a baby in about 5 years' time (or some point when it's too late) and that he doesn't want to be responsible for that (or, to be fair, for me to go through that). He can't even contemplate regretting it himself - which isn't a great sign, obviously. (Though it doesn't mean he won't...) On the one hand I'm a bit insulted as he clearly thinks I might become quite unhinged (and I don't think I give him too much reason to think this?!) if I never have a baby; on the other, on my redder days, I think that maybe that is the reason I'm doing this - in case I really am grief-stricken for what never was down the line.

OK, I realize this sounds like a pretty disastrous starting point for the big commitment that is IVF. There is another side to things. I think we're both pretty engaged and fascinated around babies and kids - him too, if truth be told. He's interested, enthusiastic and very fond of his nieces (all six of them!) and nephew. I'm currently quite green in an unthinking sort of way, having spent the weekend with close friends and their adorable 7 week old baby (although he's a pretty easy baby sleepwise and still portable to restaurants and stuff so it's perhaps not entirely representative!).

ANYWAY, this was not supposed to be about me at all! How is your DH with kids, HP? Not that that is necessarily a good predictor of how they'd be with their own kids, but it gives me encouragement (perhaps disastrously) with mine, because being with kids does help my DH soften a tiny bit about the idea - though that is perhaps as we're lucky enough to know very nice kids on the whole. (And the fact that he's arrogant enoguh to think he'd be the perfect parent, and that his own would be impeccably behaved and disciplined!) I really hope things get a bit easier - I think if we women do really want it (and that's obviously the crux of the whole issue and this whole thread!!!) we just have to coax them (the men!) along and take responsibility for it at certain stages, which I resent and am sad about, but am kind of gritting my teeth about at the moment. It does seem psychologically harder for them (poor lambs ) , but I think they are usually ok when things are a reality. Who knows.

Anyway, sorry for this mammoth, rambling and inconsequential post! Really hope you had a lovely weekend, confused, and that the FIMO dogs were a huge hit - as they can't have failed to be. Am entirely unblessed with any artistic talent but am living vicariously through the talents of people on here - between your many projects and Suerock's cardigans!

All the very very best with the tests, YTD, and hope everyone else's week goes ok too. I'm meeting up some people who are at various stages of IVF treatment locally tomorrow evening (through Fertility Friends - thanks so much for putting me onto that, confused) so will let you know how that goes!

LSTx

YTD- good luck, hope next week they get their act together, fingers crossed for you.

HP - "bouncing on the bed at 7am going 'Daddy, what time is it (bounce) daddy, why is your chin hairy (bounce) daddy daddy daddy get up!"
HAHAHA
oh i love my sleep. that is a nightmare scenario if that was my bed.

It's so annoying that they have made such a mess of your tests, YTD. So basically they only managed one out of three tests - but the one they did do showed a good result? That's a good sign, at least. It is a shame you both have to repeat the more....challenging tests. Typical! But after all this, you are that much closer to your green BFP. Eek!

I have to tell you, I have reread your 'HPs DH' post about four times now. Thank you for taking the time to think about all this for me. Everything you wrote is true, I'm sure of it. And maybe LST can see something there as well, given we are married to the same bloke . He clearly isn't feeling any pressure from time or Mother Nature, so the only pressure (even if I barely talk to him about it!) is from me. Before this all kicked off, we were footloose and fancy free, psychologically at least. And now I'm forcing him to think about things he, frankly, doesn't have really good feelings about. But I'm going to whine.....I don't wanna think about them either, but I gotta!

Confused, I think like it or not he would have to deal with his kids as and when required, as it is pretty hard to ignore them when they are bouncing on your bed at 7am going 'Daddy, what time is it (bounce) daddy, why is your chin hairy (bounce) daddy daddy daddy get up!'. All of my friends with children say you get used to being organised and having to get up and get on with things. I hope you sorted everything out that needed doing today, and are having a fun time at the wedding as I type this! A piccie of the final crafty result would be great....