Thread #4 - TTC#1 the one where Stark joins the grads!!!!

[Runner05]

Welcome to another riveting instalment of TTC#1 grads.

We've got new grads POAS every day just to make sure, 1st Trimesters wondering if they will be hit by the dreaded morning sickness or not, those approaching the hollowed promised land of the second trimester where all is good and the glowing will prevail... Those who have reached the second trimester and are thoroughly miffed at the lack of glowing.
We have scan photos, bizarre symptoms and the joys of baby shopping, and very importantly we now have Stark!

All are welcome on the wild gas powered ride that is TTC#1 grads

Unfortunately in teaching our contracts mean we have to go back for 13 weeks afterwards of repay all of the CMP... Imp could you go back for maybe september this year and then go rather than seeing through the full half term before mat leave? In my school you would be very unlikely to have any timetable if they know you are just their for a month?

Potato teachers get paid a bit above SMP if they've done more than one years service, but they have to work for 13 weeks afterwards. On a plus side, the summer holidays count - whoop!! So if I go back the day before half term, I'll actually only be at work something like 7 weeks, but get paid for 14. And keep my maternity money! Result

Right, I'm going 11 early. It means I can spend extra time with the boys before baby comes, and tonnes of marking racks up by October half term, but almost none in first 2 weeks!

Just need to chat to parents and childminder now... I'm seriously freaking out about giving notice before the scan!!

Nev the issue is with the childcare. I don't think I can have her for just September, I have to do it in half term blocks, so it's easier to either do the full half term or just the first two weeks. I don't think they'd agree to a month! If I can get my parents to agree to that then I can terminate childcare at the end of summer term and not have to pay fir the summer holidays, which would be a huge bonus!

I'm anticipating a lot of cover work and sixth form supervised study for those weeks!

Breakfast has kicked in
Also I do believe the decal is officially finished and the last 41 leaves can take a running one. Shame the cot will cover the full effect. Curtains and lightshade arrive this week

Bunch I think that's plenty of leaves! It looks beautiful! Amazing dedication!

Nev sorry, that should say I don't think my parents will agree to doing a month of childcare.

Balls I sent the wrong pic. This is it finished

Lovely!! I love the birds

What is the sunflower bunch? Just decorative?

Good point about childcare imp!

Lovely decal bunch!

Am still recovering from a heavy walking weekend away at a VW festival and am now on the way up to London for the day/evening. Am tired just at the thought!

Thanks ladies,
Yup Shelb, DH and I lugged it all the way back from Paris on the Eurostar about 7 years ago. I thought it would bring some colour I to the nursery. I planed for it to go exactly where it's leaning so once the cot is in we shall see if it works.

I having a full on nursery prep day. I've transferred some of my patterns onto fabric ready for my embroidery and I'm continuing crocheting a blanket I've been working on since September. I can definitely see now why they say pfb. Second child will in no way get this same amount of effort!!

Lol Bunch, no second child just gets whatever corner is free for their cot and hand me downs.

( my eldest got a new shirt, youngest pipes up "oh I like that, I wish I had a shirt like that... One day I'll have that one." I felt a bit guilty...)

I feel really guilty every time I look at my knitting bag and realise I've done none!

So, two estate agents down, one to go.

First was really good, stayed for over an hour discussing what I wanted, how it could be achieved, what he thought the best approach was etc. and also what I wanted in a new property and how much free reign I was happy to give them to suggest alternatives and play devils advocate with their suggestions. Really positive but wanted an up front fee.

Second one didn't shut up, talked so quickly I don't have a clue what he covered, dictated to me what I wanted without even sounding me out... He was so preoccupied by what he wanted to get across that when I interjected after he informed me for the 5th time that I wanted to sell for the best price not the quickest sale, that actually I want to move before the baby arrives, he got all flustered and said he hadn't noticed I was pregnant then he obviously came out of his own little world, realised I am the size of a small house and he had effectively just told me he had assumed I'm very fat... He very quickly dipped back into his very fast talking and completely ignored what I said after that

We shall she if tomorrow's agent is any better.

Oh, and I've just realised that Potato's kicks now feel like being nibbled at by a particularly eager gold fish

Lol at "eager goldfish""

Sorry your estate agents weren't much use! That second one sounds appalling! Are you considering the upfront fee?

That second estate agent sounds like an idiot Potato!

I think I may have felt baby kick for the first time today (19 weeks exactly). Like a little prodding at one side of my tummy, three times in a row. Its so hard to tell for definite though!

How is everyone today?

Unless tomorrow's agent is amazing I'll probably go with the first one and try to talk them out of the up front fee although it isn't very much so if I do pay it it won't be the end of the world.

Trying to come up with baby names today. We have one girl name we both like (although it is very obviously from a popular TV show lol) but we can't choose a boys name. I really love Glenn but OH isn't keen

My cervix thanks everyone for their good wishes today. It has grown a mighty 1mm in length and is 'stable' - hooray! So, while they'll still do another check in a couple of weeks they're much more relaxed about things - and so am I!

potato - dealing with estate agents is genuinely the most tiring thing about moving I've found. Grrrrr.

Waves to everyone xx

Woo hoo for your growing cervix Soda

Great news soda.

Aww pink that's lovely! It's so hard to tell isn't, I'm still unsure if I've actually ever felt one, I can't wait for a definite, but with an anterior placenta am prepared it may be a while.

In bed watching OBEM eating chocolate biscuits. It's the dream.

X

Bunch the nursery looks gorgeous! Love it. Hope you don't mind me asking, but did you start getting constipated early? I ask because I have been v constipated this week and have now taken up dried apricots as a favoured snack...I may have to invest in some prune juice!

Potato is the flat you're selling in the same estate agent catchment that you're looking? We have bought recently (completing in next few weeks fx) and there are some agents who I wouldn't touch with a bargepole based on their behaviour towards us as viewers/potential buyers. We definitely didn't pay an upfront fee when we sold ours-that seems unusual? Are there many others to choose from?

That's great news Soda

Impy sounds like going off 11 weeks early will be good for you if you had bad SPD? Standing at work all day must be a nightmare?

Potato I meant to say don't go with the second one! That did make me chuckle.

Thanks everyone

elle I've been constipated from very early - 6-7 weeks. It's been my most constant symptom. And now I'm on iron tablets with the side effect of you guessed it, constipation! So yeah, pretty bad. When I do manage to have a poo it is black!! (Iron tablets) Almost makes me glad it's such a rare event Fruit smoothies and grapes help a bit. But not much!

I wrote a decent reply and then MN wouldn't let me post it....

Great news about your cervix Soda!

I can't believe how organised you all are with nurseries, clothes etc. tears hair out at how much there is to do

On the plus side, travel system is arriving tomorrow! And I went along to aquanatal - was good fun, if quite tiring! Nice to meet other ladies with bumps as well.

My maternity situ is the same, have to return for 13 weeks to get enhanced pay. I plan on going back though.

Morning all, how are you today?

Soda woohoo for your cervix. Having a large number of Internet loons thinking about it obviously helped

Pink so excited for you starting to feel your baby move... So far I've found that to be the only nice thing about pregnancy.

Elle yes, all the agents cover both my selling area and buying area. I'm limiting myself to agents who've sold in the building before because it's a part buy property so slightly more complicated.
The up front fee is only £100 and you get it back when you complete. It's fairly common with the better agents in my area as it's a way to get you to think twice about changing even if you have a short contract.
I've got one more agent today then I think I'll call the first one and tell them I'll use them if they wave the fee... You've got to try and agents in my area are desperate for properties at the moment

Sadly I've found out that houses in the area I want to buy (it's a very big area) are selling like hot cakes and no one has any just hanging around which could make moving more difficult.

Imp I'd start maternity as early as possible were I you.
You've made me start thinking about my own maternity leave and whether I should start a bit earlier... OH is convinced Potato will be at least a month early.

Mor yay for your travel system arriving. I got terribly excited with mine and had to put it together straight away

I'm getting really impatient for my anomaly scan. I know it's only a week and a half away but these last couple of weeks have crawled by! I just want to see Potato, make sure all his bits are where they should be and find out whether he's a girl or a boy! (Still struggling with boy names )