The PESH deli - Happy New Year! The one where Polly finally lays and we get lots more BESHy wins.

[PollyPoo]

BESH BAYBEES

dontrythisathome, girl born March 25.
Cheggers, twinz girlz, born April.
FannyPriceless, boy, born June 8.
CurlyCasper, girl, born June 24.
CUNextTuesday, boy, born June 29.
AlpinePony, boy, born 1 July.
Carrots, boy, born July.
IggyPiggy, girl, born July.
Cosmosis, boy, born Sept 5.
Backinthebox, boy, born Sept 7.
Skatergrrrl, girl, born Sept 10.
VAG, boy, born Oct 2.
Silversky, boy, born Nov 1
SomethingSuitablyWitty, girl born Nov 2
okiecokie, girl, born Nov 12
Honeymoo, boy, born Nov 11
ReginaMonologue, boy, born Nov 13
Maswera, boy, born Dec 24

UPDIFFED

PollyPoo, wondering if this baybee is every going to come out, due 23 Dec or 28 Dec, depending on who you trust
MrsFC, joining whether she wants to or not, due 22 Jan
ChoChoSan, "and Lo! The lord did resurrect her petrified womb", due 31 Jan
CluckyKate, hatching an egg, due February 2
Perfect Dromedary, defied medical science, due February 24
Muser, blooming at last, due February 27
Ginhag, reckless cake-carrier, due 28th Feb
Medee, has a deceptive bump, due March 12
Casserole, completely out of witty things to add, due April 8
Scorpette, now carrying a RL baby in addition to Clothilda and the squid, due 18th May.
Laurielou, the unmarried hussy with the "surprise" diff, due 31 May (ish)
Rocketleaf, no longer jealous of morning sickness, due 1 June.
TwinkleToes, supergluing her fanjo shut, due 20 June.
Orchid, hoping for a zen like child, due 1st July
Ginfox, loving the new mega-boobs, due 12th July.
Ivegotmrbitey, Marmite is a lovely name for a baybee, due 27th July.
LadyGoneGaga, Compulsive Stick pisser, due 28 July

Sorry for the not terribly inventive opening, but I need to moan update you all...

Come in, grab a chair, a wheel of brie and a glass of champagne to welcome in the new year.

Don?t see why not, rocket - you?ve passed the point at which most people start to consider buying stuff. You could do what my pal has done; ordered, and received delivery of, but just not assembled. On the other hand, there are always offers on, but if you see what you like at a price you want to pay, go for it.

I plan to cook for my freezer, but mainly cos I get sick of constant processed food (it?s Ok occasionally, but I like to cook from scratch, and that?s just not going to be practical.)

I did loads of cooking Medee in last few weeks and found it a lifesaver. Especially useful as most of the stuff I made was stuff you could also eat one handed while holding a baby. I cooked:

Indian Chicken Curry
Thai chicken curry
Veg curry
Beef Chilli
Beef Stew
Lamb Tagine
Spanish chicken casserole (with Chorizo and olives etc)
Veg soups for lunches

With rice/potatoes/cous cous is an easy, quick meal. Don't try and freeze risotto as I did - doesn't work sadly. Filled the freezer but you could get loads in as used the vast quantity of takeawy trays we have amassed over the years and they stacked really well.

Everyone has inspiired me on the hippobirfing - have the cd from last time but might sign up for a class. Can't bring myself to do NCT again and as is MrG's first he needs educating.

Oh rocket, I looked at your bargain cot and then saw the nice chest of drawers/changing unit [http://www.marksandspencer.com/Oscar-Changing-Unit-Natural/dp/B001P6WA5Q?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_3&sr=1-3&qid=1294921482&pf_rd_r=1S98199GHFMYYMVBJAQZ&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=536582031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3
here]]. Which is wicked expensive but I wants.

Gah link fail

i know! I want this but its even more expensive, although TBs mum gets 20% off I think.

anyway muse stick to the bargains, do not be tempted by all the other pretty things :o

That cot is an amazing bargain rocket! And also very, very nice! Am feeling a bit envious of all the lucky PESH planning nursery decorations and freezer filling. It seems like such a long way away - I am twelve weeks today (go me!) but already feel like I have been diffed forever!

Gin a neighbourly upgrade makes the most amazing difference, my total bastards of neighbours moved out suddenly one weekend and I got myself diffed during the celebrations!

owlie prune juice is quite nice mixed with sparkling water. So much so that I enjoyed three glasses the first day I took it. That was a big mistake! Did help with the wind though in that I was afraid to fart

Sorry about your accident madeyemedee, have some arnica cream for it and this double gin.

FFS, Muse. I am prob buying that changing unit after rocket's linky goodness. We are going to end up with babies born within days of one another being pushed in identical pushchairs wearing identical brights from loveitloveitloveit and sleeping in identical nurseries.

Like you, we're having new carpets laid this weekend, then I have to throw an infinity of books towards a charity shop.

I am afeared .

rocket very pretty shelf, but as bargainous as that cot seems, if it doesn?t have drop sides, it doesn?t seem much use.

Those are all good ideas, LadyGG. So far on my list

• Lasagne
• Meatballs
• Fish pie
• Various stews
• Curry
• Homebaking, such as gingercake. I plan to put my mum to use in the last week helping me make that lot.

Oh, and I'm with kimdeal on the freezer filling. Every time I have planned meals and frozen leftovers, they have been thrown away untouched because we don't feel like eating them. I am going to rely on Ocado/Pizza Hut/Urban Bite/TNB cooking/mother-in-law cooking to get me to a stage where I can cook again.

Well thats what I thought meddlesome defo no good for me but then the majority of cots seem to have fixed sides so I think its just us sensible (or maybe broken) PESH who have high standards. Thought it might be of use to someone fitter than I am!

bitey it'll come round soon enough. Up to 12 weeks are the slowest when you feel like shite and can't tell anyone. then suddenly you're having your 20 week scan! Before I now it I'll be holding a real live baybeee (eep)

lovely changing units. Ours will be an existing CoD with a mat on top.

think i am going to try and find something 2nd hand and do the same, as pony said i bet i end up using the floor or the coffee table or the sofa the majority of the time.

We don't have an existing chest of drawers, so trying to find something nice and a good height. I would go for non special changing attachment, but I can't see any I like that don't cost £££.

I probably will just copy Drom. We are as one.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH!

I have a Muse-copying confession to make too - have been looking at prams this week and now like the Bee in yellow best of all. Yellow is one of my fave colours anyway, but will feel like dreadful copycat if we get it (which is daft, I know). Could you forgive me, Muser?

It does kinda make sense that the ESH will often like or favour certain things, as we've found each other through being similar in similar situations, etc.

John Lewis does a service where you can book an appointment with a 'Nursery Advisor' and they talk you through all your essentials, personal needs, likes, tastes, budget, etc., then you go round with a scanner scanning everything you want and they will put those items on hold for you until you pay. It is then also available for others to view so they can buy you stuff off it ie my family only We're going to give that a whirl.

I'm still reeling from Lozza's revelation that she never/rarely trumps in front of Mr Loz - I probably spend more time farting in front of TYF than not doing. I'm not saying I'm proud of that, mind. He, meanwhile, NEVER guffs in my presence. Lorra, lorra role-reversal in this household!

Talking of him (as I usually do), have rung him at work to see how he is the day after his tooth removal and he's feeling v poorly and is coming home now. He has been sick and feels dizzy, confused and exhausted. He said 'I'm getting old! (29!) in a trembly voice... I said 'try being pregnant at nearly 40!' to cheer him up (always tactful and selfless, me). Poor thing.

PS That bookcase is GORG, Rocket :)

:o you with both have to put up pics of your nurseries so we can play spot the difference.

i might end up with the hemnes ikea one, its half the price of M&S and the changer is removable for later on. For some reason I had it in my head I wanted a combo of cupboards and drawers but i spose drawers will have to do!

I seriously need to get a life, i am spending wasting hours on this shit when i really should be doing something useful.

Get one Scorps! The yellow is an ace colour, it makes me smile when I see it. All sunshiney and lovely.

I was going to do the John Lewis thing, but we didn't quite get organised. So it's buying bits and pieces here and there. we have an eclectic mix.

I don't have a chest of drawers either.

Ooooh, fixed side cots! I understand now why drop sides are not necessary. Most cots now seem to have three matress positions, rather than having drop sides and one fixed position. Slightly easier to drop baby in without moving sides, apparently.

I did the John Lewis thing without the nursery advisor. Didn't share it with the family, either - just used it as a handy way to make a list and then buy all the stuff we need. It should all be delivered at the end of the month.

Fuck.

I dunno drom, I think most of the drop sided cots I have looked at also have variable base height. The JL one we are prob going to get does.

score the lovely lady in JL told me about this service the other day, not sure i would pass it to anyone tho as would feel a bit cheeky and I am pretty sure i will be getting stuff here there and everywhere rather than all from JL anyway.

They do, rocket, they just don't need to if you see what I mean. I practised on a non-drop-side cot in Mamas and Papas and the top setting was fine - no leaning over at all.

Having spent a million years looking at nursery furniture recently (affordable and nice = damn near impossible), it seems like most posher/matching furniture ranges have gone for expensive cotbeds with no drop sides. It's harder than I imagined to buy a drop-side cot. And I still secretly want this and this. Even though it is ridonkulous and waaaaaaaaaaaaaay expensive.

Mmmm, Medee also forgot Bolognese sauce. But might defo have to add Meatballs to the repertoire. And cottage pie (not a fish fan sadly). Think Pol gave me a really nice recipe for Greekish lamb meatballs that I've still not made yet

I like the cake idea too - does gingercake freeze well? You should always have cake in when you are breastfeeding. Regular and copious application of cake is one of the perks

The drop side cots come into their own when they are 9 months or so and you have to have it on the low setting as they learn to climb and would have to drop them the last foot or so thereby undoing all the hard work getting them to sleep in first place. But we were rubbish at cots anyway.

Nah, I won't pass it on to anyone either, I was just using it to be mardy about total lack of interest from ILs. We ain't grasping - one reason why we don't get hitched is that the thought of the attention makes us feel guilty!

My parents are insisting that they buy us the pram, however. Keep telling them to save their cash but they say it will bring them mucho joy.

We won't be getting everything from JL, either. Totally pays to shop around.

I'm sensing that all this shopping list malarkey is a lot more fun and breezy for those of us still with several months left to go...

My parents also insisted on pram buying, scorps. It is very, very sweet.

The problem I've had is that I was too supersitious to shop until 30 weeks-ish and now I have to buy everything and give birth. At some point. No rush.