We will brook no argument for a boring, uneventful, blooming pregnancy; followed by a perfectly-timed pain-free sneeze birth; vol 5

[ScreamIfYouWantToMeetSanta]

Hi No Brookers! I do hope this has worked and is in the right place...

I've added a few extra sofas so we have plenty of space for all the Rat Smackers who will be joining us soon. There's also a nice long table filled with mince pies, yule logs, gingerbread snowmen and xmas puds! Plus some non-alcoholic mulled wine. I've strategically positioned a few clean glittery vom buckets under the table, just in case it's still a bit too early for xmas munchies for some people!

As you were...

Fantastic news Hawthers. What a relief that you know for sure he's over the worst. I hope he continues to recover quickly over the rest of the weekend. I bet when your Mum said what she did she hadn't fully understood the severity of the situation, at least she got the message quickly enough after your response

Great that your DD did so well on her first dummy free night Little. Fingers crossed for the same again tonight.

I hope you get the issue with the car resolved easily dream, sounds a bit stressful.

I'm still suffering from lazyitis. I cannot get myself motivated to do a thing, I'm just so tired. I've had to hide my ironing pile, looking at it was making me feel bad. Not the best way to get it dealt with though

Hawthers so so pleased Farley is on the mend

OMG, she was asleep after 10 mins wimpering tonight! and didn't even mention her dummy! I'm in shock

brilliant news little lets hope tomorrow is even easier.
Can I as some questions? Did any other 2nd timers have a not inconsiderable bump by 15/ 16 weeks? Mine is way bigger than last time at this stage and It's impressively large between dinner and bedtime....and also when did you 2nd timers start to feel movement? My midwife said to expect it from 16 weeks or so which I will be mid week. I'm just having that horrible feeling between scans where I have no symptoms whatsoever other than a bump which is probably mostly food baby rather than real baby! I have my 16 week mw appt on thurs, do you think they'll listen for a heartbeat?

Oh I'm huuuuuuuuuuge Ninja. I made a thread about it the other week!

I did feel movement before my 19wk scan, but I can't remember when There is kickboxing going on in there at 24 weeks so i can't forget I'm up the duff now.

Ah hawthers I guess it was just mouth engaging before brain then. Glad miniH is doing ok :)

Evening all

Ninj, I am deffo huge this time. Fo shizzle! As has been well documented I still don't feel a whole heap of movement so I'm not the best person to advise there. My mw listened to the heartbeat at 16 weeks which was a great relief. I still ended up having a 'panic' appt at 18 weeks when they listened again as I was so worried due to lack of movement etc.

In other news though, I can't believe you're 16 weeks already! That seems to have come round quickly (well at least to me, probably not so much for you!)

Hawthers - hope things are still improving

We've had a v boring productive day. Finished building all the nursery stuff so we now have cot, crib, furniture etc all built and ready to go. We've bought the crib and pram mattresses and ordered the cot one. Just need to sort out a dimmer switch and new light fitting (which we have, just need to actually fit it).

Also had to buy DS a new car seat as he's grown out of his current one so now we'll be enjoying the lottery of seeing whether he'll unclip the seatbelt each time we go out .

Then we've just been up in the loft to sort out the baby stuff. The pram and car seat are all ready to come down, and we looked at them just a few weeks ago to give a demo to my BIL so know they're all ok. DH has brought down all the baby clothes etc that we packed away so I can wash it all and see what we still might want to buy. And we've sorted out a pile of stuff like the bouncy chairs and playmats ready to come down once I've cleared all the clothes etc into the newly built furniture . Feeling pretty organised if I say so myself!

Then we just need to find out if it's a girl or a boy (but obviously not for a few months!). If it's a girl, the charity shop will be getting a massive load of boy clothes!!!

Hope everyone else is ok and having a nice relaxing weekend. I'm sat enjoying a hot chocolate while DH tidies all his tools away in the garage.

I am still on the bedtime battle... Seriously, I must be doing something wrong, its meant to get better quite quickly with persistence...no??! Singing, raspberries, crying intermittently, playing, no sign of any sleeping. FfS. Mostly left her for last 45 min, only gone up to shush from landing if crying starts escalating. 7 pm is a reasonable bedtime for a very nearly 16 month old though?! If you wake from your nap at 3:30, you must be ready for bed then, or am I wrong?! What happened to my 7-7 dd?!?!

Sigh

Anyway, wonderful encouraging dummy news little! Great that it seems to be going smoothly so far, long may it continue.

I'm vast. But i suppose I should expect to be. The rib pain is really getting me now. Mw appt on tue, will ask what I measure. ninja, with dd I heard hb at 16 weeks, and you'll feel movement depending partly on your placenta position etc. I felt these two at 15 weeks and was amazed as had barely felt dd by 20 week scan (anterior placenta). I have a posterior placenta this time though.

biscuits, well done with the organizing! All sounds good and you've reminded me I've not ordered my cotbed mattresses. If they go up I'll be cross!! My friend has started handing over boys stuff, now got 10,000 plastic bags of 3-6 month and up stuff as her friend is already storing the younger stuff. I think sorting baby clothes is my least favourite part. So many, and where to put them?!?! (Storage is a big issue!!). Is your ds excited, or impatient or indifferent?!

Forgotten the rest...

Oh, but i did indeed trade my mini in for a minibus today. It's gone into Dh's name (the garage did it automatically as they'd been dealing with Dh) but he's agreed we can send the log book off again when it comes back and it can be in mine.

Sorry feeling too lazy to catch up properly, feeling tired.
Very glad that Farley is on the mend :)
I felt movement as early as 13 weeks this time, definitely by 16 and full on being booted by 17 weeks!

Dream so glad you won the car battle :) I have had really sore ribs, although it has go t a bit better now. I would imagine that it will be persistent with two babies!

I have to say I am very impressed with all these nursery preparations! My Dsis is in the room that was to be a nursery so the bay will be in with us and then with his big sister aww! I always intended they would share once they were both a bit older as DD has a double room and I think it is nice for children. I remember my sister getting in my bed when she had a bad dream .etc :)

I have bought a new moses basket, a new pushchair and have a fairly long list of things to buy yet, a new car seat and a few other bits are first on the list! Dd was in the infant carrier until she was two as she is so small so it is a bit ropey now. And I am 32 weeks, so running out of time!

Me and DH need a new bed, I am not sure whether buying it now is good or if I should wait until I have had the baby to see if my preferences have changed? What do you all think? I will be buying waterproof sheets either way, in case of waters breaking and the first few months of having a new bay is very leaky in many ways!

As for being huge... Well I will try and do a pic again...!

Wants what is your name idea if you don't mind sharing? Dream are you winning? Dh is softening but now I am becoming unsure, not that he knows this! Do you think it is a bit wannabe posh?
Coz I aint innit but wot wit kiddo goin darn da private school an' all I don't want to give people a certain idea.
However, it is just a name...

Oh Dream - go to sleep Dream's little DD! Give your mummy a rest! Does she still go down better for your DH?

Hope she gives in soon xx

DS seems to be quite excited about the baby at the mo - he was excited at first then the novelty wore off but now we've started doing the room etc he's quite keen again. He was all up for loading his clothes into the chest of drawers today for the baby. We settled on leaving his fireman's outfit in there so the baby could borrow it .

Overall though he's taken the changes to the house pretty well - doesn't seem phased about that at all. Not sure he'll be so understanding when it's a real crying baby requiring actual attention? Still can't really deal with that until there's a real crying baby to practise with

biscuits I can't imagine how mind bending it must be to have an anterior placenta but not know it for ages. I would be in bits! And yes 16 weeks on weds, its gone both slow and fast if you know what i mean. You sound like you've had a good day of organizing and sorting stuff. I think once we've had the 20 weeks scan on valentines day we'll start going through all the stuff boxed up in the garage. And finally buy a new pushchair wheel and clean the bloody thing!

DS has been unbelievably cute today. He has discovered rock music and playing a swing-ball racket as a guitar. He is now in awe of Gene Simmons in full 70's Kiss make up and thought the timewarp was brilliant! He must have spent 4 hours this afternoon, stripped to the waist leaping round the living room.

she's finally asleep. 9:24pm. Ridiculous for a nearly 16 month old. I'm tired and frazzled... I may have to start a thread in the sleep section to see if I am going wrong or if there are any other suggestions... I am running out of confidence and energy to carry on. She is not massively better for dh- was 90 minutes yesterday instead of the 2 hours 10 ish for me...

Well, so far we have the monster buggy, minibus car, cotbeds on order- changing table has arrived, missing a hinge but cosatto customer services are amazing and we expect a new fixing kit imminently, everything else left to organise. I don't know when I should be having it done by, earlier I presume, but 25 weeks seems pretty early to have done anything to me!! One hand me down car seat to collect, one to order (ours is also too knackered purple)

biscuits, love the fireman outfit for baby to borrow! So the baby has teddies and a fireman's outfit from your ds already!

purple, if you know what kind of mattress you prefer normally (as in when not pg!) I'd get it now and it might be miles comfier for the rest of your pg and certainly with the baby. Firm or soft, hmmm!! I like Hugo. I don't think it's too posh (dh does, but he thinks Sebastian is posh too, so I don't really count his opinion). I like the meaning, and the site I just looked at offered these as 'similar' options (not sure how similar!) I worry a bit about Sebastian for the same reasons though...
Ethan
Felix
Gabriel
Leo
Noah
Lucas
Oliver
Isaac
Henry
Theodore
Oscar
Benjamin
Hector
Hugh
Edward
Hunter
Finn
Daniel
James
Max

And I was really unsure about naming dd, really struggled and worried I'd hate it later. I don't, but am disappointed it's rocketed up the popularity charts...

oh, love it ninja!! Your 16 weeks does seem to have gone fast to me...

And yes, are you going to share what name you like wants? I'm curious! Have you been on the baby names boards!?

Love your ds story Ninja - how cute!

Wasn't Hunter one of the Gladiators Dream? Glad your dd finally has gone to sleep.

Night all xx

Biscuits your Ds sounds just gorgeous :) as does yours Ninja. How lucky are we Dream?

When DD was your Dds age, she went to bed at 8pm, as that worked best for her, she now goes at 7.30, maybe you could try putting her to bed a bit later and see if it helps and then wake her up at a set time in the morning?

I hadn't tried out beds before being preg this time, I am definitely favouring a firm mattress. Sadly the one I like best (that I tried today) was £1000 in the sale and I just can't justify the cost when I need to buy so much and I would definitely have to save up longer! I don't want to get it wrong as the last bed and mattress I bought was pretty chap and is ruined now, so have a complex if anything. It looks like a Divan would be the best option. However, the last divan I had the mattress slipped off if certain activities were vigorous and my friend says that the split base on hers separates when vigorous too. Any opinions are very welcome!

I don't even know why I am so bothered by the whole posh thing, I think it is the whole private school thing as I don't want to look like I am aspirational or something?
Thanks for the names, it is soo difficult.

Felix - cat food
Gabriel - I like, but guess who doesn't?
Leo - I like Leon, it is a family name, but don't love it.
Noah - Nope
Lucas - Nope
Oliver - Family member
Isaac - I do like this, Dh says ok! I just asked, I know for a fact he has said no before! Progress?

Henry - Loads around here
Theodore - Bad association for Dh
Oscar - Loads around here
Benjamin - family member
Hector - I don't like the meaning
Hugh - prefer Hugo
Edward - Twilight! Edwin or similar possibly, Dh isn't keen and doesn't like my preferred abbreviation of Ted/Teddy
Hunter - Nope
Finn - Lots of Finlays here who are called Fin. Flynn is on the list as a middle name possibility
Daniel - Not keen
James - Nope
Max - I like it, guess who doesn't?

Gah! I am really struggling with decision making at the moment!

I like Isaac, I also liked Noah and Lucas from that list but DH doesn't. He's loving Benjamin, but our surname is super-common and I think Ben is too common a name for a super common surname, but it may be the compromise. Seb and Ben? I prefer Hugo to Hugh too. Edward from twilight is hot (if pale), so no problem there . I love Finn, but I'd have it as short for Finian (DH hates it), I even suggested Fintan (bit Irish, we have no irish family, plus DH hates)

Our divan bed is fine purple- I think our mattress was about that in the sale though- some 2000 pocket sprung memory foam topped jobby. I like it though, and we bought it when we moved in together and the house was an old student house so it was the only thing we had to buy- we still live with some old ingerited student left over furniture . The Divan parts have clips that hold it together so has never slipped apart, and the lattress has very, very gradually moved down the bed once so we hoiked it back up, but no other problems with any movement!!! I will have to check what it is- its one of the big brands, Silent Night or something, but when a clip came undone (don't know how!) it did move a little, so I'd want one with the clips. Defintiely invest though i'd say, you spend hours on it, and hopefully will last a good decade...

I will ask my dad about Hugo- he is actually quite good about knowing if names are too posh/aristocratic etc. I like it, can't persuade my DH so no chance of pinching it though

ooooh and Hunter was one of the Gladiators biscuits and thats all I can think of when I look at that name!!!

Right, must stop faffing and get to bed!!

dream it probably wouldn't hurt to start a sleep related thread. There's bound to be someone read it who thinks of something we've missed.

Well done your DD Little

I have envy of how organised you are Biscuits. We've done nothing, nada, zilch and have absolutely loads to do to get the nursery anywhere near fit for purpose. But I'm leaving all of that to DH...

Ninja your DS sounds so entertaining Re movement I was expecting to feel it earlier this time as that's what most people tend to say. I'm sure I felt the first early flutters from about 16ish weeks onwards which progressed to squirming but I didn't get full on booted until about 21 weeks so actually more or less the same as when I was pregnant with DS. I'm also much bigger this time.

There's a couple of names on that boys list that I think are lovely and a few that I'm not keen on. I have 3 names for boys that I really like (DH likes none of them) and girls names we are sticking with what we liked for DS if he'd been a girl, although I'm disappointed it's a lot more popular now than it was 3 years ago so may still recconsider. That's the trouble with the popular ones, they're popular because they're nice!

Dream I should probably mention that the Dc have a ridiculously long double barrelled surname! So I think that is also concerning me with the whole posho thing.

The other one I liked was £500ish down from £800 and had a 12 year warranty. Still pocket sprung, but a rotating one, not a turning one. If I go for the expensive one it will definitely have to wait until after the baby is here. I will look for clips on your recommendation.

We have loads of cheap furniture that is going to be gradually replaced. A new larger table and chairs is on the agenda after everyone has had new beds. I want to get Dsis a bed with a desk underneath as she has a small room. Then Dd will get her bed, and then when she gets potty trained she can have a new bed/mattress and the baby can have her cot bed when she goes into the bed. Gah. More overtime for Dh then!

I wasn't aware of names when we named DD, she has a very popular name, although I haven't actually met that many yet. I just hope she doesn't go to school and there are loads!

*Scarlet are you going to share your names?

Yes ask your Dad for me Dream and mention the double barrelled bit to! Oh and you would be welcome to use it :)

Ok Purple but I could do without being put off them otherwise I really will be struggling

The boys names I like are Rueben, Lawrence and Theo. DH says that Rueben is too unusual , Lawrence is a bit posh and Theo reminds him of footballers again. Theo sounds the best with my DS's name so that's number 1 for me at the moment.

Girl's name is either Ava or Erin. Almost definitely Ava. It's popular I know, but I've loved it forever. Long before it became popular.

Yes yes yes to Theo (Dh says no, plus dd's little friend, the one with twin sisters, is a Theo). Even Dh likes Lawrence. I can't make up my mind on Reuben, its one I consider too! Love ava and erin too. Don't think you'll go wrong with any of those!

Have started a thread on sleep... Losing all confidence in my abilities rapidly.

I like all of those! Lawry from little women :) Erin was on my list for DD and Ava is lovely. It is true they are popular for a reason. I welcome criticism/opinions on my names from the safety of the internet gives me perspective.

Slightly bricking it as, have had letter saying they didn't have a record of my next antenatal appointment, so have booked me one for tomorrow. I have one for next week! Now my MW could be being daft but I am worried that she only looked it up because my blood results are worrying form last week. Surely they would have called me though? Anyway looks like I will be at the hospital for 10 am tomorrow!

Oooooooo loving the name talk! All very exciting! I like a lot of the names you've all been talking about, Noah is my favourite name after Zachary. I think Noah would actually be my favourite if it wasn't so overly popular.

I spoke to my Nan earlier this evening, she asked about names and I told her we were thinking Autumn. Her reaction couldn't have been more subdued! She said "Oh. Well. That's..... unusual." Bless her. I should have guessed she'd hate any name I like, mainly because all my Aunts and Uncles have names I would NEVER EVER choose!!

Very impressed with Little's DD adjusting so quickly to not having a dummy anymore! Hopefully this is the turning point for all the DC on this thread to start sleeping better, and Dream's will be next to go down quietly!

I'm also awed by all of Biscuits' preparation! I definitely want to get going on my purchases now. However we're waiting for the Baby Show in Feb to make our biggest purchases (cot, pushchair, car seat, etc). Not much else fun to be bought in the mean time, mainly because we haven't cleared out the 2nd bedroom yet, plus I don't want to buy any baby clothes before my baby shower. The only other big thing to buy is the bedside cot our LO will start off in, and those are so expensive I want to leave it a few more months to see if I can find ANYWHERE that will do one on offer. Right now I can't find a single retailer with either bedside cots or pacapod changing bags on special offer, and they're both so expensive I feel guilty buying them full price. It's inevitable though, I'm hopeless at budgeting. Usually when I have a bad day at work I end up buying something pointlessly expensive to justify having a well-paid but stressful job! Not a great budgeting strategy...

Thinking of Hawthers and Farley tonight, I hope everything is still improving and you both have a better night.