DueJan 06 - third trimester and we're on a roll

[iris66]

Here we go then girls - a nice shiny new thread!!I was going to call it "backs, bumps & boobs" but that sounded like all we do is whinge about them! lol

Gorgeous day here today - sunny but very cold. All the children in their skisuits (standard issue in Danish winters!) dd2 looks adorable in hers - must try & take a photo of them all to post on yahoo

We have a long skinny house, and most of the rooms are on the ground floor, but there is one bedroom upstairs, & we sleep up there now. The thermostat is broken on the radiator, so we haven't had it on at all til now, but last night they were predicting -5, and it felt like it when we went to bed!! So dh got a screwdriver & jammed the rad on full blast He got up again in the early hours to turn it off, otherwise we would have had that 'boiled owl' look this morning.

Glad to hear the trip to Derby wasn't wasted Lyra... I'm sure you've played with the pram by now. Most of them seem to need a degree in mech engineering, so good luck

Sweetkitty, hope you're feeling better now...

Welcome Ange, again no advice to give on travel systems I'm afraid, but like Rachey I'm on no 4, & my eldest is 6, so all the pregnancy & labour stuff should be crystal clear to me. However, I seem to have blanked a lot out

Glad it's not just us that have had heating on for a couple of days now! Flippin' brass monkeys down here. But then I am a soft southern shandy drinking poof!!!!

Am starting to feel a little better. Been violently ill for last couple of days. Just can't keep food down. Think it's the acid. It's really really bad. Feels as if I've got a tennis ball lodged in my throat and the food won't go down any further. Been eating really small meals today to try and keep something down.

I cooked the Nigella Gammon in Coca Cola and a Sweetcorn Pudding..... v nice and would highly recommend to all. Easy, but v calorie laden!

As for baby in room. DD in with me for 12 weeks and then into her room. Better for all concerned! All noisy, restless sleepers. Will prob do same with this one.....but will wait and see what happens.

SK - how you feeling now?

What was new Harry Potter like? Good for adults too|? Am waiting for Chronicles of Narnia to come out so we can take DD to it. Went to see The Constant Gardener last night. V good. Ralph F is wonderful.

Hi Ange, nice to have you on the thread. As far as travel systems go, I'm afriad I didn't have one for DD and I don't have one for this one. Think baby looks so scrunched up in the seat bit of them. Looks uncomftable for them. Have opted for more of a pram. But hey, what do I know .

Right, will love you and leave you as Beany is booting hll out of me and it's getting uncomfortable.

Stay warm

G xx

Morning all

Here I am back on the early shift. Woke up about 5:30 from a very exciting Harry Potter dream, and baby boy had hiccups for about 10 mins, couldn't get back to sleep, so here I am, wandering around the cold house, doing bits of jobs and surfing mn.

Tickle, you're right about the degree in Mech Eng needed to sort out the travel system! I'm pleased with it overall, but putting the chassis up and down is still something of a challenge. the people who sold it me (From mumsnet actually) assurred me that it's just a bit awkward and I'll get the hang of it with practice. I think I'll keep it hanging around downstairs and try to practice often. Needless to say dh and ds got it sussed v. quickly, what is it about those male brains?

Harry Potter was good last night, but a bit long for me in my current state. A cleverer girl would have booked an earlier showing. I could have done with an interval, but it was still pretty gripping and very visually exciting. Dd and I are a bit anoracky when it comes to the HP books, so we felt a lot was left out, particularly with regard to the relationships between characters, but it was an incredibly long book too, so inevitably there would have had to be omissions to turn it into a film. the 3 10 year olds I saw it with were all fine with the level of mild swearing (p* off and bloody hell), violence and gore, but I think most younger kids would find it a bit too scary and dark. What did you think Rach? Anyone else seen it?

Hey all, well a busy weekend as per and we are getting quite stressed and depressed as it looks like we won't be in our house until after the baby is born which means 5 adults with 2 children under 2 in my parents in law's house which has 4 bedrooms...ahhh.
In summary I need a square back bucket for it to fit in the bathroom in our house when the bathroom is done. A round bucket won't fit as neatly between the toilet and bath but a flat backed one would.
I am not being overly fussy about the brand of cot but am a little on price but would like one where the side either comes off or folds down to put beside the bed so that I can be a lazy breastfeeder. What we liked about the ikea cots is that they are actually smaller than all the other cots and so fit in the bedroom a bit better and we just took the side right off and put it beside the bed. They don't seem to have any cots anywhere like that one in babys r us which has a side that flicks down.
My mum has just bought the original Phil and Teds Explorer pushchair for us for when the baby comes second hand so the predecessor to the E3. I saw a picture today and it looks in really good condition and has the baby and toddler attachment so we are sussed for a while.
Hope you are all feeling a bit better with bugs, I'm hoping that this stress doesn't bring on anything for me, although the weather did help we had the most beautiful weekend dd went to the beach on Saturday morning and it has been just beautiful, bring on a good summer I say and pray I don't get any bigger and heavier so I can enjoy it.

Hi all - just having a very slobby day (it's worryingly becoming the norm!!) after taking the little hound out for a run in the frosty fields. It is soooo cold again!! Hope the snow stays away until Feb though - much as I love it!(don't want to be doing any emergency dashes in it do we?!!)

Lyra - you were so right about the shopping. It was murderous and I don't think I've ever seen so many people before- just wandering aimlessly (and in my bloody way - more to the point!!).
I came back with an excruciating pain at the front of my pelvis - I thought I was going to split in half - and sporting some very (un)attractive ridges round my calves where my boots had been (at least they stopped the water retention sitting in my feet/ankles lol!)On the plus side I did finish my shopping so only food stuff to get now! I really want to put some decorations up as I'm feeling so festive but DH wont have it. Admittedly, it's a bit early even for me (I usually put them up the first w/e in Dec - and even then he moans!

Georgie - the ham/coke sweetcorn thing sounds lovely ! I've been meaning to try it for ages. My fave is her recipe for bitter orange icecream (not quite the weather for it at the mo though!)

Chuffed - shame about the house but at least you have good weather and can escape your ILs for a while if it gets too much. Good luck with finding a square bin!!!

Anyway - got to go & stick a chicken in the oven. take care x

Hi everyone, brr it's freezing and my ancient,sparse heating is rubbish! I hope it kills off everyone's germs though, poor Sweetkitty, hope you are feeling better - when I had ds1 in 1994 it was snowing the week I had him - and it was the end of February! Slept really badly last night due to inconsiderate neighbour doing karoke at 3.30am - thumped on her door at 4am! Dp just slumbers through it... His parents came round today to do some more glossing - they really are lovely people, but no Chuffed, I wouldn't want to live with them!

Dp finally did his birthday (last jan) flight around the Gower here yesterday and then we shot up and down the M4 to Reading in the freezing fog to pick up new car - horrendous driving conditions on a busy, unlit motorway on the way home - had to have a pint of Guinness to relax My god, the disapproving looks in the pub, you'd think I was shooting up heroin! New estate v nice so far, still not quite big enough for 5+labrador+baby gear but much more roomy.

Wow, Harry Potter was fantastic, as an adult I thoroughly enjoyed it and really recommend it, even without reading the book (I find them a little verbose) ds1 filled me in on a couple of plot gaps. 3hrs is a long time to sit in a cinema though! Lyra - I had dreams about it that night too! I thought the death scene with Lord Voldemort was fabulous and really moving. Love Ralph Fiennes, perfect for the part. Agree with you about the gore level, similar to Lord of the Rings I suppose, my kids were fine, but ds2 and dd really cuddled up for the scary bits. I just tell her to cover her eyes if she doesn't like it but I think that's part of the fun for her. At the risk of sounding like my mother, I did think the swearing was unneccessary.

Narnia looks amazing too as does surprisingly, King Kong as well. Both filmed in NZ with amazing scenery. Perfect for that week after xmas when I'll be as big as a house!

Soo tired, off to do some very lazy cooking, lamb with garlic and rosemary and mashed potatoes with lots and lots of butter.... Like you, Georgie, I might have to have it over a couple of sittings! It's a good thing I'm really starting to like Gaviscon Advance tablets - like minty chalk - what is wrong with me, I even like the gritty texture?!

Morning all another freezing day here, had very good nights sleep last night (DD slept all the way through 3rd night in a row ) am not waking up in the middle of the night panicking as she's not wakened me now.

Feeling a lot better now (well as better as you can with acid reflux from hell and the usual pelvis falling apart) baby seems to be so active now as well.

Think I'll wait for the new Harry Potter on DVD!

Hope everyone else is having a good Monday!

Hi all. Sorry to start off with a moan but ggggrrrrr to trying to get DD into a bloody school around here. Nightmare. Firt we get a letter from a private school that DD had an assesment at saying, and I quote, 'Mollie did not reach the required standard for entry'..... .

How bloody dare they say that about a 4 year old.

Now trying to get her into a state school (lovely place and only round the corner from us) and there's more hoop jumping, smarming up to the teachers and possible the odd white lie about the fact that she has been christened...ahem.

Talking of which, how does anyone know if you've been christened or not? Do you get a certificate from the church/vicar????

Glad to hear that everyone is hanging in there. Between us we seem to run the gammet of every pg symptom out there! But at least I've stopped vomming!

Ohhh, and have the WORST craving for diet coke. Bad bad person that I am. Know it's not good for Beany, but god the relief when I let out a belch thats been trapped for hours!!!

Have been ordered to take it easy by DH. He's fed up of me crawling into bed at 9pm whimpering about back ache, stitch pulling and general fatness!

Hey ho, only 7 more weeks to go......

G xx

for you too Georgie how can they say that about a 4 yo! Don't have a clue about the christening thing either, amazes me it should matter whether you were christened or not, not allowing a young child into a particular school on grounds of them not being christened is madness IMO

I have to admit I have 1 can of Diet Coke a day, it's my sin food (don't even have any alcohol nowadays).

Have run out of Gaviscon so am glugging milk just now. Must get some tomorrow. Should be doing housework instead of being on PC as DD is napping.

Honeward stretch now ladies

How awful Georgie! I used to be a primary school teacher and I hate to think exactly what criteria they are judging her on. We are lucky here and have excellent state schools right up to secondary (ds1 school one of the best in Wales). As a lapsed Catholic I can say that I do have certificates for christening/first communion/confirmation (not marriage though! ). I have no idea what would be required for C of E or any other faith school but you may even have to prove you attend mass/church regularly.

Ohmigod, that's just reminded me I have ds1's first parents evening at big school! Ex-dh is actually coming with me (this is a first) - we are likely to see a lot of parents we haven't seen for years - I do hope no-one congratulates him on the new baby - can you imagine?!

Hey Rachey - am in exactly the same position as you! Have got parent/teacher evening at DD's nursery and am going with ex-h.

Fee like wearing a BIG badge that says, I'm not married to him anymore' .

Also feel slightly as if I'm cheating on gorgeous new DH as he'll be home looking after DD!!!

Ahhh, the wonderful modern world we live in.

Actually Rachey, can I ask you something? Ex-h and new g'friend are expecting a baby too (in May). Just wondering how your kids took news of your new baby? DD only 4 and she's so used to being centre of attention am worried that with 2 new siblings she might freak out a little. I don't want her to suddenly feel as if she doesn't belong in one house or t'other. Think we've got same custody arrangements - DD with me most of time, sees her Dad on Wed nights and evey other w/e.

Maybe I'm being a bit melodramatic and she'll be fine?

Please feel free to chip in any comments. All gratfully received!

Hello from the depths of foggy Manchester. It's very thick here and has been all day. Very mysterious and Harry Potter-ish.

My big bouncy Silver Cross arrived today ! It's so FAB, absolutely immaculate and exactly what I was hoping for. I was so excited I walked it through the park to show my friend and people were coming up to me asking if the baby had come early!! So now it has permanent residence in the kitchen, with the cat net on permanently to keep the cat out as the sheepskin liner does look very cosy.

Georgie

Yes you do get a certificate when you get your child Christened. Our local C of E school (not my kids school) insists that you attend church too, which people usually do until they get their child into the school, then stop once they're in (unless they find they enjoy it).

Antenatal check at home today, and baby is measuring out at 37 weeks!! He's definitely a whoppa. And the midwife was fine with the idea of an acupuncture induction at 38 weeks, so that's good. She agreed that he'll only start to come if he's good and ready, otherwise it'll just start off ineffective contractions which will peter out. 19th Dec or thereabouts would be fine, I'd just have recovered enough for Xmas at my mum's by Xmas Day. I'm sure he'll have his own ideas about arrival though, the other 2 certainly did!!

Lyra am getting cross no one is allowed to have their baby before Christmas on this thread

Hey, bad news on the school Georgie. Isn't it awful how they can judge a small child like that.
I will admit the occasional sip or 5 of coke during this pregnancy which I didn't with dd, it was really hard when travelling and with talk of it on the site has made me really want something now actually.
Weather not particularly great this week so far bit of rain and not quite so warm.
Talking about a wopper, a gentleman who works for the ambulance service was at the library this morning when I went there for the lapsit session with dd and asked if I should be out and about. I informed him that I had 7wks to go. I must look enormous luckily it is still all baby.
4kg to go until I hit my weight with dd at 39wks.
No reflux or anything since that initial burst when pregnant could be because the baby is sitting so low.
Hope the parent/teacher sessions went well and you all slept well.
Take care

morning all! - what, no fog, no frost?? what's happened? - i thought we were in for some snow today

about the school Rachey. I've 2 girlfriends who work in secular schools and they seem to be really hot about church attendance round here rather than christening stuff (never had DD christened so I can't help either on the cert front.) PMSL over your daily belches tho

Georgie - I'm sure DD will be fine with new babies. My DD had innumerable "step" mums and 3 new half silblings (plus 2 step siblings) from the age of 2 - and within 6 years. She now only sees 2 half brothers when they stay at her dads (now divorced & with new bird(!) - such a mess)and she took it in her stride. Admittedly, when she did react, it was just by being a bit more mummy orientated and her relationship with her dad has become much more distant over the years. I don't think children think as deeply as we think they do - I'm sure she'll be fine.

Lyra - I know exactly how you feel about the excitement on the pram front - I was on a high for days once ours arrived am so pleased it is as good as you'd hoped.

I'm in a bit of a panic today as I've got to go to the (vilehorridscaryhateitloads)hospital for a check with the anaesthetist as my dad had a reaction after an op. Got to see the diabetic nurse as well with my results so really not looking forward to it - esp as I have to go on my own as DH is still tied up on his course. Think I've become an utter big girls blouse during this pg (the baby's obviously sapped all my brave testosterone!! lol) wish me luck and have a good day all!

Hi all - nice to catch up! No fog here, and not frosty, but still chilly enough! Just cycled back from dd1's school after an hour of english conversation with the kids... they are doing English week with the 9 - 13 year olds, so I am advertised as a genuine english speaker

Ooh Georgie, sympathise with the school stuff. We were living in Battersea when dd1 was coming up to 4, and she had an assessment for the closest private school... ended up on the waiting list - so they were basically saying 'she's a bit too thick, but we'll take her if we have to make up numbers'. Hrrrmmmppphhh. Luckily we didn't have to decide what to do as we moved out in time, but remember having to pay shedloads for the assessment. Blimmin cheek.

Trying to persuade my mum to visit us for Christmas. She sent a packet of lollipops for the kids yesterday, and I burst into tears when I pictured her standing in M&S, choosing stuff for the kids having not seen them since the summer
She adores them, and is brilliant with them, and I feel very mean cos I have moved them to an island which takes a day to get to from the UK!

ok, enough yattering from me... I should be making mince pies! See you later xx

Hello all

Just a real quickie from work. Here I am doing my last 2 weeks, not having any contact with the children and tying up loose ends of paperwork etc. Quite pleasant and relaxing actually! This afternoon I'm off to observe another school that takes a group of students to do drama at a local theatre, should be very interesting, as all the children are autistic, and some are non-verbal I think, so it will be great to see how they differentiate the drama work for them. I'm hoping to develop that side of my work when I return after mat leave.

TIP ALERT!!!! - just nipped into town to get DH some aftershave for Xmas & went browsing all the cosmetics counters (v slowly as rather achey today) Well, the assistants must have felt really sorry for me 'cos I got loads of freebies!!! admittedly I was umming and ahhing over various lippies & the like at each counter (and I did ask everyone if they had any samples I could take home to try) but wow! am sooo impressed! I got 3 types of Channel foundation, an Estee Lauder mousturiser, and a load of Lancome & Clinique stuff! I knew there had to be advantages of looking knackered and whale like!!
happy shopping

PS
Tickle - hope your mum can make it to yours for Xmas - if not, could you (and she) get someone to make video messages & send them to each other?

Lyra - do you have to do specific (ie NVQ type) training geared to AS/ADHD needs or is it generally on the job training dependant on which type of childeren you're working with?

hi everyone

Just been to Asda's started stocking up on the cheap (3 pairs for £1) big pants and some Gaviscon (I know how to treat myself ). Weathers a bit milder here today but still quite cold.

Very funny conversation with MIL last night she was "advising" me to wait a bit longer before TTC no 3!!! She said we are like a traditional catholic family having babies close together (bemused emoticon). I reminded her that DP and I were together for 9 years before having DD so I think I am pretty sussed on how to prevent babies. The number of people who have outright asked if this one was a mistake is quite amusing. They are shocked when I say no it was planned!!!

I worked up until 36 1/2 weeks last time and honestly did not feel as knackered as I do now, bet you girls still working will be glad of the rest too.

Hi everyone, 34 weeks today!

Went to parents' eve last night in big jumper and my bump barely got a look - I must just look huge! Talking of other people's 'helpful' comments re bumps there was a very funny thread on the pregnancy bit about just that. I did have to intercept with hard stares and winks one mum I knew when our boys were in playgroup 10 yrs ago - something along the lines of - yes I am preg, it's not his.. (ex h about a foot away) no! I haven't had an affair, we're divorced!!! Apparently there is also a rumour going around the primary school (apparently started by ds2!) that I have had a boob job! The funny thing is that people obviously believe it!

We got ds1's CAT scores (cognitive ability - like IQ scores) which will label him for life and were a little disappointed to find that although his maths is well above average, his verbal/non-verbal scores were very average. I know it's silly but we all want to believe our kids are geniuses (genii?!) don't we? Must get him off the PS2/PSP and get him reading more like he used to. As a teacher myself I feel I've taken my eye off the ball - I'll be coaching ds2 for the tests! It's the way they label kids (apparently he has a 60% chance of 5 A-C GCSEs - he's only 11!). Enough moaning! He is bright, beautiful, healthy and happy, that's enough isn't it?

Georgie, my kids were surprisingly thrilled about the new baby, especially the boys. I really didn't expect them to be so excited. 4 is a lot younger but plenty of kids have that age gap and are fine, I don't see why she should be affected by the half-sib thing when your dh is obviously so close to her. The important thing is to give the older child the attention because the baby won't much mind! As Iris says, kids are so resilient and adaptable. My ds1 said 'He's going to be my proper brother and I won't be friends with anyone who calls him my half-brother' how sweet is that?

Lyra - would love to go before xmas but v unlikely, your pram sounds fab! Can imagine you pushing it round empty! I have 4 weeks left to work and a couple of away trips, must motivate myself to finish things off.

Iris - hope all goes well at the hospital!

HI

Just got back from our last nct class - the course has passed in a whirl. the other couples are very friendly and sociable, especially the women, which is great. we all went to the pub tonight and have arranged to meet for lunch soon.

Iris

My training as a speech and language therapist (3 yr degree) was enough for me to get a job working with children with asd, and then I have done various in house courses as well as external courses to supplement my basic knowledge and skills. The Educational Assistants do NVQ type training though, and I am responsible for delivering some of that.

CAT scores eh Rach. Never heard of those, I don't think my 2 did those, or if they did, no one told me the results. Are they a new thing? Or maybe just in certain lea's? My ds is like yours, much more able in maths and science and pretty average at language, typical male profile I'd say, just like his dad.

Iris - lovely idea with the video messages - if not for Christmas, just for ordinary keeping in touch. I'll just have to get our video camera back from a friend - she's got a ds the same age as dd2, and has been making a bit of a record of this stage of his life. Thanks for that

Oh and the freebies!!

and just have to add, gorgeous quote from your ds1 Rachey