March 2016 Babies!! Thread #7 The one where we all say.... "Stay put Flump!!"

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Stay where you are Flump!!!

Hello all! I've not been in for AGES! we've had 21 days with no phone and no broadband at home - not good for xmas shopping. Also I live in the Lake District, which you may have seen on the news over the weekend. Luckily we have not flooded (though spent 3 days completely cut off as the main routes out of the town were all closed due to being 5 foot under water). Quite a few close friends and colleagues have lost their homes and businesses though which is heartbreaking.

Missi congratulations on the birth of little Zach! He is adorable and obviously such a strong little man (takes after his mum obviously!)

I think I had the dreaded piles a few weeks ago - had an alarming amount of blood when wiping, but settled after a few days and no sign of them now, hope they stay away!

I second the pillow for cramp thing. I got a dream genii pillow from Argos in the sale, and have not had cramp since (fingers crossed it stays away too!)

I had some good news yesterday. Was expecting to only be able to take 20 weeks maternity leave (long and complicated but to do with being self employed) but found out that I am entitled to reimbursement until 26 weeks (which means I'm off until the beginning of September rather than the middle of July). I'm over the moon!

Baby's had a crazy active couple of days, really wriggling and kicking - so much so my colleagues could see my belly moving from across the room at tea break yesterday. I'm 28 weeks tomorrow though so wonder if this is him getting into his routine. Luckily he seems to be active in the day and quiet at night - hope that is a sign of things to come when he's born!

Look at me waffling on!

Anyone else ridiculously lethargic? I'm at my desk, unable to focus and feeling fuzzy, I just want to lie down! I think technically I'm allowed to go for a sleep in the medical room, but I don't think I'll ever get up!

Doc I feel for you, we are across the A66 on the North East coast and though it's been windy and stormy here luckily so far not been cut off yet, seen many a tree uprooted - keep expecting to have one through my windscreen on a morning.
Looks like everyone is pitching in where you are though and hopefully the worst has passed now.

suz yup, luckily only waking once in the night, hope this is a good sign on things to come when baby arrives, but still hugely exhausted through the day. Can't wait for 10 days off after Xmas eve.

In laws are always the most difficult people to buy for, we have got MIL a debenhams voucher as she likes to get their bedding in the sales, FIL I bought a polo shirt for but it arrived and was the wrong size and they don't have his size in stock so now stuck.

DP's birthday today so need to get a nice little cake on the way home (he's 28 but a big kid at heart) anyone recommend a good supermarket chocolate cake? I will be near a tesco, sainsburys, aldi, morrisons or M&S food place?

Aagghh sorry, I keep forgetting I'm pregnant and have been awful at checking in here! Life has been crazy... I enrolled DS at swimming and Beavers, loads of Christmas stuff going on, we're going away to a hotel for our wedding anniversary on Saturday, two nativity plays and new wallpaper being put up/new carpets being fitted (any day now, yay!)

Hope everyone's ok. I'm finding it harder to move and grunting every time I do but really liking people saying I don't even look pregnant!!

Q I'd go to Tesco and get their chocolate birthday cake, it's so good!

Missi I literally can't believe how great Zach is doing/looking. He's amazing, so well done and thank you for sharing those pictures.

doc glad you're not flooded, the coverage on the news looks awful. So many people not able to stay in their homes just before Christmas! We had terrible flooding round by me a few years ago though thankfully my house wasn't affected, it makes you realise though how vulnerable we all are to the elements.

Q M&S do a delicious extremely chocolatey cake, we bought it for MIL's birthday a few weeks ago. It's not huge but perfect for a few of you, we polished it off between 4 of us!

Had my 25 week appointment this morning - all seems well apart from a possible mild UTI. Had a bit of a crowd in there though - two students and the support worker. Got my MATB1 and my fit-to-fly letter sorted too.

Thank you for the ideas everyone! I'm heading to town tomorrow to find something for her and think I'll probably end up with books/book vouchers or a purse/handbag. Bloody woman so difficult to buy for!

Glad your appt went well Tri, UTI isn't anything to worry about. I had one last week apparently and wouldn't even have known about it if the pharmacist hadn't phoned me about it.

Doc glad you managed to avoid the worst of the floods, but sorry to hear about your friends and family who were affected :( I hope they're getting all the help they need!

Suz I'm getting there! I can't seem to wake up and go at all this week. Have been running late everyday, and crashing earlier and earlier during the afternoon. Would love to have a nice warm bath, cup of tea and bed with a good book. Can't believe it's only 2.00pm!

Welcome back Beautiful! You must have a teeny bump if no-one can tell yet, but you do carry small babies don't you! You'll have to post an updated bump pic when you get a second. I'm getting horrified looks when I tell people I'm due in March because I look so big already! Hopefully all in the bump though. I don't think I've put it on anywhere else yet.

Must stay awake another 5 hours.... As soon as DS is in bed I'll be in that bath relaxing and I cannot wait!

doc sorry to hear you've been caught up in the flooding. Glad you are safe & fry, hope friends & family are back on their feet soon.

Welcome back beautiful I also keep forgetting I'm pregnant. My bump still lot huge and have been out at work dos till the wee hours in last week or so. Starting to regret it now especially when I have lots of birthday celebrations lined up for next week too!

Is anyone else thinking about shared maternity leave?

Oh I am so bored!!!

Am putting the Christmas tree up which in normally a job I love...except...we've bought a stupidly expensive fake one because:

A) the real ones at ikea were naff
B) the real ones everywhere else are too expensive
C) we can't have a real tree next year because of the baby (according to that we'll known parenting expert my DH).

This tree is fecking HUGE! 7 foot 6 inches of bastard tree to bloody decorate. 480 lights woven through the sodding branches and DH has swanned off to B & Q to drool over drills instead of helping me decide where to put the fairy up his backside is my current front runner

Rant over.... ho bloody ho [santa]

Glad to hear you're not flooded, doc, but huge sympathies to those who are and for the disruption you're still having.

Q, it's my DHs birthday today too! Getting DS to write his name in the card was way too traumatic than it should be for a nearly-5yo.
I got him an R2D2 cake from Tesco!

neh DH is taking 2 weeks shared parental leave in July when I go back to work before the summer holidays.

My bump feels smaller today. I think it's clothing related because yesterday I wore an old maternity shirt I had from DS and it is borderline-too small. I'm already growing out of maternity clothes!

I'm so tired. I've got a sore throat. DS is driving me crackers (I'm hangry) but DH is out picking up his own birthday curry. Crap birthday wife.

Still, Friday tomorrow & work Xmas do (more curry, yum!)

Indom it's my work Christmas do tomorrow too! I've never done a Christmas do sober so this year will be an interesting experience!

Finally written all my Christmas cards, but I did not quite buy enough stamps - annoying! They are extortionate these days too, can't believe the price of postage!

Happy Birthday to Q and Indom's dhs. Enjoy all that lovely birthday cake .

Me I 'can't get a babysitter' for this years work xmas party because I know I'll be the only one sober (and because I don't fancy spending any more time with my colleagues than I have to!). Hope you have a good time at yours though.

Sorry to hear about the uti Tri - hope it clears up quickly. Did you have any symptoms?

Work lost my mat b1 form . Luckily I work in the hospital so I was able to find a very kind midwife who was willing to write me out a new one! My old manager went through the paperwork with me too and made sure everything was sent off, so I will be getting maternity pay. So relieved its all sorted now, just a pita that it had to be so stressful to organise.

Haha thanks, I think it's because I'm always in a coat! Wore a white top today and you could definitely tell!

So much trauma today, ugh. The carpet fitter was 5 hours late and I got a very snotty letter from Income support as apparently I missed an appointment yesterday! They never bloody sent one!! Aagghhh.

Ahh, how weird about the two birthdays, enjoy all that cake!

DH is going on about 3 Christmas dos :( one of the downsides of being a SAHM I guess! Oh well.

Beautiful I have 2, my whole firm one tonight and my department one on Monday night! It's a ridiculously busy time of year.

I'm on my way to London now for a meeting. Glad to have been able to leave a bit later and miss the worst of the rush hour - no problem getting a seat on the train so no need to invoke the pregnancy card! It's going to be an intense meeting though, not really what I need on a Friday afternoon after a long week. I just hope it finishes on time so I can get back for my party!

One more week of work for me before some much needed time off over Christmas - I can't wait.

Hope everyone else has a good Friday.

I've got my work Christmas party tomorrow night. It's going to be the first time in around 3 months that I've worn anything with a bigger heel than 2 inch wedge heeled comfy boots and also relying on the physics-defying power of a strapless bra...

Trinpy No symptoms at all shockingly enough!

I've got my team party tonight and the whole of work just before Christmas.. We're going for a night on the town tonight and I have absolutely no enthusiasm for it at all! Bar Humbug?!!

Beautiful and I don't remember who else wanted a Cosatto, the offer is on I'm literally so excited, free car seat here we come!! Mothercare does the deal too, but Cosatto website is a bit cheaper!!! Time to spend money

Had a bump in my car this morning, feeling quite tearful

Has department do last week & compander party on wed, do also feeling pretty tired at the mo which Probably isn't helping with the emotions!

Are you ok neh?

I've bought an M&S curry for tonight and plan to watch 18 Kids and Counting while DH is out tonight. It will make me feel better about having 4!!

Ooh thank you Rosie, I'm on the case!

Oh no neh, are you ok? Hope you're not too shaken up. I'm not surprised you're tearful, it's a horrible thing to happen, make sure you look after yourself.

It's my Christmas party tonight too, but I'm not going. I gave back my ticket after someone on my team complained about me drinking too much tea, I didn't know who so didn't really want to be around any of them. I'm sad to be missing out, but the thought of squeezing into an ugly dress, feeling tired and fat, and being out sober until after midnight makes me feel I've made the right decision. We have a team meal on Tuesday which I have to go to, so am not missing out completely.

TriJo I am making zero effort for this party, I'm wearing flats! I don't like heels at the best of times so definitely not now when 6 months preggo!

neh hope you're ok after your bump. I have had 2 in my time (one not my fault, one utterly my fault!) and both really shook me up even though they weren't serious at all - no injuries to people, just the car! Look after yourself and get some sympathy from your DH!

Ours has a formal dress code so I think I just need to suck it up! I'm tempted to take a bigger handbag and throw a pair of Converse in it for the walk to and from the tube on each end.

Neh hope you are okay, don't think twice about getting checked out if you feel any twinges anywhere!

Must be the night for Christmas Parties - mines tonight but I wasn't feeling up to it earlier. I feel huge, am knackered and I've got my family coming tomorrow for lunch and I just wanted a hot bath and my bed

Hope you're ok neh .

Tri your work do sounds veeery posh - I'm impressed. My work's xmas meal is in the local pub! I'd probably make more of an effort to go if it was a proper evening out.

Beautiful I'm watching 18 kids and counting too. I don't think I could manage with a 3rd let alone 18 .

Hope neh is ok.

I'm back from my work xmas do and in the bath (thanks secret Santa!). Falling asleep though so need to get out and get to bed.

Had another quiet day from The Floating One. Still feeling little bumps and kicks towards the back & pelvic floor, so I think he's just turned round. Every time I wonder if I should worry I get a little tap somewhere.