February 2014 - all our bags are packed, we're ready to go...

[sunflowered]

Well... we're getting there at least, and definitely ready to meet the first thread baby!

"your mum" Sorry I blame fatigue

Eek sunflowered I'm so excited! Sending you lots of positive birthing vibes!

I've been at the business end of our work restructure today. It's looking grim for some people in my department and I need to know if I will be slotted into 'my' role or if I have to apply for it. They also want to reduce the hours for my job by 1 day a week. I'm not sure if this will affect my maternity pay or not if I am 'slotted' in. So bloody confusing!

Hospital tour tonight and final nct session tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a good weekend and looking forward to seeing a picture of our first baby!

Good luck sunflowered!

Littleen, I really hope your mum gets to meet your LO. I can't imagine what you're going through.

Misskat phew, I'm so glad you're not my sister! She'd have known immediately it was me. I mean, I tell her most of this stuff anyway but still, I like to be kind of anonymous on here... Artisticme you and your twin are even closer in EDDs than we are - it's 10 days between DSis and me. Do you live near each other? Unfortunately I'm in Belgium and my sister's in the UK so we're not going to get to spend that much of our ML together. Am also a bit jealous as sister lives near our DM so is going to get loads of help and support and I'm not It makes me feel a bit homesick, actually - I'd love to be near DSis and DM for the next few months.

Just back from seeing the gynae; I had a scan (scan number 3,457 of this pregnancy or thereabouts ) and baby has gone head down - yay! She's also quite big, apparently, although well within what's normal.

I've just about finished work! I was planning to work next week and then take 2 weeks of annual leave before starting ML on 2nd Feb, but this last week has been such a struggle that the gynae gave me a sick note for next week. I've got to go in on the 20th (for an interview for a new job - not the best timing in the world), but other than that I'm done

Wowee good luck sunflowered!!!!

Have any other self employed preggos filled in their MA forms yet? I assume I don't send it off until I want MA to start as there is no place for me to specify on the form? Also, if I have made all the right NI payments does that mean I get the £136-odd per week? Again, it doesn't ask me for my earning as se and the website is a bit vague and hard to understand (well to me it is!) but does say that if you have paid all the relevant class 2 NI contributions you are classed as reaching the minimum earnings for full MA (I think). I really hope so as this will give me more money than I was expecting by about £40 per week!

Sunflowered, hope all is well. Very exciting!

Petty yes that's correct. I have sent the long forms in already so they have processed those and sent me a further, short form which I can only submit once my Maternity Leave has started.

Ooh wow how exciting sunflowered! Hope you're having squishy newborn cuddles soon!

I'm in so much discomfort today, my pelvis feels like it is going to split in two and the pressure at the bottom of my bump, back and pelvic floor is worse than in any of my previous pregnancies. I am currently horizontal to take some of the strain off, though will need to move soon as DS2 has a friend over to play, Ds1 is winding up the younger ones and it's getting gradually noisier... Thankfully my only pupil this evening has cancelled. Relieved, even though I need the money!

petty and sugarmice thanks for that! I'm still not actually trading but have been considered self-employed for a few months now and will be paying my NI bill this weekend, so I guess I can also take MA... Will talk to my accountant about it.

Good luck sunflowered. Or if you are reading this afterwards hope it went well. Xxx

You're the winner then sunflowered! Hope everything went well and you are enjoying the first of the groups newborn baby cuddles! Can't wait to hear all about it!!

Excited for you and your little girl Sunflower, and on a selfish note a weird combination of slightly nervous and a little envious :) if I remember right you and I weere due around the same time! I am 34 weeks today... Hope that all has gone well.

Oh my goodness only just seen - good luck Sunflowered!!!

morien I was also going on mat leave later but been given a sick note today... Just couldn't manage and the relief of knowing I have finished is huge!

Sunflowered - hope all went well and you're with your little girl now! Very excited for you and look forward to you telling us about it whenever you get a chance!

Litleen - also sorry to hear about your mum and sending positive thoughts your way that she sticks around a bit longer.

I got to hold my friends 3 week old baby girl today - so squishy and cute! She just slept in my arms. I remember when DD was born and she was so small I'd let her sleep in my arms while I just stared at her face in amazement. I hope I get to do that with my son too but I imagine it will be more difficult with DD demanding attention too!

I have just one week of work left - had a bit of a leaving team meal out yesterday to say bye to me and welcome my replacement. I really need to finish writing my handover notes and make sure I'm organised. Even though I don't work Friday's my boss still texted me to ask about something. They will have to manage without me soon!

I'm getting quite tired now although I've managed to sleep reasonably well the past few days. DD really tests my patience though at the moment. Since Christmas she has an imaginary friend that she talks to/plays with which sounds cute, but it's driving me mad. She wouldn't even let me sit at our table this morning for breakfast 'cos all of her imaginary friends were sat there (we have a table for 6 and it was just the two of us!). She just screamed at me when I tried to sit anywhere so I just sat on the sofa with my breakfast for an easier life. She also talked about him a lot in our dance class this morning and wouldn't hold another girls hand as she said her friend was between them. I'm worried this phase may last for a while as she's only 3yrs 2 months and I thought these things happened later! Anyone else had this with their kids? New mums to be, you have all this to look forward to :)

Oh my goodness good luck sunflowered!! That's amazing you'll get to meet your little girl today:) sending lots of hugs your way xXx

morien me and my sister live only a few streets away from eachother so we are basically in eachothers pockets. Always have been though! Must be really hard living away. How long have you been in Belgium for? Will your mum be coming over to visit after the baby is born?

littleen so glad to hear your mum is a bit brighter today. Keeping everything crossed she is able to meet your beautiful baby:)

God littlepanda - you poor thing. One imaginary friend sounds annoying but enough to fill your kitchen table - aaaarrrrgghhh!

Yaaaay I finally made some progress in the babies room today. I've got a coat of paint on two of the walls. It's not loads but it's a start! I've been so tired all afternoon tho - I had a shower early and sat in bed afterwards (on the tiny bit of bed that doesn't have displaced crap from the babies room in there) and managed to fall asleep with the light on, propped up with the cat sleeping on me mmmmm I do love a good nap!

It's crazy isn't it! Luckily my insomnia seems to have been a bit better recently but I'm still awake loads as every hour my hips hurt and I have I turn over (which isn't easy) and often need the loo too! You'd think we'd be zonked out sleeping like a log judging by how tired we all are in the day time!

Cubano Bet you feel better now you know you can slow down :)

Littlepanda Don't think there's any typical age for imaginary friends, but hopefully they will reduce in numbers at least, so you get your seat back ;)

Also had a nap today, with one cat at my head, one at my feet and one sleeping on my hip (he often sleeps there). Good job we just got a new enormous sofa with room for everyone!

Also went on a (controlled) shopping spree online, got a baby bath, changing mat and a baby carrier! Went to pick up a £30 used changing table yesterday too, so starting to get sorted now.

www.jollyroom.no/barn-baby/reise/baeresele/ergobaby-barsele-design-blue-lotus.html

Pretty carrier :D OH was happy with it too so that's all good!

littlepanda do you think it could be a response to the knowledge that a new baby is on the way? If so I would imagine it will stop when the baby arrives.

What colour have you gone for miss? I had to apply 3 coats of a cheap green that DP chose last weekend and it was so tricky trying to manoeuvre my massive bump without catching the wall. Our nursery is nearly finished. We just have to put up some little hanging hooks and its done. I keep on going in just to look at it and get excited. I nearly feel ready now which no doubt means baby will be very late. Although, since I've noticed the weird bubbling sensation I think I've started to gradually lose the show. Either that or I need to get to the GP pretty sharpish. Better get the car seat base fitted this weekend really.
Hope everything is ok sunflowered and you are now snuggled up with your little girl.

Hi all, after not being very well at all yesterday the docs decided today was d day and our little girl was born this afternoon at 33+5. She's in scbu for a little extra help but doing really well so far - I'm desperate to go and see her but am hooked up to loads of hdu kit so can't go round until the morning. Dh hasn't stopped smiling all afternoon. It's been a tough week (will fill you in more on fb where it's a bit more private!) with the best possible ending (other than getting to 37 weeks obviously!)

LittlePanda I can't wait for that whole staring at cute sleeping baby thing. It was lovely enough with my friend's baby - I can't imagine how amazing it is when it's your own.

Littleen we have an ergo too and it's super comfy. Be aware though that you need the infant insert to use it for the first few months, just in case you haven't already bought that. www.peppermint.co.uk/nursery_department/ergo-baby-infant-insert-natural.html?gclid=CKfy95fA9LsCFUr4wgodwT4ATQ I have to say the insert is sooo cosy looking - I really wanted to climb into it myself and get all snuggled up.

sunflowered thinking of you!!

aww congratulations sunflowered xxxxxxx