The Deli gets funky: Ah, PESH it good - P-PESH IT REAL GOOD!

[Scorpette]

This fred ain't for everybody - only the menkul wimminz!

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.
PollyPoo, girl, born Jan 5.
MrsFC, boy, born Jan 7.
ChoChoSan, girl, born 6 Feb.
Ginhag, boy born 11 Feb.
Muser, girl, born 15 Feb.
CluckyKate, boy, born 18 Feb.
Perfect Dromedary, boy, born 23rd February.
Medee, girl, born 26th March.
Casserole, girl born?

UPDIFFED

Scorpette, not top of the list at all, lalala, I can't hear you!, due 18th May.
Laurielou, the unmarried hussy with the "surprise" diff, due 31 May (ish).
Rocketleaf, sprouting out all over the place, due 1st 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.
LadyGoneGaga, No, it's not fucking twins, due 24 July.
Ivegotmrbitey, appears to have eaten posh spice, due 27th July.
Macaroonmum, eating for 7, due Aug 6th.
Owlbooty, suddenly weeble-shaped, due 7th August.
Ocarina, there's a what in there?! due late August.
Mountie, too shy to shine, due Autumn.
Truffkin, growing a padawan, due 17th November.
kat2504, 25 sticks pissed on and counting, due 5th December.

Rocket, our NCT classes were 30 mins away and we got on v well with everyone (except Mr & Mrs Epidurals Are As Bad As Hitler) and we have a secret FB group and so on now, so it worked okay for us. No meet-ups planned yet, but yeah, it will be hard/impossible for me to be involved so hmm. I dunno if this advice helps or not! I would do the classes though, we found them v v v helpful. As for TB's back... he might have to suck it and see. You can get partial refunds if you go for one class and then decide it's not for you.

I am 37 weeks today! Have realised that my zen is actually catatonic denial. I keep telling myself I can't have a baby till I understand the hippobirthing stuff. WHY can't I understand it? I've postponed a PhD in Critical Theory, so why can't I get to grips with some breathing shebazzle?! TYF can't either - I think Richard Dawkins has microchipped us in our sleep to not be able to comprehend anything remotely woo whatsoever

PLIZ can anyone explain the breathing to me? PLEEEASE? I especially need the reassurance of knowing the techniques after googling 'asynclitic' Poor GG!

The JL delivery has come. We can now throw away the giant Amazon box we were holding onto in case we needed a makeshift baby bed before the moses basket arrived. This is not a joke, btw.

Kat, lots of love and hand-holding for today. Thinking of you xx

I have managed to lose my fave babygro - we packed them away on Monday night and discussed which one to put in my hossie bag. The choice was between my fave (embroidered with dogs) or a turquoise one TYF chose - we went for TYF's one and put the other back, so I know it's in the bloody flat but it's nowhere to be seen! It would happen to be my fave. It's driving me mad, cos I dunno where it could be. So much for zen, bah!

Is there another way to feel about in-laws, Macca? Still, you deserve a bloody medal for dealing with an Italian Mama Good luck with that!

I have been imagining my happy place, which is my maternal grandparents' garden - they had a few small apple trees and Granddad grew tulips and carnations and it was just lovely and secluded. There was a swing that Granddad made on the sturdiest tree and I'm trying to imagine contractions (sorry, surges) as swinging high on it. Thinking of my Gramps there pushing me and keeping me safe really helps, as he was my bestest friend in the whole world. Ooops, I actually teared up there!

I guess if I just concentrate on that loveliness and breathe deeply, it'll be cool.

I think I might be having a babygro mental breakdown - TYF says we don't have one with dogs on and that we nearly bought one but the last one in the shop was faulty. We do, however, have one with little deer on, which is what I must be thinking of. What is WRONG with my mind?! For shame!

Talking of actual existing babygros, however, here's a 3-pack for the Welsh PESHes: www.johnlewis.com/61383/Style.aspx Says they're for boys, but they look unisex to me.

Sorry for not name checking, have only got 5 mins to catch up on here as have taken on some extra work and it's keeping me very busy! Good to hear everyone is pretty much doing ok and ticking along nicely, we'll have some announcements pretty soon hey scorps and rocket?!

I'm in nesting overdrive at the moment (which is being thwarted by this extra work!). I desperately want to have everything sorted, but we are having to wait for mini O's bedstead to come into stock at JL and other bits and bobs which is driving me crazy! On a positive note, I acquired my first ever freecycle donation this morning. I never normally bother reading the emails but happened to read one the other day which advertised newborn stuff. Amongst other things was a Moby wrap, so I emailed expressing an interest, not really thinking I would get it, and I did! Mr O picked it up from a very big and posh house in the centre of town and said it's perfect . It makes up for the fact that I didn't even break even on some clothes I have just sold on Ebay as I got the postage wrong. There are three sets of people enjoying ridiculous bargains at the moment, so it goes to show what goes around comes around, as my mum would say.

Anyway, got to dash - sorry!

Will try and catch up properly again soon. xxx

Score those babygros are very cute indeed. I may have had to send the link on to my mother so she can also have a quick squee at them.

The hippo-birthing stuff sounds very woo and if it's helped / helping with nerves and coping with pain, tis all good. My mom surprised me last week when we were chatting on the phone as she said she imagined I would go straight for an epidural or planned CS and I was a bit as (obv not thought too deeply about the birth just yet) I think I'd prefer to be drug free if it is at all possible.

I am quite, quite boring at the moment so have little to contribute. I am basically a neverending pit of vomit and have got through an entire bottle of Cyclizine without it touching the sides) my GP says not to go back for another week to see if the magic 12-week mark spells the end of it naturally. I would prefer they give me the strongest wonder drugs available right about now, but have refrained from moaning too much as am obv. glad that it probs means my bayble is ok.

We have some visitors this weekend who we get to tell about being pg. (the not drinking thing is too difficult now Lent is over - bugger for timing!) and as we're not far from the 12 week mark anyway (scan is a week on Saturday - whoop) we figured it will be ok. They are getting married in October and I am a bridesmaid, although am expecting that this will not be the case once we tell them. Bless, the bride is a bit of a 'zilla and I cannot imagine she will be too cool about a big fat preggo taking the attention off her in the wedding pics, although I will of course point out, she will look massively thin if she just stands next to me all day

Am super excited for all of the bag packing action going on and looking forward to new PESH babs soonest.

The most exciting thing I am doing today is making cakes and sandwiches this evening to bring to our office 'Royal Wedding tea party' tomorrow. I'm not at all about looking forward to it (all about the frocks for me) and as it means we can finish work 90 minutes earlier than normal, I'm all over it. We do have bunting, which is quite amusing!

Cross-posted. Nice work on the karma bargain Orchid I might have to get me some freecycle action going on as we have a whole flat full of crapola to sort out before the babi arrives.

Mmmmmm, so full............ Wagamama was lovely. Only room left for 1 Krispy Kreme donut

Rocket that's a bunch of arse about the change in location of NCT class. Going to the NHS one & making decision tomorrow sounds pretty sensible.

I seriously need to think about some kind of birth-coping strategy. I mean, I (used to) go to yoga, & could quite easily switch off during meditation, going to a lovely, calm place. But I haven't been for a while now. This is what I need to spend my mat leave doing. Not ponsing around the shops buying more flip flops a size too big then having lunch. Right, plan for tomorrow - sort out some hippo birthing reading. Oh, & have lunch out with my dad

My zen is no longer, after having to deal with a massive lying patronising cunt at our letting agents on the phone and then shouting 'FUCK OFF!' out of the window at teen brats who keep pressing the door entry buzzer for my apartment block for a laugh. As I ducked to the side of the window so they couldn't see who'd shouted it, I noticed an old lady at the bus stop looking visibly shocked. Oh dear

Truff, I really, really hope that The Vom does go at 12 weeks. If I wasn't puffier than the Michelin Man, I'd cross things for good luck for ya! Oh, and if I was a Bridezilla, I'd defo want to stand next to a big preggo, but that's just me

Orchid, excellent work with the bargain karma. I bet we've crossed paths in JL's baby department and not realised it, you know!

Loz, I think we share an inability to switch off. I can laze about but my mind even in so-called zen mode is still pretty impressively menkul. Going to have another crack at the hippo CD (and woebetide the buzzer-pressing fuckers if they return and spoil it for me).

loz flip flops and lunch sounds like perfect ML activities to me. Also sounds to me like you would be a great candidate for a bit of hippoing as if it works on me (the worlds WORST meditator) then you would prob be out before you counted 1... 2..... 3......

score chortling at your clothing confusion there, but hey deer/dogs, they are both brown and begin with 'D' right? easy mistake to make :o exciting about JL! I now have the chest of drawers set up in the nursery and am excavating all the clothes that were hanging about in the moses basket. putting away the washed stuff and sorting the new stuff for washing. Looking forward to seeing all those cute little things on the line tomorrow! Also ordered all the rest of the nappies yesterday and need to ring JL to arrange for the buggy delivery. Plus decided what else off the list we actually need to buy. Hmmmm.

truff sorry to hear you are still in pukes vill! I too hope it miraculously ceases at 12 weeks but think its a bit tight of the doc not to just keep you drugged up til then.

orc skills on the freecyce moby snaffle, having bought an ebay Kari-me I am now fighting the urge to by one of those lighter weight messy ones you lot were on about the other day on the pretext it is going to be hot this summer so the Kari me will be to hot

We have decided to just to stick with the NCT, TB is feeling much better thanks to Wonder Chiro (fast becoming my favourite person) and Naproxen and I although I am still a bit miffed about the change of location I suppose it doesn't make that much difference. Plus I think I am too tired after running round after my friends 2 year old all afternoon (how you 2nd timers do it I dont know!)

x post score little shits. Bucket of water maybe?

BTW PESHies, just thought you might like to know there is a 3 for 2 offer on Greenbabies and its compatible with the 20% dizzy code score posted the other week. Bargaintastic. Glad I waited before splurging now.

Hello lovely round PESHies. I have been lurking as usual but need to post so I don't fall off. I loved reading about the deer vs dogs trauma Score, brought back brain meltage memories - you've got at least a year to go before your brain gets back to anything like it was pre-diffage... [cgrin]

Hope you enjoy the NCT Sprockette.

cheers to all.

Morning all.

Just something to make your eyes water - friend of a friend had a baby boy yesterday morning. I'd like to say "little" baby boy, but he was a bouncing 10lb 4oz!! Holy Crap! Parents are tall, but no way would you call them big. That's some size. Still, I luffs newsage of any new snuffling baybees.

Ouch Loz! That is a big baby!

Well done on the Moby freebie, Orcs. What colour? I love mine. Is Chocolate brown. I think I want to get a Ringsling too for summer and maybe a MeiTai for when he/she a bit bigger.

Hope Score is a bit more zen again today. 37 weeks - wow!

Sadly, I have swung the other way and am feeling odd - everything feels weird and scary and overwhelming. I'm terrified of giving birth; I don't want the pain, the indignity, the lack of control, the thought of strangers touching and looking at my hoo-ha makes me freak out, am scared of tearing, of needing stitches, of them using instruments on me, on my SPD being fucked up by something, of things going wrong, of the baby getting stuck or distressed, of heavy bleeding, of after pains, of... everything!

Also, I really am hugely fat now and I can't bear the thought of the photos of me for all eternity looking an immense porker holding my newborn. I'm not one of those women who look glowy and lovely au natural - I look like a mad-haired, crazy-toothed feral child found living with wolves. I don't want everyone wondering why Heather out of Eastenders is holding my baby sat next to TYF...

And I'm scared of the enormity of being a parent - how does a baby stay alive, how do we keep it alive, what if we do something wrong, what if our flat is too hot or something, what if... waaaargh!

And am in moses basket meltdown - we only have sheets for it and a little 'duvet' that comes with it - is this enough? Do we need a blanket? Oh christ, why did I ever think I was capable of parenthood?

Calm Score. Go and do your Hippo CD. The birth will be ok. It won't be the most fun you've ever had with no clothes on but it will be ok and there are drugs if you need them. No shame in drugs. And all the pain and indignity and bad bits only bring you closer to snuggling your baby. Keep your eye on the prize.

I looked like absolute shit in the holding baby in hospital pictures. Shattered, fat, frizzy horrid hair from spending 8 hours in a frigging birth pool. The ones taken a few days later where some of the bloating has gone and i have make up and hair is much better. Just show people pics of the baby and TYF if you are bothered.

You wil keep the baby alive. Just feed it and change it and cuddle it and that's pretty much all you need to know. Buy a cellular blanket for the moses basket. The little duvet thing is no good really. That and the sheets will be fine. There is lots of help available once baby comes out. the midwifes will come visit every day if you ask - and we are all here to help too.

what wisegaga said scorps. Please relax. Those moses basket duvet things never really get used. But your lad will be quite happy with a cellular blanket(s). If you run out of sheets for the mattress, pillow cases are just the right size, as recommended by our MW. Worth packing one for the little cot in the hossie.

And look, you are at 37 weeks! Any sooner and you would have been whipped straight to labour ward. No waterbirthing or such like. You've made it! Do not even consider what you look like. Jeez, have you not seen my four generation pics where I am a great heffer who appears to be about to consume my grandmother, mother and child!? I hate that. The first pics of me holding my wee girl, on the other hand, remain truly special. You'll be gorgeous and glowing with joy!

Note to all: do not pick a fancy outfit for your baby to wear right after birth. They might get wiped down, but there's still a chance your precious little vest/gro/hat will be forever stained with blood etc. It has taken the sweetness away from Squeaker's teeny beany hats! Keep the nice ones for coming home etc.

What they all said, you'll be fine. Seriously. I was bricking it beforehand, around that point, and then as I got closer to labour just wanted it to happen. Once The Lad is here, you'll know what to do. And we use the moses basket duvet thing, along with another blanket.

You will be fine Score. The birth is going to happen whatever you do so why stress over it. Just think that you finally get to meet and cuddle The Lad and who gives a flying fuck what you look like when you do?

And if us motley crew of menkuls can keep our baybees alive so can you.

Am impressed by the 10lb 4 baby, mine doesn't even weigh that now.

On a different subject, I am off on hols from Thursday and looking for some book recommendations. I am happy to read all sorts barring overt chick lit which tends to make me bilious now I am no longer 15. So far am getting a couple of the Song of Ice and Fire books (as really enjoying Game of Thrones on the telly) and thinking of that Kazuo Ishiguro one (Never let me Go?). I am hoping to read a LOT. Anything?

World Book Night copy of "Rachel's Holiday" free to a good home gaga?
The aim of the WBN copies is to make literature travel. I can post asap if you PM me.

GG it's olive green - tres nice! I did want a red one, but hey, I am not complaining with green. She also gifted a grobag egg, an avent steam steriliser, and a mamas and papas bath seat (we didn't want any of them but they came as a package). The grobag egg will come in handy and perhaps the bath seat, but not sure about the steriliser as I don't intend to be using bottles.

Scorps you need to enter the 'zone of the scared cow' as my MIL puts it. This means that, apparantly, nothing phases you and you just look forward to birthing your baby the closer you get to labour. It is a scary time, but it is also a blooming fantastic one too. I felt a little bit like you with mini O, but once labour started I did become a zen like being and just dealt with each stage as it happened. I think you really have to trust your body on this one (and the midwives looking after you) and try to enjoy the experience. Don't let the fear over-ride what a brilliant thing it is to have grown a baby and be giving birth to it. Big smooches to you. It can't be all that bad as plenty of women go back for seconds (and more!) I'm not trying to dismiss your concerns, just trying to help you get some perspective on it. Much love to you my darling. The Lad is one lucky boy!

Ina May Gaskin reckons in labour you just have to shut down your conscious brain and let your monkey take over. Just let yourself be primal and do what feels right.

Thanks CC - that would be fab. Will PM you.