Marchers, THANK YOU, to sooo many of you, for sharing your hedgehog-DH tales! Reading them has made me feel so much better! There's always the doubt somewhere in my mind that he's right, and that it's all my fault, etc. And glad I'm not alone in managing this kind of thing! Really heartened by those of you who say they get better at managing situations when they become DFs! 
We made up at lunch. We kind of did a bit earlier. I was up till 3am writing my talk for today and fell asleep on the futon in the study. He fetched me in to bed at some unearthly hour but he was still a grump first thing. But I couldn't be *rsed anymore, phoned him at lunch at the time he usually calls me, and just wittered on as usual. This is one thing we do better as time goes on - make up quicker! I've learnt it's not The End of the World each time it happens, which makes things easier!
Goodness me it's been tricky getting through today on 3.5 hours sleep! I was giving a talk at a conference and it went really, really well. Criteria for it going well (1) organiser is much more effusive with you afterwards and immediately tries to get you on board for a publication, (2) it takes 25 mins to deal with the queue of people who want to chat with you in the break afterwards, meaning to can't get to loo or to the tea-queue, and (3) someone in the audience asks you to come and speak at their university. Job well done. I tried to stay on a bit but I was fading fast so did some errands in town and came home, chatted to the decorator who's done a lovely job on the woodwork this week, and slept.
As a result of my errands ... I am now the proud owner of M&S size 18 BIG PANTS!!! I am going up a size a month at this rate, so could go from a 12 to a 26 by the time the babies arrive - cor!
This evening I've got teaching prep for my new OU cohort tomorrow and am trying to gear myself up for cake baking. I always bake a cake, at least for the first tutorial. But I'm shattered! They do nice-ish looking, locally made cakes at the Co-op though ? would it be so bad??? Hmmm?
Hermione will we all be offered a flu jab because of pregnancy? Hope the family reunion goes well tomorrow! Not always easy, these things.
Hope you had good time with MiL today, Three. Mine has been a bit weird with me for past year or so (think I've mentioned before) but now is all over me because of the twins. Nice but ? eek. We're just going to see how it goes. She is desperate for the babies to know her, which is fine and good and understandable, and wants to help out loads before and after birth, which is fine too if she's happy to come 170 miles to stay! But in her last email she was talking about coming for two-week periods!!! I think it's going to be a 'let's see how it goes' situation. She hasn't been to visit since FiL passed away so I've suggested she come down well before xmas to practise the journey and see how well we are getting on. I'm sure it's just a case of managing everyone's expectations. She does respond well to hints, e.g. I suggested that altho she's welcome to come for a night or two soon after I've given birth to meet babies and while I'm in hospital, DH and I will need to spend most of his two weeks of pat. leave together, learning how to cope. She instantly got it. Thank goodness.
Which makes me think Zoey how much I would have hated the situation you were in last time. Seriously, this is your party and you lay down the rules! You can't have that happen again. Glad DH backs you up, but how strange that they just don't seem to get it. Some people don't tell family they are going in till they are ready for the visitations!! That's bold, but I can see it may well work in some situations.
Sheldon yay for your special meal, but boo to the beans! I had a summer pudding when we went out last week and had in mind a sort of fruity crumble. But it was a freezing cold pudding and I just couldn't eat it! Funny trying to go out and eat with pregnancy-appetite, isn't it?! (Love your secretive typing strategy!)
Totally confused about prams after last night's twin evening. The pram we want is a newborn to 4 years, but everyone was going on about needing something else for the first 6 months?which I didn't get. If it's advertised as a newborn can you not use it if you buy the appropriate support things? Hmmm?more research required methinks!
Tramp woohoo for baby stuff day tomorrow! Interesting that the heritage issues seem (reading between the lines - forgive if wrong) to be getting stronger at the mo. Do you think it's because of imminent fatherhood anxieties? Or living in England/sense of dislocation? Totally with you: heritage fine; but not when it gets complicatedly twisted with politics.
Tiddley how can they charge an extra £50 for gender-telling?! The sonographer knows just by looking, surely? I thought authorities who didn't tell might be responding to gender selection preferences within the community ? not in order to get lots of £££! And, yes, you're right - all couples must have nights like that! Boo, pity about the beer fest! DH has once or twice in the last couple of weeks poured me two fingers of his Speckled Hen when he opens a can at home and I feel like a naughty teenager
Woohoo Em, glad to be of service! George is so cute! Awww your poor little man. Probably just tired trying to negotiate the complexities of the world Hope he's all better now. Do little kids talk about stuff that upsets them or just file it way?
Lexi Freya is lovely!
Happy evenings one and all ... and sorry for such a bloomin' essay!