Graduated Elderberries (thread 2)

[Cavort]

Oops, seems we ran out of room without noticing!

It happens pretty much on daily basis here and as it's a very male dominated industry/company, the people who want to talk to me about it are mostly men. So technically, yesterday I had a long conversation with a male colleague about my breasts. In the context of breastfeeding and co-sleeping and what he and his wife did with his baby, but nevertheless.

Oh and Alex, your name reminded me - I think we might have chosen the name for DS. We had the first one, Victor, but I was not so keen on DHs suggestion for middle name, so might have found an alternative.

What do you lot think of Victor Alexander?

Ha that's hilarious hazle! We only have a couple of men in our office but they're really good at talking about their babies and the details, so I'll probably have some nice awkward breast chats to look forward to!

Victor Alexander is really nice! Alexandra isn't actually my real name, was just a mumsnet name, but I like that too, that's why I picked it. DH won't talk about names yet, until our first scan! Of course I've had my list ready for ages

Oh hazle I love it. Somehow it works really really well with Victor - presume it works OK in all three (is it three?!) languages?

And will you even be at work at the end of the year alex?! Maybe you'll get out of it totally.

I'm worried we haven't even got a shortlist of names, and have only got 15 weeks 6 days to decide - less if I have an elcs. Argh!

Yes, the names would work in all 3 languages. I know the name is kind of boring and proabably too traditional for a lot of people, but honestly, DH and I are just boring people

Hello welcome and congrats Alexandra! Can definitely recommend Purple's ice-cream, just stay away from cavort's Fanta. Trust me

Love Victor Alexander Hazle that's so classy!

My work colleagues are ok so far... my boss yesterday paid me a huge compliment he'd received on my behalf from an agency we're working with, then added that he'd said 'yeah, but she's leaving soon - the traitor!' on the end. It's a good job I know he didn't mean it! (And the compliment was really very nice)

I'm also quite lucky that we have a major event in July that usually I'd be expected to be working at - lots of running around after people, off site... Brilliantly, I've decided to go off the week before, when I'll be 38 weeks. It's all about the timing

Oh and Janey I may not go brown, but I do have very dark brown hair. And freckles (occasionally)... so you never know

Love Alexander Hazle, but then I always seem to like similar names to you.

Janey, it can't be only 15 weeks 6 days though surely? Aren't I a week ahead of you? I've got longer left than that haven't I? Shiiiiiiitt. Please tell me you've grossly miscalculated?

I'm 24 +1 so I think that makes sense? It's what my app said this morning giving me a minor heart attack so I think it's right.
Have made some more purchases today post panic! Flannels, towels, a baby bath (it's basically a bucket, my niece and nephew loved it!) and some "pink noise" sheep thing that's supposed to replicate sounds from the womb and aid sleep. Urm, ought to get round to practical things like a pram soon!

Oh, checked one of those apps as well and 13 weeks to go. Which sounds like quite a short time, but it's really the rest of March, April, May and most of June in my case. No need to panic!

Hi alex nice to see another newby congrats on your BFP!

Babydust sounds like a cremation....not nice.

I love Victor Alexander really lovely!

janey you got the tummy tub? I have heard that babies like them, but haven't figured out yet what's the difference between this and well, a bucket. Is it any different?

I have indeed. And there is no difference at all between that and a bucket, except the lip of it as far as I can tell. I was genuinely going to get a bucket (and my niece and nephew, now 2 and 5, until very recently STILL bathed in actual, real, big buckets each), but then remembered that my nephew used to hold onto a chew the wide edge when he was teeny - so I figure a thin rimmed bucket isn't quite the same. And for £20 I couldn't be bothered to spend my time going round DIY shops to try and find one!

What do you guys think of my cunning plan to stop people topping up my glass this weekend, my mates are lushes so will be trying to get me pissed. I have decided to have wine of the table in a wine cooler....BUT to drink cider myself, 0% alcohol cider, it says non alcoholic on the bottle but Ive painted over it so it shouldnt be obvious, plus I'll obviously have it in a glass. I also got 0% sparkling wine for toasts....sneaky sneak....Im quite proud of myself. God Im sad arent I.

I have been known to replace champagne with appletise at a wedding! Naughty!
Painted over it though? Won't that be a bit obvious purple?

I'm sorry, Purplemonster is indisposed at the moment and is unable to come to the computer due to having a minor breakdown at the thought of only 15 weeks to complete a loft conversion which currently is just like our old loft but with a couple of hunks of steel (no windows, no stair case, no walls, no floor, no electrics, no radiators, NOTHING), redecorate the entire house, buy all of the stuff I don't have (which is basically everything except a pram, car seat and about 4 baby grows) which I CAN'T buy until the loft is finished as I've got no where to put it. Ummmm, it's not going to all get done in time is it? I think I really have been living in denial!

Ha purple I'm with you. Building doesn't even start on ours until 2nd April, and like you, rest of house on hold until we've done that. Argh!

Oh, I have nursery furniture, 5 babygrows, a rocking chair (thanks ebay) and a bath bucket. No sign of a push chair or carseat for me.

Oh, and talking of rocking chairs...
I got mine off ebay for £80. It's THE MOST COMFORTABLE seat I've ever sat in. It's a Dutailier one, apparently they're the best and cost £500-800 new. They're supposed to be lovely to breast feed in (padded arms at right height) and with the foot stool (wasn't sure I wanted one, but lordy it's nice) really are incredibly comfortable. So much so that DP announced he was going to sleep in it the other night! Anyway, if you're after one, I can recommend. But don't buy new - so expensive....

I can vouch for Janey's rocking chair, it is the most comfortable thing ever, I'm definitely going to get one too!

DH and I are planning to get a kitchen extension, new bathroom and loft conversion done this summer - am just realising what a big project it will be eek!

Mother I love your sneaky sneaky booze tricks! I'm always the first to say yes to a glass of wine so might need to do some painting bottles myself to hide the fact I'm not drinking!

I got a feeding chair off a mate second hand. Think it was originally from the Range or somewhere similar. Anyway, it's a soft rocker so can rock a bit, but not like a proper rocking chair. It's so comfortable and the right combination of firm and comfy - with a v-shaped pillow it'll be perfect.

All for a tenner

That plus a canvas photo in the nursery are our only purchases thus far. I only have 20 weeks to go (til max overdueness). My friend who's now 26 weeks completed their nursery at the weekend complete with cot, carpet, assembled pram, wardrobe of clothes... the lot. Felt rather inadequate after that visit!

Oh and Mother make sure you try the non-alcohol stuff in advance... got some alco-free kopparberg and it was so fizzy and vile that I nearly threw up - and OH agreed!

Good luck though - I was very lucky at Christmas when I was with family who didn't know as I had been quite ill and had had emergency surgery the week before. They spotted I wasn't drinking and saw me looking pale and asked if I was on antibiotics - I was, and fortunately it WAS the ones that are an asbolutely alcohol-free zone ones - so they gave me my excuse!

Prior to that I'd been out with OH for his work's Christmas do then met up with his friends afterwards. I told them I was driving (I was) and they didn't bat an eyelid - think they were mostly halfcut by then so wasn't too tricky lol.

It was this kind of thing, but with white woodwork and blue cushions (that my mum is kindly replacing with cream!) that I've got. Soooooo lovely and comfy!

chair

Evenin' all, just a brief visit for a quick hello and to moan like hell that our internet has been off ALL BLOODY DAY so I can't get my daily MN fix of pregnancy-related woes and angst. It's almost like having a limb amputated.

Welcome Alex and don't worry, I'm not always this grumpy sometimes worse.

Hazle I think Victor Alexander is lovely!

Oh, renovations. Not to scare you or anything, but we did our kitchen and living room last year. Original plan was to do it in the summer, a few weeks it should take, we thought. Works finally started in September and were more or less finished by Christmas, last things in February..
I'd really like to do one of the bathrooms, but honestly, can't even think about another project at the moment.