April 2015 Thread 13: The babies are creeping in one by one and the gardens really need seeing to!

[TheBooMonster]

Welcome to the 13th April 2015 babies thread!

The stats thread is here and we have a handy spreadsheet here

If anyone wants to join the FB group who hasn’t already, PM me your email address and I’ll send you an invite!

We’re in the home stretch ladies, we've had the first baby, how many more threads can we manage before the last baby is here?

Just watched a video with a baby in it and I can now smell milk. It's so weird. Not leaking though.

wibble I quite enjoy cooking but not so much doing every day DH however seems to hate it, if I'd left cooking up to him we'd literally live on pasta bake, filled pasta and pizza, with pukka steak pies whenever they're on offer. Though I tend to do a lot of the cooking after DD has gone to bed, she's such a fussy mare about food that she won't eat most of what I cook anyway, so it's easier to give her ready made toddler meals and then deal with grown up food when I've got the downstairs to myself or whilst DH is on small folk duty if he's at home.

I'm actually quite looking forward to it just being DH, DD, bump and I living under our roof, last time we were living with DH's parents, and whilst they were a godsend, I felt like DD needed to always be 'on show' and I didn't get much privacy for breastfeeding. I'd be pretty livid if DH turned round and invited his parents to stay over in the first few weeks! My parents and DH's parents have said we should expect guests because they're a 'necessary evil' but have otherwise been pretty suspiciously quiet on their plans for babies first few weeks... with DH off for three weeks I'm kind of hoping that they'll all make themselves scarce initially and then pop over semi-regularly once he's back at work and I need the extra 'grown up power' to deal with DD and bump all at once especially if PFB DD takes as badly to bumps arrival as mum thinks she will MiL keeps saying she'll take DD off for a morning or two a week, and the same with bump, but then follows up with "but of course, it's up to you, whatever you want" I'm happy for her to take DD, and expect DD would be glad of the 'have you all to myself' grandparent time but if I'm trying to breastfeed then her taking bump will be a bit of a nightmare :/

mswibble you are definitely not being unreasonable! Your OH is. There's a difference between being 'allowed' to see the baby and staying for a week. Making me feel glad that my parents and PIL are close by so at least will be no need for anyone to stay overnight.
Hope your midwife appt goes well today.

daholster my portfolio has the same effect on me. But given that I just had a review in feb I have given up on it now until after maternity leave. Such a chore!

Annia hope the nct class is ok and not too scary!
Lauren hope you do get some work to do, it's one of those situations isn't it where the less you do in a way the less you want to do but it doesn't help the time pass any faster!

Finally going to go to mothercare now!

So sorry mswibble, if you can stay calm I think it's really important that you make your oh realise just how wiped out you will be and how you will need your own space to move about as you wish without someone you are uncomfortable with being in yor space. If not could you call mil and ask her politely if she could leave a visit for a while or stay nearby? It's a lot to ask so soon after the birth. Ok, just read your most recent post, staying calm is definitely the way to go but this is NOT something you should roll over about.

My garden is tidy but mainly for keeping clean post birth not for the benefit of a midwife.

I love boots clothes but pricey but I found they washed well.

I did mine myself RL20, Dh would definitely be too heavy handed. It's natural to worry about labour but wait until you're a few more weeks pregnant and you may well feel it's a great alternative

For everyone worrying about toddler food, it's not what they eat in a meal or a day, it's what they eat in a week at this age...

Some days my DD just eats the pasta or the potato... other days she just decided on protein... saturday she ate a adult sized salmon fillet and a couple of bites of carrot for lunch... she can eat a whole raw carrot like bugs bunny... kids are good at self regulating

Lauren I don't like left overs well I don't like eating the same thing 2 days in a row so I always freeze the other half as for some reason I seem to cook for 4 people every time I cook not 2!!

I have made bed in babies for when my friend comes to stay tomorrow for a few days!
I have moved bed side draws round in bedroom and made room an put crib in bedroom and space to put a changing mat down! Changed all the bedding to.
Put all the washing away in the little room and cleaned bathroom!!

I just had some lunch and cooked some mince whacked them in the slow cooker to make chilli for dinner! Now to tackle the downstairs!

You made me want mince! I have tons. Not got any fibre in right...? Or should I stick with ginger nuts and fizzy water...

Not heard back from GP or hospital yet... (though I'd better make the surgical team at least aware of the situation... there was an answerphone...)

skyra that is very busy!!!

skyra like you I always freeze leftovers. I've found you can freeze anything really - it might not have quite the same tip top perfect taste and texture the second time around (risotto is a case in point) but compared to either cooking afresh or ordering in at not inconsiderable expense, I find it preferable esp now we're parents.

My DH used to be prissy about not eating the same thing two days running but I put him straight on that one. Not that we do often do that as it happens but I resented the suggestion of grandness that his stance seemed to imply! He needed to be brought down a peg or two

Beef mince! Lol
I find pasta bake does not freeze well so stopped freezing them and try and have rest for lunch next day!

I have dusted living room cleaned kitchen set table ready for weekend so I don't have do it while trying to cook a big Mexican meal on Saturday!
I am trying to get it all done now and then hopefully weekend I will only have to vac and dust with friend visiting for a few days I know I will not get anything done till the weekend!!
I feel like it's a bit mad doing a big meal so close to 37 weeks lol still need to make jelly cake to!

Jelly cake sounds awesome! Wow your house must be so clean and nice skyra unlike mine... always on catch up and never actually catch up

Yes altered duties from GP. Will collect it tomorrow. Though I think she's done it from today... I am not at work today, took it off sick... hm

Will peep at it tomorrow when I collect it and see the midwife.

Awww, man, what Daholster said: Jelly cake does sound awesome!!

There is definitely something really compulsive about kid's tea-party type foods as you get older. Last birthday DP kindly (and perhaps ill-advisedly) offered to bake a birthday cake, cos he's a good guy like that.. here's the Frankenstein thing i requested (yes, i lurved it so much i kept a picture of it!): It's got a rice-krispy base with salted caramel and alternate layers of choc sponge and fresh cream. And toasted marshmallows and chocolate buttons on the top.
(This was my 39th birthday. )

I wish I still had some. (maybe i'll crash Skyras place and pinch some of hers ;0) Tell us more about the jelly cake! [drools]

(Not that i've got a one track mind or anything!)

nunkie omg that looks amazing!

I can give you my marshmallows but I will take the whole cake!!

daholster I have to admit my house is never this clean normally it's because I have people coming otherwise I would be sitting watching TV :D

Nunkie Got to say your cake looks amazing!!!
My lovely mum is Polish and whenever we visit family in Poland my aunt would make us Jellycake My dad has tried to copy it but failed!

So I decided to give it ago the other week and the picture is the result!! It was so nice to reminded me of my childhood, So making another one for Saturday for after Mexican, take's 2 days to make due to it setting but its worth it!!

Skyra i want to bite into that, like NOW! Whats the ingredients? (apart from gelatine :0D) It looks creamily-amazing!! I never knew jelly was a thing in Poland!

Oh this is just too cruel! Posting pics of cake when the only morsels available to me is a slightly bashed banana!
(they both look ridiculously good tho'!)

Baby just moved and elbowed me in the knee. And now has the hiccups. Am trying not to think that it serves it right...

Nunkie Not sure if its big in Poland but definitely in my family it is!

So what I did was Set 2 different flavoured jellie of your choice I use Hartley's follow instructions I normally use a little less then the Pint of water it tells you to to make the Jelly firmer, So set your jellies once set chop into cubes no need for it to be perfect mine was more like lumps :)

So to make the cream jelly
100g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and also scrap out any vanilla.
300ml double cream
600ml milk
8 gelatine sheets

Put the sugar, vanilla pod, cream and milk into a pan and heat gently, whisking occasionally to help release the vanilla seeds, until mixture just begins to boil. Take of the heat and leave to infuse for 15min

While cooling Put the gelatine sheets into a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 5min. Lift the soaked gelatine out of the water and add to the cream pan, stir to dissolve. Lift out the vanilla pod and leave the cream mixture until completely cool.

Once its cool poor into desired dish like the shape in my pic :) Then drop the flavoured jelly in at random places put in fridge to set best over night.

I normally set the jelly one day then make the cream next and set and eat day after

Your welcome to steal it

Thanks Boo, will think about joining the FB group then. I'm not one for posting bump pictures though or anything like that, I'm quite introvert on FB! So perhaps something for me to join in a few weeks time when it'll be a bit closer to my due date and I'll be able to post photos of baby when the time comes

Penguin let us know what you get from Mothercare most recently I've bought baby's coming home suit from there (the first 'first size' thing I've bought! Everything else is 0-3 months), some gorgeous little moccasin booties that were on sale, a changing mat that goes well with the changing table we have, so I can leave the other one I bought at my mums house, a rubber duck bath thermometer, a neon green hooded mac-style coat/jacket in 3-6 months, and have ordered an Isofix Base which hopefully we should be picking up tomorrow. Phew! I do love it in there though Especially as they have toilets ha ha! I always need toilet when I get to there. Also there is a secret feeding room that leads on from the toilets that's set out just like a cosy living room! I just have to have a look in every time I go!

Just got back from my second antenatal class. Was full of information about feeding and early play time which was very interesting. The DVD on breastfeeding was really informing, with how to make sure the nipple is in correctly, etc. I've chosen not to breastfeed at the minute, so although the midwife did say a few times that they support you in whatever you choose whether that's BF or FF, I found it a bit repetitive with the BF information, and none at all that was focused on FF. But I suppose I can talk with my health visitor if I have any questions about it.

we tend to discuss things on the fb group that we might not here too.

RL20, I'm planning to come over to the FB group once the small person has actually arrived, but for now I'm lingering in pre-pregnancy anonymity...

Yep Ebwy it is our age. Plus I can't see the busby and haven't seen the silly thing for months now so out of sight out of mind. I remember when I announced the preg my SIL (20s) offered to help with bikini line tidying (bless). I said don't worry, I won't give a rats arse about it (It probably looks like a rats arse now tbf)
Aaargh why post pictures of cakes!!! I stupidly gave up chocolate for lent. And I can't eat gluten (acid) so all I can find is toffee popcorn (yum).
Mrs w I'm sure everyone has said it but DH needs to realise that you are going to be going through a big, life-changing event. His desire to have his Mum around comes quite low down on the list of priorities as do MIL's expectations. Your mental health, however, should not be taken lightly. Imo DHs pandering to their mums causes long-term resentment and can damage your relationship. All I can say is keep thrashing it out until it is resolved.
I think you said you are going for classes? In one of the first classes they went on about anxiety being the enemy as far as labour and so forth are concerned. This helped me to cement my feelings that I will call the shots and I think OH got it too.

Annia, me too, I'm not very open on FB so I would probably be a bore on the group! Until baby is here anyway

Wow cakes look amazing!! I want cake now...
Glad you got your work note sorted daholster and that it takes the pressure off for the last couple of days.
RL I was very good I managed not to buy anything this time! I went to return some pyjamas and they didn't have the bigger size so just ended up with a refund. I have also got a baby suit (what I would call a keep warm suit!) from there - as well as cellular blankets and bath support, the list goes on! But I'm trying to be good now and realise that a) realistically we have enough stuff and b) I should be saving money!

Major plus this morning - found £30 of next vouchers in my drawer to add to what I already knew I had this is shaping up for an amazing shopping trip in the next couple of weeks!

I think I might bite the bullet and join fb group soon too - if I want to share a pic of baby would rather not do it on the open internet - Although I somehow doubt that weirdo stalkers would be bothered to read through all our pregnancy related chit chat but all the same might be more private. Boo what info is it you need to add people?