Graduated Elderberries (numero 3)

[BraveLilBear]

Welcome back oh graduated elderberries. Let us discuss the delights of being over-30 first-timers with google obsessions

Lol at moving desk to the loo in bid to get more work done while staying hydrated

Thanks for the birthday cheer. Glad I can spread some mirth... was definitely a near-miss. But lessons learned - basically, I just couldn't get my legs far enough under my bump to counteract gravity.

I informed Mr Bear of this development and later that day he removed me from forking duties because 'all that pounding can't be good for the baby'. So maybe some good will come of my Jurassic Park style floundering!

Anyone heard how Alex's scan went Saturday...?

Yep, I did. Not sure why she's not been on MN... but was all good. Cute little pic, strong heartbeat, all looking good

Also - I've heard from our old chum quod. She's pregnant again and may well pop over to see us all here soon. Excellent news I'm sure you'll all agree

My scan went really well, was amazing! She picked up the heart beat straight away and I was so happy I got the giggles and couldn't stop laughing so she kept losing the baby on the screen as my stomach was moving! DH just sat there shell shocked but happy, saying over and over again "wow, it's amazing!" However when he left, he said in the car "Did you see that strong heart beat? Going to be a great footballer". Men.

Oh and it MOVED!! She kept saying "did you see it twitch?" and I really couldn't, so kept saying "erm..kind of" but then right at the end it did a definite little twitch!

Happy birthday bear! So glad you caught yourself. Not laughing AT ALL about you being a drunk t-rex tee hee hee

Congrats Alex! Just wait a few more weeks and that little bean will be jumping around like a kangaroo!

Yay! Great news Alex so happy for you! How far along do they think or is it a bit too early to date still?

And more great news for Quod as well! Fingers crossed

Thanks hazle! Only three weeks to my NHS scan, can't wait to see it again (and get further along so we're even safer). Someone said it's a good sign of brain activity if you see twitches at this stage so I've decided we're having a genius baby although I've since googled and it's quite usual for them to twitch! So now we know we're having a genius child who's great at football

Congratulations Alex! It's so much easier to relax once you've seen a heartbeat.
And thanks for the news on Quod, I often wonder how she's doing so I'm thrilled to hear her good news, I'll be worrying myself sick crossing everything for her for sure.

Cross post sorry bear - thank you! My dates were spot on - because of the clomid I was monitored so closely and know exactly when I ov'd and I'm 8 weeks 4 days now DH and I had such a lovely weekend knowing all was ok. We babysat our little nieces yesterday and took them to the park and DH was having a great time on the climbing frame etc - he was having as much fun as the kids!

One of the things I'm definitely looking forward to is that I can buy and play with all the cool toys and pretend I'm just spending quality time with DS

I know purple - I too am worrying for her. Will be so nerve-wracking until she passes the 12 week scan point OK. Having been through pretty much the same as her I know I relaxed loads after 12 wks so hope she can too. Talking of which, Saturday was the due date of my first pregnancy - it was all pretty strangely emotional to think I would have been celebrating a first birthday around now of a child, whilst carrying one. But time really is a great healer - am in such a better place about it all than I was 12 months ago.

Random aside.... Does anyone know what happens with bonuses whilst on maternity leave? I get a small bonus currently, which embarrassingly I generally don't even notice. However a few hundred quid here or there would be very bloody useful when on £135 a week. Someone at work said that she thinks I still get it - do you know if that's just the company being nice (ie they don't have to, so could easily just not bother) or whether you're entitled to it? Really don't mean to sound greedy, just trying to figure out how skint I will be to manage my money.

according to google, depends on the bonus:
www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/all/888103/bonuses-and-maternity-leave-ask-the-expert.thtml

Damn it. So sounds like they don't have to pay me anything, except for half one month's bonus (relating to the first two weeks of compulsory mat leave). Here's hoping they continue to be nice and pay me just for the hell of it...

Oh, and thanks hazle

Janey, and this is exactly why I try not to moan about all my little pregnancy gripes and illnesses, because I always remember how lucky I am that so far my baby is healthy even if I am not.

That's a lovely thought purple I tell myself how lucky I am every time I feel pukey and exhausted!

Yep, and I think about all of the little things I'm going to really appreciate once I can do them again too, things like putting my own socks on without wincing in pain and making weird groaning noises, running up stairs, walking fast and for more than five minutes, wearing clothes that actually fit and of course, having a lovely chilled glass of wine. This pregnancy stuff is all temporary and I'm assured will be well worth it in the end (we'll just have new things to bitch about by then like lack of sleep )

Absolutely Purple and Alex. Due date ghosts must be very difficult to deal with - our friends were, at one point, due on my first EDD (now been put back a few days), which I found very difficult to get my head around in early pregnancy - but having got this far I feel much better about it.

I just feel so enormously grateful to have this beautiful, wiggling little monkey doing her/his thing inside me, and I just hope I continue to give it a good home til it's time to be evicted (both in pregnancy and real life lol!)

On the bright side Janey if you get a payrise while on mat leave, you're entitled to get it even while on mat leave, IIRC. So maybe every cloud??

Wine and camembert! Drinking at weddings! Oh and brie! (there is a bit of a theme about the things I'll really appreciate!) Well worth the wait though

Oh purple I do that too! The noises I make whilst putting my tights on in the morning are NOT glamorous. DP can't stop laughing at all the grunting I do these days, and it's only going to get worse! It's just weird how uncomfortable bending forward has become.

Having said that, I wouldn't change a thing. Just hope all goes well for quod this time and that she pops by to see us all soon. I think she may well do after she's had an early scan.

I am STARVING today. Am hoping this isn't going to last for the whole of the third trimester or I will be one of those women who moans for having put on four stone or something ridiculous when pregnant...

Oh yes, the most difficult exercise at the gym nowadays is getting my sneakers on.

Janey Beyoncé has said she put on 4 stone while pregnant and look at her now so I'm seeing that as reason not to worry too much about weight gain and just go with the flow although celebs obviously aren't real people and she probably had a team of staff around her pummeling her back into shape.

Totally shit about the bonuses isn't it? I get quarterly performance-related bonuses so it adds insult to injury that I won't be able to do any 'performing' for the company while on Mat leave through no fault of my own. I do however intend to fully take the piss by DH using my free company car fuel to do the daily 100 mile round trip to his office and back to compensate for my wanky maternity package and lack of bonus which does make me feel somewhat better.

Is Quod pregnant? How far?? And how have I managed to miss this??? Wonderful news if she is, I still feel really sad when I think about what happened at Christmas. Would be lovely to see her over here.

Happy Birthday Brave! I hope Mr Brave is spoiling you!

I saw a post of hers on the pregnancy topic, and replied. So no real idea of how far along she is, but it is indeed fantastic news. Am so happy for her.

Excellent idea re company car and petrol!! Am very jealous of that. I obviously won't be using my work iPhone for any personal calls or texts whatsoever whilst I'm on maternity leave

Ahhh, I popped over to lurkily see how you are all doing and you are all busy worrying about me!

I am indeed a very surprised 6 and a bit weeks pg currently - we hadn't been making any significant TTC effort and were slap bang in the middle of moving house, so it's all a bit of a headspinner, but I am coming to terms with it. Off to the docs tomorrow, to hopefully get referred for an early reassurance scan. Annoyingly I've had to change doctors now I've moved and fear that the reassurance scans may not be so forthcoming in this rather less salubrious area of London! Anyway, we can always cough up for one if need be. I am trying to be relaxed about it all and quite honestly am not overly wound up, surprisingly, although it hasn't really sunk in at all with either me or DP - I think we are both just trying to ignore it a bit on one level and get some early weeks under our belts.

Anyway, nice to see you are all doing so well, apart from Purple and her itching :(

lovely to see you Quod, I am SO thrilled about your news, please keep us updated on how your doing, I'll only worry otherwise!

I meant you're obviously not your, I'm not illiterate honestly, it's this stupid feckin phone.