Calling The Viroids - Just Shagging Graduates!

[gormers]

Just thought I'd start a thread for all those JS graduates, whether a newbie graduate or even if you left us a while ago and are well on your way. Would be good for us to keep in touch, see if we're all staying 'sane'.

Don't know about you ladies, but I am still filled with the overwhelming urge to PIAR (that's POAS for all you older graduates - after you left us we went a little mad and started harnessing the power of the ramekin!) I think once you start the habit it doesn't leave you!

Well, it's good to know that the Just Shagging method works. Even if we did once in a while just cheat a teeny tiny little bit!

yes, katee, that's fine.
or KateesGotaPieinherOven

Hey nickel, reunion it is! I seem to remember that you live near Thanet/in Kent - is Rooks the butcher's? Not sure they have them anywhere else! I love their Cornish pasties, their chicken and mushroom pies, and their apple turnovers. None like them anywhere else ... mmm pies ...

bb at the sudden recollection you're having twins :)

I love OBEM. It makes me feel like I know what can/will/might happen and understand things better. DH cries every week, too, so it's a prime piss-taking opportunity :)

Thanks coaaf and macaroon for suggestions re: childminders. We may have to look into it. For some reason it makes me feel uneasy but there's no logical reason for this so we really should look at it. Our families have been telling me to take the baby in the car (70 mins each way). Someone else told me this is normal in Canada (where she's from). So now I'm back to square one and thinking I might do that.

So sorry your father-in-law is being an arse coaaf. I'm sure he has his reasons but if I was you I'd probably want to go and slash his tyres or something. for you. I really hope he comes to his senses for you ...

I just spent the day with a bunch of Year 9 kids doing fossil collecting and making them read and write poetry about geology. It went okay. I thought it was going to go appallingly abysmally badly but it was fine, apart from the fact that my voice doesn't carry so, though they'll listen to me once they're all quiet, I had to keep getting men to quieten them down enough that I could talk

Sooooo glad it's over! If only I could have a glass of wine (or twelve)

CM will be cheaper than nanny, TTL. Nanny budget £100/day (live out) once you've taken gross cost, plus employers NI plus incidental expenses into account, and that's the cheap end for Cambs. CMs more likely to be in the region of half that. Plus all CMs are eligible to take childcare vouchers of you/DH gets them whereas not all nannies are registered and you'd be looking at £100+ to pay for registration if they weren't.

Do you get any kind of tax credits?

I forsee childcare being a nightmare but taking the view we can't dirt anything until we know where in the world we'll be so no point stressing already.

I was thinking mmm Pie too (preferably steak and cheese NZ style - as always), please don't take Nickel suggestion Katee, or I'll end up being the one who ate all the pies

And while you're in the TTL pass us a few stubbies (of beer) and oddly a few kahlua and milks (mm white russian...). It's probably a good thing I can't drink these days, or I'd end up a) drinking a few and venturing onto AIBU or b) crawling into bed right after finishing the bottledinner a sobbing horrible drunken mess. At least now I'm just a sobbing hormonal mess

I'm home and with the rest of the week off [superhugegrin]! I have come back with a bump...sort of. Probably more likely to be paella and ice cream It was definitely starting to show when I was lying flat. 17+2 so should be growing - certainly giving me enough ligament pain and achy fanjo-ness! Also a really odd pain that makes my tummy button feel connected to my bladder and pulling - does that make sense?!

Also pretty sure i have felt some movement. Not the bubbles/butterflies but sort of like it is turning! Could just be wind!

Macaroon - yay for the blue baby! We find out on Friday (as long as it cooperates!) I am utterly convinced it is blue. It's April Fool's Day so will be convinced they are tricking me if they tell me it's pink

No more talk of episiotomies or 11lb-ers please! Make me cross my legs and cry a little!

CONGRATS Nickel good to have you here [smooches]

BB you made me with your TWO comment. Every now and again (like at 2am this morning) I get the "Shhhiiiiittttt, I'm having an actual human" moment!

Those of you on numbers 2 and more, bra question! I need a bigger one. Do I bother now? Will they not just get bigger still?

Wow this thread's gone mad today!

Welcome Nickel and huge congrats!

Confessions so so sorry you're having to go through this. I can understand FIL wants to be cautious with what he signs, but there's a time and a place to demonstrate one's principles re singing things and a time to just be a bit more compassionate. Sending huge hugs, and hope you get something sorted soon.

Vallinna congrats on bump and movement. I'm 20 weeks today and it's only in the last 2 weeks that my bump seems to have popped out. I've definitely entered the "is she/isn't she?" phase now, although I was at a school governors meeting last week and had been chatting to people for an hour or more when the point came in the meeting for discussing staffing next year and the head said there would be a vacancy as someone would be on maternity leave and most looked a little surprised when she said it was me! So they're either being polite or very unobservant!

TTL I'm in the opposite position to you. I really really want to use a childminder for DC (though I have a particular one in mind who is amazing, and a backup nearly as amazing one, both of whom live in the village I teach in) but if they don't have vacancies at the right time then I'll be forced to consider one of the day nurseries in our town, but I've not heard anything good about any of them, especially from a friend who works for the council liasing with early years childcare settings. But you've got to go with the decision that's right for you and that works for you. There are fab nurseries and crap childminders out there (there's a reason it would be nursery and not one of the other 3 village childminders - I'm in the lucky position of having links with all local childminders as the village nursery teacher)

I'm having a wobble about whether to find out if Squiglet is a blue or pink one tomorrow. I know I'll regret not finding out, and DH really wants to know, but am still having a wobble that some of the magic will be gone when it finally arrives and that people will judge me massively for finding out

As a final rant, I'm now getting fed up with people asking if I'm getting anything for Mothers' day this year. Err no, baby is 4 months off being born. Yes I do have a DH, no I'm not his mother (who, lovely lady though she is, will be lucky to get anything as it's up to DH to organise it...thankfully she's also very laid back and whilst she'll really appreciate anything small that she does receive, wouldn't be upset by not getting anything IYSWIM) I also don't like the pressure that surrounds mothers' day. my DBro sent me a text earlier asking if I want to go halves on an expensive plant for mum. I said no originally because I'd ordered a small present from amazon. Then I felt guilty as DH pointed out that DBro would be bearing the entire cost himself so said we'd go in with him. But now it's the worst of all worlds because I feel railroaded into spending 3 times as much as I intended (and it's not that we can't afford it, but I think of Mothers' day as being a nice bunch of flowers job, not a huge present job) so feel that it's just a financial transaction and not a real expression of gratitude for mum and what she does fro us. My dad doesn't help with his insistence that every minor event has to be extra-special "because it's for your mum" (or whoever).
Sorry. Long rant. Think I seem to feel more strongly than I realised . My parents are fab, and I do appreciate them, but they can be a bit over bearing with all their expectations at times.

Nickel: Welcome!

Macaroon - yay for the blue baby! I think we are still 50/50 on the boy/girl front.

On the HB/MLU/Hospital ect I agree with Star that its good to keep an open mind. I have spent way to much time in hospital ect with various ongoing issues which means I dont get a choice and will in in the consultant lead unit with only a few options open for me but I have been so pleasently suprised by the hospital maternity staff and a very different experience to other wards.

They really do keep all the best/nicest/firendly/deicated staff for maternity and I now have every faith that they will be the best people to look after me and the baby.

vallinapod: I think I was about 17 or 18 weeks when I 1st felt movements when I was christmas shopping. Exciting to be finding out!

Eskarina: Do what is right for you and sod what others think! Thats crazy for anyone to judge your decision. I loved finding out and glad everyday that I did as that day is the fav so far of my pregnancy as for us it is the day it all became really real for us. The birth is going to be a magic moment what ever for you both if its a suprise/boy/girl or whatever! Even though I know we are having a girl I am still so excited to meet her and cant wait to see what she looks like

I totally agree with the Mothers Day thing, I will be 6 weeks off due on the day and I think its a little strange as not a Mum yet and I will have plenty of them in the future I hope! I really dont do a lot for my Mum besides try my best to spend some time with her during the day and the same for my MIL

Vall Sounds like you are bump-a-licious!

Eskarina I found out with my first and it really doesn't take anything away from the moment they put the child in your arms (that's a big enough surprise to deal with ;) )- if anything, i found it really helped me, and especially DH, to bond with the baby (and certainly allowed us to prepare!) If you are worried about others judging you (which you shouldn't be) why don't you find out and keep it to yourselves?

Mothers' day for pregnant women...??!!

Well, we've been for scan. Baby is growing well and is healthy in all respects. Jolly uncooperative though - it rolled in a ball then put its hands over its face repeatedly whilst the sonographer tried to check eyes and lips, kept running away from the probe and then kept its legs closed despite lots of prodding and jiggling (ooh me bladder!) However she said she was 85% certain it was a girl as she could see no evidence of it being a boy. But not to buy any pink clothes as 85% isn't a very high level of being certain, she prefers on being 95%.
But it's healthy, which is all I'm bothered about. DH is holding onto the 15% boy chance, but only because with me and the cat he's outnumbered by demanding women already!
Plus I can tell all the nosy people who ask that we tried and they couldn't tell!

TTL - yes, it's the Butcher's - sometimes we get a pasty there (didn't want everyone going but i thought you were veggie! )

Eskarina - poor thing! :(
On the other hand, I have been telling DH that I want something for Mothering Sunday, because I am a mother-to-be (but that's cos i'm needy and greedy )

Been thinking about this boy/girl thing a lot, and i'm definitely going to go down the route of dressing the child in any colour I want - if the boy is wearing pink, and someone comments, I'll say "oh, sorry, i didn't realise it changes the gender - i'll remind DH of that next time he wanted to wear his pink shirt" or if the girl is wearing blue "oh, so every time I wear Blue, I turn into a boy do i?"

Nickel I like your style!

I suppose I'd better go to work now really. I've hung on at home as long as I can (no point going in before I've had lunch,) but I've eaten now so I should go) [grump]

I've been at work all morning!
still feel a bit queasy.

Had more spotting this morning, and have to give up my lunch break to go to MW for another blood test as they threw away didn't test the last one. Grump.

Wish scan date would hurry up, seems like years away til 11 April!

Your LO's antics made me smile eskarina

nickel does the queasiness go away if you eat? I found the trick was to never let myself get hungry, so just ate small things every hour or so. Subsided mostly at about 10 weeks if that helps

it does go away if i eat, but i don't want to eat!
All i've got is ginger biscuits, and i don't want to eat those in case they stop doing their proper job.

er... hello? Brassica, Vallinna, anyone else from the first generation..?

Can I poke my nose in here please?! Used to be 30&Merkin for anyone who remembers waaaaaay back on the early JSing threads, then I decided I was never going to get pregnant, got the hump and flounced off... and er, am now 6 weeks.

Hurrah!!!! 30/Dastard congratulations!
I used to be milano

Morning

Sorry you are having child care worries already takethat. I think I'm looking at a p/t nanny because 1) I'd need to leave before a nursury opens and return after they close and 2)living in the back end of nowhere I think a nanny will be cheaper than 2xnursury places. Financially though I start to panic whenever I think about it! You mean I can't maintain my f/t lifestyle, go p/t, bring up 2 children AND pay for childcare?!

Sorry about the FIL/house situation coaaf. It's so crap I have no proper words for you. I'll pray everything works out.

Weclome back vallinna! Yes to belly buton pulling! I don't know what's going on, but it's most uncomfortable! Yes, I'd suggest you need a new bra rather than put up with ill-fitting ones. But then we've got an yucky M&S outlet store near us and I picked up one for a fiver. But then I'm still going with underwired. I don't care what they say!

I had a quick peak into the TTC boards today. It was worth a reminder of how hard we worked to get knocked up. It really was a stressful time wasn't it.

Yeah milano! Puts up the blue bunting!

Glad your scan went well esk. LO must have known you were in two minds on finding out the girl/boy question!

Hi to everyone else I may have missed! . It has been busy here!

Then I get to the bottom of the updates and O-M-G 30 is knocked up! Yeah, and Yeah again! Huzzzah and congratulations!

I vagely remember you 30/D&S. Congratulations and get yourself comfy .

A general and wave at everyone else sorry. Very tired and sore and haven't the energy for more (though pleased about good scan results etc)

Ooooh hello 30! Fab new name and fab news

Brassica I'm going for a nanny as well - no-one else will start early enough and you're right that for 2 it's not that much more expensive. I'm trying to persuade one of my friends she wants to share with me to reduce the cost. The equivalent of employer's NI here is eyewatering. I'm also with you on the underwired bras front - as long as they fit properly it's fine. So go get fitted, vallinna!

I sympathise with the uncooperative baby esk. It's very frustrating BUT sometimes you get an extra scan if they're really uncooperative.

nickel if eating helps to keep the queasiness at bay then try sucking a sweet or something rather than actually eating. It might just be that your blood sugar plummets. I'm also not worried about colours, although everytime something came in pink or blue I got it in blue because I think it's less of an issue for a girl to have blue stuff than for a boy to have pink for some reason.

:( at spotting Katee and at MWs losing your last set of bloods.

30 !

you're further on than me!

Good shagging, girl!

I'll try the sweets thing - i had a pack of veggie haribo last week, and eating those did help.

I'm going against Blue - mainly because my little sis insisted that all her boys dressed in nothing but blue, because boys wear blue, and therefore blue is for boys (can you tell how similar we are! )

Apparently the lab they have switched to is causing no end of problems with bloods.

Well, I got there 5 mins early... then had to wait 25 mins past my appointment time (urgent appointment turned up at 12.40, so don't mind that so much).

Then she couldn't find a vein. Told her where they usually stick it - so she decides to go for the other arm and goes towards one side of where I said. Result, needle stuck in arm, no blood coming out. Tried the other arm, same place. Needle stuck in arm, no blood coming out. At which point she said, I'm not going to try again, you'll have to come back. I cheerfully suggested she tried where I had said and hey presto, it worked.

So now have three holes in arm and whole thing took 2 hours from leaving work to getting back again. Sigh. She reckoned spotting was probably just a bit of cervical erosion, so not going to get too worried by it.

Sorry you are feeling achy confessions

Will have to look out for veggie haribo nickel (yep veggie too )

oh, god, i'm going to have that as well! whenever i give blood, tehy have to rub my arm for five hours, then pull the cuff really really tightly to get a vein, then complain about the fact they can't find one!

stupid people - never listen, do they!

Sorry you are spotting katee. Hopefully it will pass shortly. It's a worry though. ((hugs))

Is it a national trend to shorten names (all of them!) or is it just my backwards rural backwater area?

When suggesting names to DH, he regualarly asks "what do you shorten that to"? Not in a " I need to know in case I don't like it", but in a "we MUST shorten it to something" way!

I have a 3 syllable name and it's never been shortened until I met DH and moved here at the grand age of 36! Grr!

I don't mind having nicknames and shortened names, but if something doesn't naturally shorten, then leave it the feck alone!

I'm really liking Meredith at the moment. Can we not just leave the name alone and not shorten it to anything?!

Just wondering if it's just me...!

Meredith shortens. My DSis is Meredith/Meri (or Mez for when she went through her 'cool' teen phase). It's a very pretty name :)

I think the possibility to shorten is cute, but if it's going to be shortened then you need to like the short and better to control what it is than have people decide for you.