*Due in Jan 2008* - Get those bags packed!!!!

[Amani]

Sorry can't think of a better title and my PC is so slow.........

Ooh meant to say...Mrs McSpooky so sorry you still have 8 weeks to go at work but I admire your ability to keep going for that long. I feel like an old woman with all the aches and pains that I have!! Also, you're in Scotland aren't you? I'm in Glasgow and commute to Stirling for work and finding it hard to keep my eyes open on the drive home each day...so I think it is a good thing for other drivers on the road that I finish working this week

Really I couldn't join the other Londoners for curry last night...that's the second meet-up I've missed now....

MM or Gingeme...can I interest you in organising a 3rd one and as long as its not on a Friday (and I'm not in Scotland or Manchester or somewhere else silly) I absolutely promise to be there !!

Anyway, glad you all had a lovely time

Babato - don't let it get to you, for some reason being pregnant seems to be an open house invite for everyone to express their views very openly and bluntly on absolutely everything. DH and I have now come up with the worst names we could think of and give those as our 'planned names' when anyone asks...its much more fun watching them try to be polite (and we don't care at all if they're rude about them!)..

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. No idea why I'm still up and dressed but hopefully DH will deal with DS in the morning and I'll manage to get some sleep!

[FM sends hugs to everyone] xx

I know what you mean about names. We refuse to say till the baby is born - people are slightly less likely to express their rude opinions once the name belongs to a baby that they can see and hold.

I usually say "Judas for a boy and Jezebel for a girl". That shuts them up. With dd we told them we wanted a good Biblical name and we quite liked Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. Which put them all off nicely. But we did end up calling the bump "Hash"... I hasten to add that we called the baby Eleanor!

I'm here,

Been off work for 2 weeks on hols and only just got internet back at home. Damn talktalk cut us off.

Work are calling me in for a disciplinary on Friday?!! Apparently I'm bullying?! Its a load of crap there, they're just trying to get rid of staff cos the market isn't too good at the moment and I think they are losing money with so many employees. They've already fired 7 people who were on probationary periods so now they're resorting to bullying the others out of their jobs (They've brought the same things against 2 others who have just handed their notices in instead) obviously I can't what with being pregnant.

DP is worried I'm going to get fired and we'll lose the house, which to be honest I'm trying not to think about cos I don't think they're be that stupid.

I'm thinking I might try and get my mat leave earlier cos they are taking the mick abit and I really don't need this stress.

Hope the rest of you are all ok and sorry for the rambling but I just had to get it off my chest.

Baby is kicking away nicely inside good at aiming for my bladder. Giving me heartburn its lovely. I'm at 30 + 4 now, can't wait to meet my little 'un.

We've still not bought anything!!! No pram no nothing, BUT we have emptied the nursery now ready for decorating.

Good morning ladies.
Oh jenwish it all sounds so rubbish at your work. Hope it all turns out well in the end.
Can anyone actualy still reach there keyboard? Mine seems to be getting further away. Either that or my arms are getting shorter
We dont tell anyone names before the baby is born Babato. Yes it does seem an open invitation for rude comments and realy gets to you more because your pregnant. Breathe deeply and try not to let it stress you too much.
How are you toomanyshoes? Hope the sickness has passed. Wish I had come with you all now. The halloween do was a bit boring. There were a load of much older kids there and my two were a bit bewildered by it all realy. My one year old fell asleep about 6pm so we came home.
My boys are still on summer time today. My lo went for his nap at 10 and its usualy about 11 he goes but he couldnt hold out much longer bless him.
Well enjoy the rest of your weekends. xx

Hello, unfortunately sickness got much worse and was admitted to hospital last night with dehydration Have had fluids on a drip and anti sickness jab and they have just let me come home. They think it was food poisoning but 4 other women were admitted at the same time with the same symptoms so might be a virus. Feeling v washed out now but relieved to have stopped throwing up. In other news they also found my platelet levels have dropped so have to have that checked next week (increased risk of heavy bleeding if low) and they also think the baby is breech!! Not going very well is it?! Thank god this is my last pregnancy!
Hope you have all had relaxing weekends, will have proper catch up tomorrow x

Oh no toomanyshoes how awful. The baby still has loads of time to turn so dont worry about that one. What will they do for your platelets then?

Ladies feeling very sorry for myself today I just feel so crap! I can?t work out if it is a migraine or blocked sinuses but either way, I?ve been moping about all day, slept a lot and got nothing done I know it sounds very bad but if I feel like this tomorrow I don?t think I can face work even though I have a really busy day (especially because I have a really busy day?) planned I used to be so dedicated too!

Babato ? I do empathise on the name issue I learnt that lesson from my sister?s experience and as a result the only people who know the names we have chosen are you guys it?s much harder for a relative to object when they are handed a child and told it?s name I?m sure you know this but work can?t make you go back in when you start you mat leave unless you want to I guess with my mat leave, I just drew a line in the sand, as this is my first baby, I just have no idea how I?ll feel later on (though I am beginning to guess ..) other people in my office have worked until their EDD so they already think I am a woose! I am in Scotland too I totally understand the commute issue, I live in W Lothian and commute to Edinburgh. Until 3 weeks ago, I went by train but thankfully, my DH now has a job there too so he drives me in and I just need to get a bus for about 15 mins to the city centre ? that is tiring enough! Hope your last week isn?t too tiring

Jeswish ? poor you how stressful ? shame PBirdy?s not around, she could have given you some employment advice, have you tried a post in the legal section? I haven?t done employment law for years so really can?t help but agree with you, taking early mat leave might be your best bet ? I hope it isn?t too awful x

Toomanyshoes poor you hon, how awful! I hope you are feeling a lot better, take good care of yourself. Xx

Fruitful ? how are you bearing up hon? You ok?

Finally won something, well 2 things on eBay I got a new Avent microwave steriliser for £5 and a My Breast Friend feeding pillow for £32 (think I might have paid a bit much there ) lost 2 things too though lost yet another Nature?s Nest but at least it was by £20 or so and also lost the last FP Rain Forest Take Away Swing by £1

hey MrsMacSpooky - sorry to hear you've not been well. I think it's been a bit of a weekend for it. Hope you're feeling better soon (although maybe not before tomorrow so that you get a day off work!). Are you definitely getting a Natures Nest then? I was soooo close to buying one but now I'm pretty sure I'm going to go for a Moffii and just have lots of babies to justify the price ;) Congrats on the eBay victories Apparently the trick is to not bid until the very last minute, but I'm certainly no expert!

Babato - my strategy with naming is to use people's rudeness to my advantage and only tell them the names that DH likes that I don't like so that they tell him they don't like it ;) That's a bit naughty, isn't it. We also make up completely stupid names and tell people that's what we're calling him too.

Jenswish - what a shocker. It certainly sounds like they're acting in a pretty devious manner... I hope it all goes as well as can be expected and your job is safe - good luck!

TooManyShoes - argh. sorry to hear you've been so ill! Hope you're feeling much better now. Don't worry about the breech position yet, it's way to early to start stressing about that I think (having said that, I'm trying to stop myself from slouching back on the couch so that I can get this little fella to get out of his current back-to-back position!)

Well, I've just got a little bit more work to do and then I can finally step away from the computer for the rest of the weekend - what's left of it! I'm working from home for the first half of this week - hooray!

evening all, looks like I will end up being an evening / weekend poster from now on (Boss will get report of what sites I am visiting). Still, only 5 weeks to go at work!

Hope poorly ladies are feeling better soon.

We both worked hard on nursery this w/e and in the words of Gordon Ramsay: "Done". Have added some pics (sorry to be sad). All created via Freecycle / Ebay / IKEA (I'm not going there AGAIN for a LONG TIME!) so quite proud of that.

DH had a boozy night and got quite soft about the baby, even went back to our pet name "Lumpy" that he was using before he had his freak out.

I've been sleeping really badly for ages now. Crushing kind of tiredness keeps hitting me in the afternoons (well my GP did call me an "elderly primigravida" the other week!) and my lift share is away next week so I have to drive to work on my own, still at least I can sing to the baby in peace on the way. Baby will probably come out and be comforted by loud guitar music. I'm sure that's why I find Pink Floyd strangely soothing - it's what the hippy dippy folks were listening to when I was in the womb apparently. My sis in law is a hairdresser and my nephew used to be soothed if she put hairdryer on. Makes you realise they can hear us now!

PS Dog has just returned from evening walk having rolled in a dead thing, so am having to bath him. Nice!

Toomanyshoes poor you - hope you are feeling better x

Morning all,

Hope you all had a nice weekend.

Toomanyshoes/Mrs McSpooky- hope you both are feeling better.

Gt my hospital bag sorted this weekend and determined things that I need to buy/have - so pleased about that.

Last couple of nights, I have terrible sleeplessness, been waking between 12-1am and not going back to sleep until after 3.30am. When I wake up I feel so tired, but just can't nod off for some reason. Feeling so tired - anyone else experiencing the same, or is it just me? Any ideas of how to get back to sleep - other than counting sheep??? Feel ready to collapse this morning.

morning all!

Curry night friday was great, really good to see mixedmamma again and to meet toomany shoes and nicky6. We had a good laugh..thoroughly enjoyable night thanks for arranging mixed mamma xx
Fluffymummy and gingeme - sorry you coulnt make it x

Babato - i think thats rude too..im going to stop telling people my names!

Jenwish - thats terrible about your work.they are treading on thin ice with you being pregnant though, I hope you get some good advice xx

Toomanyshoes - So sorry you were so unwell, how are you feeling today?? Thinking of you xx

Angechica - Im with you on the no sleeping thing! I get to sleep ok, then wake up about 10 times in the night..and find it increasingly hard to get back to sleep.

Nicky6 - You were right...OH my god with Heroes!! That programes is addictive...still cant watch it at night though ahhahaha
hope you had a good w/e xx

Hi to everyone ! This is my last full week at work! woo-hoo..from next week I have every wednesday off until the end of Nov...Bring it on.

Hope you all have a good week...thinking of you in hospital fruitful xx

Morning everyone!

Hope all the sick people are feeling better? Big hugs to all of you (without sharing germs of course!)

Fruitful - how you doing, hon?

Jenswish - aaargh! Sounds like a nightmare...try not to let the stress get to you too much

Sabinar - working weekends? Not acceptable (even though I keep doing it!). Enjoy homeworking this week

Amani - I've got exactly the same thing...although we generally don't go to bed until about 12, so I'm waking around 2 and then am awake till about 4/4.30...its awful, especially as I'm permanently exhausted and I'm lying there feeling so tired but just can't get back to sleep. One of my books recommended lavender and geranium essential oils to help but they don't seem to make much difference....

Barristermum - are you around during the day this week to meet for a coffee?

Morning everyone,

Toomanyshoes - sorry to hear about the sickness. Do you think it couldve been food poisoning?? Awful if it was since it hit after the curry. Hopw you feel better hun.

Naetha - made me laugh that you had to have a takeawaay curry... I get like that esp when Amani mentions chocolate bars.

Babato and Amani - no extra hour in bed for me. I woke up at 4 am and could not get back to sleep - this seems to be the story of my life at the moment. Today woke up at 1.30 am and only dozed here and there until time to get up.

fluffy/gingeme/barristermum/nicky6/toomanyshoes - i think chinese was the consensus the other day for next meet up... lets throw some November dates around... weekday so fluffy can make it, maybe a thursday as it is towards the end of the week.

fruitful - hiya hope you are doing well.

Jjenwish - I would be tempted just to go off on mat leave and look for something else after... that is such bad practice.

Ginge - sorry party wasnt so good... I was thinking of getting DS a little outfit but not sure why since we wont be tricking or treating.

Ange - peeked at nuresry pics... looks lovely. DS and LO will be sharing so just need to get a few bits and move the room around to accomodate them better.

[waves manically] at everyone else.

Cheers guys - at least am not the only one.

Off home now - really not feeling good: sickness and extreme tirdness getting me to today.

Quick survey....Do you all think im mad? Have been invited on an xmas do, which I go to every year...all close friends and we go to a dinner dance in a limo (chavy i know, but a laugh!). Well this year its on 15th dec...im due on the 28th, would really like to go, but not sure if im being a tad unrealistic? I could take my notes in case i did go into labour....Its hard as I dont know how im going to feel, but dont want to take the place of someone and drop out on the night? What do you all think?

xx

Morning all,

Toomanyshoes - you sound like you've had a rough time. There is a bug on the rounds apparently. I have sat in bed all weekend feeling weak, nauseous, stomach gripes and terrible wind (TMI!!!). I finally feel a bit better today

Glad to hear quite a few of you have started on your nursery. I have just had a delivery from Mama's and Papa's - can't wait for DH to assemble it all.

Does anyone worry about the lack of money whilst being on mat leave?

Where are you London ladies from? are you all v central? Anyone out west near me in Berks?

Hi Ladies

So sorry to have missed the curry night. Consider having me for the chinese night in november pleasseee?? Sounds like you had fun. Hope toomanyshoes is better.

Amani - sorry to hear your ill. I feel like I'm coming down with man flu. DD is feeling alot better. Antibiotics have kicked in. Shes still a little confused by time change though (but we got her to lie in somehow).

Jenswish - your work sound a bunch of bullying illegal nutters!

Babato/gingeme - telling people names before baby's born - don't do it. My dd told my MIL the week before last on the phone what the baby's name was (as decided by dd - its kind of stuck now and my MIL said she hated it. Nice. Oh well.

Less than a month at work to go and then 4 weeks holiday all saved up so i can spend time with dd. Yippee!

HOpe everyone's ok.x

Hi Beller - I'm going to my works do on Dec 18th and due 31st Dec - so not quite as bad as you but my dd was a week early last time. See how you feel nearer the time maybe? Oh one more thing. I was my bestfriend's bridesmaid 4 days before giving birth! Wouldn't have missed it for the world but I was asleep by about 9pm.

Hi PinkElephant - hope you ok. Am so concerned about money on mat leave that have staretd bringing own lunch into work to save. It's surprising how little you'll spend whilst on leave - and surprising how little you can live on!

Beller - in your situation, I'd probably be optimistic and plan to go along. Not sure that's the wisest thing to do but it's what I'd do anyways

Eh. Not really concentrating much this morning... not good. Woke up with a really sore throat and really don't want to get sick! Think an afternoon nap might be in order as soon as I get this chunk of work out of the way (ah, the advantages of working from home).

I'm currently booking myself two very busy days of running around London at the end of the week though, so it all evens out I guess.

Hope everyone is feeling better (or at home resting!)

Battymama.... so sorry to miss you off the meet up list... of course you are included for November.

Beller - It was valentines day exactly a week before I was due with DS and I went to a dinner dance with friends... didnt really feel like dancing too much but it was nice to get out and socialise, so I would go for it.

cool...thats one of the only issues...it will go on until about 1...with no getaway before..oh well if im tired i can snooze at the table! hahaha

Hello all,

Had a rotten day yesterday too - felt like all my energy had been sucked from me, but much better today. Hoping all the rest - Toomanyshoes, Amani, MrsMcJ - who are feeling pants, get better soon.

Jenswish - what a nightmare , the last thing you need is tension at work. Don't let them get away with anything.

PinkElephant - I'm not too far away, in Hampshire. We live very close to the Wiltshire border but I'm working in Basingstoke at the moment. The money thing is quite a big issue with us - and I'm meant to be putting together a budget for next year so we know what we'll be able to afford (or not !). I'm only eligible for SMP so after the first 6 weeks, we're down to £112 a week or whatever it is which is going to be a complete shock. And as we're moving next May/June, I'm not planning to come back to my job so no security there either.