December 2011- over halfway there!

[sevendwarves]

Welcome to the new thread ladies!

msbuggy i have a pelvic floor question for you... as you impressed us all with your story lol

I have just been sat here at my comp doing them.. but i can feel my core tightening too.. is this normal? (i know they are connected, and are part of your core, bu i don't know if you are ment to feel it or not!)

Morning all,

I have my MatB1 form - stupidly, didn't ask what i was meant to do with it!!?? Guess I give it to HR and take a copy so my DH can claim pat leave?
Glad you all had nice weekends. My Mum was a-visiting so took her to see the new house/area and did a lot of walking.

darcies be jealous of msbuggy but not me, my knitting is rubbish! The only reason I'm knitting is because I feel ungrateful knowing my mum is knitting loads of gorgeous cardigans and I'm not. Plus also I assume my knitting will never improve if I don't try anyway.

oimissus love the idea of using a baby pic on your Christmas cards.

I don't know what to do about Christmas for ours. I don't want to not get the baby anything but I'm not due until the 20th so may not even have had it. I've asked my mum to look after DS for a day around the end of September or start of October, we're hoping to get the Christmas shopping done early in one go. I refuse to do the Christmas shopping in November at 8 months pregnant, anything not done by the middle of October I'm finishing online! The only downside of being due near Christmas is that I can't forget how soon it is (less than 19 weeks!)

Bluebells why not try and persuade him to look at houses 120K below what mortgage company offering? That would be half-way! I must say I tend toward the more cautious as well, particularly after what has happened in Ireland and people are stuck with negative equity forever, although people were frankly getting ridiculous mortgages there. But I know plenty people who had what seemed like sensible enough mortgages and their house is now worth 200k or 300k less than it was ... so I am now totally paranoid about it and when we move up the ladder am going to more cautious than I would otherwise have been I think. So I can kind of understand your husband! On the other hand, being way too cautious is a bit silly also. I mean I don't want to have to move twice, would rather just move into a big enough house that we can stay there if you see what I mean.

bluebells I'm at the opposite of mopsy. We're looking at the moment too, and my financial director at work advises to go towards the top of the scale of what you can afford. (Which is what I want to do - my DH is more cautious - but I'm the mortgage payer so his cautiousness is partially linked to that). I would just advise to be really cheeky when making an offer - start at least 10% below asking price. And use zoopla to work out how much the house "should" be worth. Make sure you are not paying over the odds. House prices are at a reasonable to low level in general, so we shouldn't get hit by negative equity in the future. And take into account the Location as well as the house itself when factoring in the price. (It's hard work, isn't it?!)

I think OiMissus might have more a point than me bluebells. I am too cautious. I think Ireland was a particularly bad case. It's just that everyone I know there who bought a house is in negative equity, most to the point where they can't sell as they'll never get another mortgage so they are just stuck. On the other hand, if you are buying a house to stay in for the long term that shouldn't actually be an issue, it's only people who were buying to get their foot on the ladder and are now stuck in a small apartment in the sticks forever and not able to move up who have a major problem. I doubt that will happen here. I mean, things were just crazy in Ireland, houses were going for ridiculous prices. Although I suspect prices will drop again as the market is a bit stagnant right now, but having said that if they do, then the jump up to the next level will also be smaller so it won't matter.

(We are thinking of moving soon also, and am wavering between over cautiousness or going more towards top of scale of what we can afford. I know being too cautious is just going to be counter-productive but it's my nature to be that way so am trying to be less so, but finding it hard!!)

You are right to be cautious - the market is a mess, and interest rates are low - they will go up eventually - but possibly only towards the end of next year (according to a radio interview last week on Radio 2)... I'm aiming to borrow about 15% less than the bank will lend me.

Oil for massage is a great idea! DD1 can definitely help, DD2 might be a bit too bombastic!

We're aiming for all of Christmas to be organised by the end of November, I do all of my Christmas shopping on line, but we want everything wrapped and ready to go. Lists are about halfway there, just a few people left to decide on presents for. DD1 is getting a telescope (she asked for one!) and we're getting DD2 a play kitchen now we have room for one.

We bought our house about 6mths ago, very cautiously, our mortgage is £400 a month! It is a medium sized 3 bed, just was very cheap as it is an ex-council house. The eventual plan is to move on to my Dad's small holding though (they're doing up the houses, it will take a few years to be up and running) as I'll inherit the land and they will need the help as they get older.

Morning ladies! Hope you're all well today.

I'm all excited today as we are having a new lounge & stair carpet fitted I've been on at DP since we moved in here to change the carpet as it's almost as old as I am but I couldn't get him to sort it out until I got pregnant....I guess the idea of his first born crawling around on the floor did the trick :) My pelvis is killing me this morning as we were tearing up the old carpet last night but not even that can ruin my good mood. So nice to be getting these things done; I feel like i've been in "nesting mode" since I March

I know how you feel Honey. Am about to start on a painting/general smartening up of house myself so it will be all nice when baby comes, and also because I know I won't have the energy/time to do it after the baby gets here!

I love the idea of a small holdng msbuggy - especially inheriting one, you lucky thing! - not so keen on the idea of sharing land with my dad though! he he!
congrats on the new carpet honey - all new things are exciting!
Am working from home today, I've got my 24 week midwife appt this afternoon - I'll let you know how that goes. They are usually very quick and uneventful, but I may get my bump measured this time - now that there is one to measure!
Off to vondervoll vondervoll Copenhagen tomorrow for a few days for work. I have no idea what to pack, I can get a way with being a bit hit and miss in the office, but there are expectations to live up to with international meetings... i can't be bothered!

mopsy glad to hear someone else is painting; I've been feeling a bit guilty about all the painting I've done even though I've made sure to use low VOC paint & stopped all my decorating in the 1st tri. DP is very handy he just built me an under tv unit from a sketch I gave him but he hates painting & although I know he'd do it if I made a big deal out of it he really wouldn't be nice to live with.

I painted the bathroom in the 1st T. Sssh! And this morning - rock n roll wild child that I am - I've dyed my hair! (to cover up the expanding grey) The baby's still kicking my ribs in so I think we'll be OK! :)

OiMissus jealous - loooove Copenhagen.
I will be careful about the paint I use and maybe wear one of those mouth mask things. Honestly though, if you followed every single piece of advice, you'd eat nothing and do nothing for 9 months. I shall just use some common sense I think, e.g. not climbing up rickety ladders!

I've been to Copenhagen at least 20 times with work, and this time, for the first time - I may actually see the tivoli gardens. I usually get in a visit to the nearest "sticks n sushi" restaurant, but alas, not this time. :( (The Danes are good at fish!)

the NHS says you can eat raw fish so long as it has been frozen for 24 hours first, but how do you know if it has?
I LOOONNNGG for some sashimi...

That's what I read! And so I had sushi in the 1st Tri at Yo Sushi. But others have said that I shouldn't eat it... I love sashimi too.

I think NHS guidelines are good enough for me. People just say you can't eat it 'cos of older guidelines I reckon. But my problem is, how to be sure it's been frozen for 24 hours? especially salmon which could well just come from Scotland. Tuna, on the other hand, is likely to have been frozen immediately it is caught I suppose.

jeez at all the preparations for the new arrivals, sod all sorted at the fusam household. After catching up on this thread, I will make a to do list it will make me feel better and productive .

Have a painful UTI so sitting on the sofa feeling sorry for myself hoping the anti-biotics do their job.

fusam no preparations yet chez the missus household either..., I suppose I need to put a date in the diary for when we decide if the house isn't sold by X date, we'll start the prep on X date.
Just back from my 24 week midwife appt. She checked urine and blood pressure - as usual. Felt the bump - pleased with growth. And then we listened to the baby's heartbeat galloping away. It's the first time I'd heard it so I was very happy. But that was it, she didn't weigh me or measure the bump. Was in and out in 5 mins. See her again at week 28. I asked for the MATB form, so she did one for me. C'est tout!
Hope your UTI gets better very soon (just looked up what it is - ouch! No wonder you're feeling sorry for yourself!)

Congrats OiMissus, doesn't it feel like the time is flying by? Fingers crossed for the sale of the house, honestly in the end they actually need so little anyway it will be fine .

Absolutely - and we have a further 6 months after they arrive before we have to sort out a nursery... But it would be nice to be all organised, wouldn't it?
Time is spinning by! Ach, we'll be fine!!! A crib, a couple of nappies and a breast. Soon sorted. The shops will still be open in December. :)

Yep, preparations minimal here really...clothes out of attic, lots of knitting. Voila! Our DDs bedshare until they decide to move out, DD1 moved out a couple of months ago, so we decorated her room then DD2 still in with us. We have a giant family sized futon that takes up most of our bedroom floor, it is about the same size as two double beds.

I think most of my preparing will be making sure Christmas is organised early and filling the freezer with meals.

Painting is not so much for baby, more that I need to get it done some time or other and I know once baby is here I won't want to do it.

Other preparations merely involve picking up all the free stuff, buying the rest I need (bare essentials) and putting a cot in my study when the baby is several months old!