Due in May 07 - w/c 05.03.07

[Juicylucytoo]

Just thought I'd start the ball rolling. Can't quite believe I'm the first on today
Everyone talked out?

LOL i didnt even know you had posted SOH i was just thinking about you

Moses basket very good stop gap SOH, you can cart the baby round the house too without it waking up. Very useful, unlike me helping TYG choose a colour for her pushchair! I have SOH'S address so could pass it on if it's ok with you SOH?

Must feed children soon

Oh VERY cute. I found this one as well

Red with stars

and this one

Posh furry

This still isn't helping me choose a colour! Oh it is, isn't it, because I'd need a fairly plan buggy colour. Decisions, decsions.

Pass on my address by all means! Ooh gingerbread of any kind. Actually prefer the hard stuff! You're far too lovely TYG and I approve of ears down I think.

Have set up a new email address that I can post on here without revealing my name.

So...

[email protected]

If anybody fancies emailing me...

Have emailed you TYG and you SOH to test your email addy, told me it failed, did it?

Right must feed hungry children, bad mommy

LG&T - Lupins lives in the Reading area. So not too far. Still local enough for a meet up.

Having a massive ebaying session. Found loads of things i have been given for xmas/birthdays that i am just not going to use. Wonder how much i might get..?? Got 2 dresses to get rid of including my maternity dress that cost me 150 quid. wore it twice but as not having more kiddies cant see the point in keeping it. I hope to get about 75 quid for it. Fingers crossed.

Hello again everyone.. I don't get on here very much but I'm 30 weeks now and due on the 11 may.

Glad to see you are all ok and bumps doing fine. I'm feeling massive now and odds are I'm having abig baby, according to my scan measurements i had today.

So far I've only bought my pram, can't afford anything else at the moment lol.

Take care ladies x

Evening all - hope ev1 has had a lovely day

AM was fab to meet up, thankyou soooo much for the fab clothes - I am not going to need to buy hardly anything, what a star you are - little Jack is so cute, and as for your pushchair hmmmmm I like!! will defo have to do it again, Willow was very pleased with her cookie lolly altho she just picked out the smarties lol - I only have 2 intact packs of choc left , good luck with your ebaying

LGT would be great if you could arrange a midway meet after we all pop - sounds like fun - where on earth would tolerate us all - think we had better just find a big field lol

SOH I have lost your addy - just emailed you at your non gingerbread addy

I am getting some very painful kicks I am sure a foot is going to fall out where it shouldnt

Have a good evening all

AM - I keep meaning to get some ebaying done too; I've already got some maternity clothes that I've actually grown out of! Will get round to it one of these days.

SOH - moses basket is absolutely fine. I used one for my previous two and will be using one again this time. I think you can even get stands for them that rock, which is a new development since my DS was born 10 years ago!

Can I ask (yet again, I'm afraid) for your advice please, ladies? You know how I've been having shenanigans with my MIL? Well, DD came home from a visit with MIL and told DH that MIL had offered to take DD on a trip to Dublin at Easter; she then asked DH if she could go. DH obviously spoke to me first. I'm reluctant to let DD go for the following reasons;

1. DD's GCSEs start in May and I think that a trip at Easter is too close to her exams. She should be revising.
2. I'm afraid that it will turn into another instance of MIL showing favouritism and preference amongst the children. She hasn't offered to take DS (I wouldn't have let go anyway as he's too young) and she still refuses to acknowledge or have anything to do with the baby I'm carrying.
3. MIL has not asked us directly, instead asking DD to ask us. I think this is a bit rude, to be honest and also symptomatic of her refusal to have anything to do with us.
4. I've always wanted to take the children to Ireland myself, so that they could see where my side of the family come from and I could share with them a bit of their heritage. MIL is English.

I've shared all of these reasons with DH and said that DD shouldn't go. DH does agree with me but thinks that we should compromise; we should let DD go after her GCSEs as a treat. After all, she will enjoy it and she will be the one losing out.

I can see the sense in what DH is saying but I still have a problem with this. Mainly in relation to points 2, 3 and 4 above. On the other hand, I feel bad about depriving DD of a trip that she will really enjoy. Gah. I don't know what to do.

Bummer creena, i can see your point. Its one of those parenting situations that you have to make trying to sit on the fence as it were. It is essentially dd that is losing out but what would ds think of his sis going and him not even being invited?! You have to consider him too, he may be very hurt in which case you need to say "no" as as a parent you have to consider all the childrens feelings. Perhaps what dh suggests but make it clear that ds needs a treat from her too. If she cant see that then it sounds like she is not thinking about the childrens best interests.

Tricky, tricky, have some cake >

Creena for your MIL to have mentioned this to your DD before she has spoken to you and your partner about it is unacceptable. Especially with your DD having these important exmas coming up, what on earth is she playing at? I'm sorry I don't know the history between you all but am guessing that there has been some problems in the past.

I think it's lovely that she wants to take your dd away and spend time with her but the way she seems to be going about it sounds very selfish to me. She's not thinking about the bigger picture it seems. Could you speak to her and explain your reasons for not wanting to let her take DD in easter? Could you all go to Ireland after the baby and exams etc, that way nobody is let down and you get to show your kids Ireland like you said you wanted to. And your MIL still gets to go, but with all of you so she can't blame you for not including her etc. Or would you kill eachother?

Creena - what a bu*ger. I would go with my gut on this one. Your DD is old enough to understand the situation that you are in and is hopefully grown up enough to see why you are making that decision. She might sulk and humpf a bit but if i were you i wouldnt let her go. I guess it is easy for me to give my opinion when i am not in the middle, but i think your MIL has put you in a tricky situation that she knew could/would cause upset. By saying NO you are standing your ground BUT by saying YES she might think that you were pressured into it by the feeling of guilt you might have if you were to say no.

I dont know if any of that rambling made sense...... but i hope it might help.

Creena - as a secondary school teacher (who had a big discussion with pupils today about revision!) I would say that organising any major holiday over Easter is a mistake. They don't have long at all until their GCSEs and that is what they should be concentrating on. Summer holidays are not that far away and they can enjoy themselves then. Mind you, I am the person who tells them they should set themselves up a timetable of 4 hours work a day (minimum) my feeling being that they then make much more of the revision done in school when they come back. (Sadly, when I was at school, i did not really stick to this but I don't tell them that bit)

I pointed out to my pupils today that my baby is due 10wks on Thursday (aargh!) and they also have a GCSE exam that day - it did bring it home to them.

I would go for a holiday after GCSEs and it can then be seen as a special post GCSE holiday which would also let you off the hook re DS not being invited (although I guess that will have to be dealt with at some time)

LG&T - I like the name Jonah. I have only known one and he was v cool!

Creena - Ordinarily, I would have said that a couple of days (not the entire Easter hols) away would have been ok for DD, provided she promised to study before and after the trip. However, given the history and given that this is not an isolated incident of MIL's favouritism with the kids (it's not is it?), then I would say no and use the GCSEs as an excuse. That way you don't rock the boat too much with Granny and hopefully not incur the wrath of teenage daughter.

BTW, LG&T - showed DH the buggy catalogue again last night and he looked at me askance and said, "But I ALREADY said get the flowery-Baroque-whatever-it's-called one. Don't get some stupid colour. That one is plain enough. Get a black carrycot."

So that's it then. He's probably right. The pattern isn't in your face when there's a child in there. Just need to order it. Yay! I'll go to the shop on Saturday. It's really near our house, which is great. If I ever need repairs or parts, I won't have to send it off anywhere. Then I need to get a car seat to fit on it and that's it. Hurrah!

Are you deffo selling your buggies and getting a Gecko?

Oh did I say that my good friend at work asked me what pressie I would like on leaving. She said she'll be organising the "card" . She told me to pick some sort of memento as they always like to give an actual present and then with the remainder of the money she'll buy John Lewis or Mothercare vouchers for me. Yay!

Anyone got opinion on whether things like cot sheets, vests and babygrows are better quality at Mothercare than John Lewis? That's what I'll be spending the vouchers on.

WTF IS everyone today?

Baby is REALLY hurting me today. I've got a backside (?) grinding into my ribs and knees and elbows dragging along my insides. ALL morning.

Morning all, am sooooo stressed. Trying to keep calm.....

Went to docs for lump peek. It is not a Bartholins cyst\gland, he doesnt know what it is. He said just come and see me again in a 3-4 weeks and i will look again, he said if it has not gone he will send me to a gyneacologist and have it scraped and tested!!!! WTF, am i supposed to not think about it for that long. I said i was returning to Plymouth at Easter and he said "oh just see the midwife wherever you are" Aaaaaaggghhhhhh

The school phoned and they think Phin has broken her finger, i may have to collect her later.It will mean a wait in casualty with all 5 kids... Jonah was up all night coughing and complaining of a sore throat but was ok this morning, i fully expect a call later to collect him too and take him to the doctor.

The school i had lined up in Plymouth has phoned and said they dont have spaces after all for the children. Now i have to find another one.

DH has just phoned me and said "oh hello, im bored, ive nothing to do"

I may cry

Yep im selling my buggies TYG, DH has his heart set on the Gecko, as i have had all the fun of new buggies with the others i dont mind really. It's a bit like the name issue, he should get a bigger say really.

I like the baroque one, it's patterened without being too in your face. The hood is plain too which is nice.

Oh dear LG&T. Sit down, drink tea and eat cake. Sorry you are having all these troubles, have a virtual hug {{{ }}}.

We are going to see consultant at 1.30 to see if the baby is big but not really worried as it will be whatever it will be! Dp has done the weeks shopping this morning, came home and put it away and now gone out to visit a friend he hasn't seen for over a year! WTF - I really wanted him to help me some more so I could cry too LG&T, although I should think myself lucky, with all these raging hormones it is difficult.

Oh you poor, poor love.

Can you try to see the midwife this week and ask her about it? She might have seen similar things before or refer you more directly to get a check on it.

FWIW, I don't think "sinister" conditions present like that in the nether regions - only in the breast. NOT that I know much about htis, but when my mum had a scare, it was due to lightening in the colour of the tissue in the area and a "papering" of the skin - not a lump. It could be a sebacious cyst or something. (According to netdoctor when I googled "lump vulva").

Remember that if the doctor seemed unconcerned, the chances are that you can be too. Easier said than done of course. Keep calm. If the doc thought it was sinister (as with my mum), you would have been packed off for immediate appt at gynae clinic.

I hope Phin is ok. Last thing you need to have to go to casualty. Girls often over-egg symtoms so hopefully the thought of spending hours in a waiting room will be enough to convince her she's a bit better. DD once got all her fingers trapped in a VERY heavy department store door and really crushed. Not a single bone broken, just lots of tears and bruising.

Absolute bugger about the school.

Have booked to see the midwife in 2 weeks on 21st Mrch. Hopefully it will have gone or she will have some idea of what to do next.

I have found another school, yay! They can take all 4 childen and it is walking distance from dh's mums house where we will be staying. Please, please let this work out. The children wont know anyone there though, i feel so bad for them. I feel like im just making their little lives stressful, it seems so cruel.

SKYTV what have said they will do if the baby is big? How big were your other 2? Im interested as im not sure what they do now, ds#4 was big, 9lb and his shoulders got stuck. If i had a bigger baby than him this time im not sure it would fit! I wonder if they would induce me early or on my due date if it still hadnt been born.

Hello ladies.

Just wanted to say thanks so much for the advice you all gave me - have just read it through and think that everything that has been said is good advice. I also thought what a lovely and helpful bunch you all are!

TYG - you hit the nail on the head, I think. It's not an isolated incident of favouritism at all. MIL actively encourages situations where she can pit the children against us. Part of me (a paranoid part, perhaps) thinks that she likes to create situations where we will look the mean, nasty parents while she is the doting, spoiling grandma.

Anyway. DD is definitely not going anywhere at Easter as her exams are far more important. This was ruled out at the beginning and will remain the case. As for after her exams, I am sticking to my guns. DD is quite sensible and will listen if I explain the situation for her. She is also very close to DS and cares a lot for him. So, I think that I will speak to DD myself and explain why I've decided that she can't go (that it is not fair to treat any one member of the family differently from the others; that it may be upsetting for DS as he has not been asked to go nor would he be able to; that MIL has so far wanted nothing to do with the new baby and it will cause problems later on if she is selective about which of her grandchildren she is bothered with now; that I want to take the children to Ireland with DH myself). Obviously, DD will be disappointed but I think that she will understand. She especially wouldn't want her brother to feel hurt or left out.

LG&T - sounds like you're having a nightmare of a day. I so wish there was something I could do to help. With regard to the lump, I also think that you would have been sent straight off for tests etc if it even slightly looked like it might be serious. However, I know that it will be preying on your mind until you get it sorted. Seeing the midwife is a good idea, too - do you think that you might be able to book an appointment with her?

With regard to the school - what a let down! I would be tempted to contact the LEA and ask for their advice and assistance. It could be that maybe the LEA is strict about class sizes etc but if you contact them directly and explain the situation, they will be more understanding and accommodating. Ring up the LEA offices and get the name of someone you can contact (if not a person then at least a specific department).

Also, I hope that Phin's finger is ok. It could well be just bruising.

Creena, it sounds like you have a lovely, mature young woman in your DD. She is bound to be disappointed, but she is to be praised from the rooftops if she can be understanding about this and cares so much about her brother's feelings. How lovely to hear that.

LG&T - DD attended three different primary schools. Kids are great at fitting in and since they know they'll be returning to their usual school after half term, it can just be a big adventure for them. There's no real pressure on them, becuase it's a short term thing. (Well that's how I'd see it anyway.) PLUS, with them all being in the same school, even if it's not the same class, it's a bit of solidarity for them.

SKY - have they been accurate before with baby size? I hear so many stories about women being told they're going to have HUGE babies and end up with 7-pounders.

Thats going to be me TYG, they are going to tell me its a HUGE baby but actually im going to cough it out and it will weigh 6lb 5oz.....