Due November 2008 - some know the flavour by now but rest of us relying on the folklore...

[sparkletoes]

Ok I am guessing this thread will last about 2 weeks!!

I am so excited about this baby and having a little baby again but think I have totally managed to disassociate it from the stressfullness of trying to run the house as it is and am blocking out that things are going to be even harder!

I think in my head I am going to be enjoying a new born and the stresses of the other 2 will just fade away as we become one big happy family - I think someone needs to wake me up!

Is anyone else in denial? Do you think this is the best place to be?!!!

TOTAL denial! And I only have one other toddler to worry about!!

Can't wait to have a newborn again and will deal with any probs/stresses as they come up... know just how fast they grow up and will not let anything get in the way of enjoying my baby (esp as this will prob be the last one for me).

Roca - gorgeous photos - how adorable are your 2??

Daisy - big congratulations to your DD!! Isn't it fantastic that moment (having said that, DS took a couple of steps just before his first birthday and then didn't do it again for another 2 months!! )

Lolabella - all those places mentioned are good - however, make sure that the tankini (if you get one) fits tightly round your bump. I bought one last time I was pg that fit perfectly round my boobs but was floaty round my bump - BIG mistake!! Every time I got in the pool, it floated up and refused to go back down again!!

I bought a couple of blankies for bump on Friday! DS has a Winnie the Pooh one which he goes to bed with so have had to avoid anything similar but found these in Blooming Marvellous so bought the rabbit one - had to buy 2 so we always have a spare!! DH thought it was a bit early to be buying stuff but I couldn't resist

Glad others are buying for the baby too! I have now taken everything out of my Bloomin Marvellous basket as convinced myself that I don't need it yet/get it cheaper elsewhere but really I secretly don't want to make any final purchases just yet as enjoying every min of looking just now!!

My ds has a similar blankie in his cot they are great! Was thinking of converting his cotbed into the bed soon so he gets used to no bars... will then look for a low-ish bed for him by time number 2 needs the cot. Does that sound do-able (he will be 2 in August)?

Sparkletoes - is defo do-able - both of mine were in a bed by the time they were 2 as they climbed out of their cot around 18mos so I had no choice. Lots of people I know found that their children loved the bed and snuggled up happily every night and called mummy to get them in the morning. My 2, on the other hand, were fully aware that they could escape and we had a few months of 'training' them to stay in bed - in fact - we are still not quite there with DD and tend to lie with her til she falls to sleep (a BAD habit) as otherwise she get up like 100 times! We have set ourselves the target of sorting this before no 3 arrives.

Thanks Roca, I have no idea how DS will get on with it - no doubt I will be posting for some more reassurance if it is a disaster!

Sparkletoes - I am in exactly the same situation as you regards the cot/cotbed (not really surprising since our DS's are the same age I guess ). Ds sleeps so well in his cot that I am loathe to change anything BUT I will need the cot April/May time next year so I need to do something!!

Roca - I sympathise with you about 'climbers' - lots of friends have had babies that have climbed out of the cots at an early age but DS has never even tried thankfully. He just loves being in his cot so much that even in a morning, we know he is awake cos we can hear him but he is quite happy to lie there for 30 minutes plus (if we are feeling lazy) playing with his toys/books before we go and get him - in fact, he never even calls for us - just lies there quietly.

Gutted that the tennis has had to stop - I SO want Rafa to win!! And DH will be bringing DS back from MIL's shortly so my peace and quiet will be shattered!!

Sparkle My DS has just turned 2 and was in a big boy bed in January he loves it and very rarely gets out through the night.
We bought a crib yesterday for the new baby so I think we now have all of the big stuff sorted. We will only need a pram suit (Yes I am also obsessed with a pram suit to come home in they are so cute!). and some new teats for the bottles. I am going to send DH into the attic this week to get everything down so I can start sorting through Ds's old stuff and arrange it into age which I failed to do before it went away - Not the best idea!!
While I remember I have a tip that I was given when pg with DS it is the most useful piece of advice I was given and will apply to everyone!!
If you stock up on baby wipes when they are on offer store them upside down as the liquid will run to the top when the are left. When you use them the liquid wil run through to the bottom and all the wipes will be lovely and moist and the top ones won't b dry!
Useless information but the only thing I was told during pg that was worth listening to!

Cool, I will get DH to convert it soon then and see how we get on. Aww cribs are soo cute I wanted one but can't really justify cost. Altho it would maybe put off buying a big boy bed for DS for a bit longer...

Yes the great attic trip will need to be done soon here too! Already sent DH up for maternity clothes but there is a lot more still to come!

That is useful to know about the baby wipes never heard that! I do stock up on anything I use a lot as soon as I see it on offer (currently have 4 boxes of Oatibix in cupboard as they are on 2 for 1 and both DS & I eat them!). Will keep that little gem in mind.

Ceebs yes DS sleeps really well in his cotbed too but as I will only get a couple of months out of the moses basket for DC2 (at most!) I don't want to leave it too late either. I did think that without the bars he would be able to get out and play with his other toys in mornings so that may be better for him too...?? Who knows I really want to change his blinds to a curtain first tho as they are the loop cord type that there is a campaign about just now.

Sparkeltoes - I am being really dumb - what are loop cord curtains?

LolaBella i bought a 'normal' tankini in Debenhams. It has moulded cups to give a bit of support but is not underwired so doesn't dig in. I just bought the next size up. It was much cheaper than buying a maternity swimsuit.

I bought these yesterday....soooooooooo cute

Ds moved into a full size pine framed bed when he was about 18months as he had tipped himself out of the cot a few times. for the first week or so I cable tied the cot side to the side of the bed to stop him falling out (I couldn't get an off the shelf bed guard to fit) and put the cot mattress between his new mattress and the wall.

then i just had some big cushions on the floor for when he fell out, which only happened once or twice. It's a very low to the floor bed though, so not much of a drop for him! DD will go into that around the time the baby is born so we can have a few months of her forgetting the cot was hers before the baby goes into it.

Just a thought - a cotbed can last a good couple of years as a bed so maybe worth buying a new cheap cot (Ikea do a nice on or under £50) for the baby and keeping older one in cotbed, as a bed, until they can go into a single sized type bed.

It's kind of what we did with our two and now they share a midi bunk bed thing from Ikea. I was going to buy a junior bed for DS but realised was the same size as a cotbed so would have then had to buy a single bed after that too....

very sweet lacka - the things I could buy for bump! DH would need at least a third job!
Bubbaz - at your pramsuit obsession, I want a babysnuggle for bump but am sure she's a girl and don't like the pink stripey one, its just much cuter in blue!

Good advice on the wipes bubbaz...there is nothing worse than a fistful of soggy wipes from the bottom of the packet. I always store mine upside down.

Who's watching Wimbledon? I'm rooting for Federer and thought he'd lost it then. could be in for a long match.

We have the most beeaauuuutiful John Rocha pramsuit that we got given for DD.....unfortunately it's pink and fluffy! We've also got a bigger one from Boden that she got for Christmas...which has shocking pink fleece lining. I'm sure Virgil won't mind

Roca - hard to explain in words but basically it is a loop cord blind, they have a plastic circular cord at the side which you pull to bring the blind open/closed. A little girl got caught in one and was strangled by the cord. I am therefore very wary & even more so when he will be able to get out of his bed unsupervised. Small window tho so I am sure I could knock together a curtain no problem and there will be no more probs with cords...

I did think about a cheap cot but the cot bed has multi position base which is great for my back (tall = back problems!). So am loathed to loose that feature. I know what u mean about the children's bed & cot bed being same size so am on the look out for a low-ish single bed (if such a thing exists!).

Lacka - I love those little shoes! Had a couple for DS and he still has a pair that we use in the house, they are great!

My pram suit obsession is getting out of control, have now nearly bought about 3 but don't want to spoil it all by making that final purchase! It is too much fun looking!

Ooh Sparkletoes let me know if you see any cute ones I'm looking all the time. DS was 6 born in June so I didn't really need one for him.
Lacka those boots are gorgeous!

Poor DS has had a really late and fast bath in history tonight as soon as Federer won the fourth set and has just been whisked to bed now - much later than normal but I couldn't bear to miss any tennis Defo want Nadal to win (sorry Daisy )!

Those shoes are so yummy - I am actually having fun looking at winter baby stuff as DS was a summer baby so I need a whole new wardrobe for 'bump' - however, my brother has a gorgeous pram suit from Gap which they no longer need so we have borrowed that. The idea is that in the mornings, I can put 'bump' in that quickly and then in the pram and walk to nursery with DS - we'll see if that actually happens

Will do Bubbaz, have just got more ideas of shops from our thread.. Debenhams and now Gap! Gonna have fun! DS also a summer babe so no chance for cute pram/snow suits when he was a newborn.

Ceebs my DS just getting his milk now!!

My blood pressure is through the roof. I am PASSIONATELY behind Federer. I think they are about to come out again....OH MY GOODNESS. Pleeeeeeease let Federer win.

Sorry no thoughts of babies or pregnancy today. I have been shouting at teh TV for the past several hours, I can't even count anymore. I was hoping they would continue tomorrow, surely it is too dark now.

Pleeeeeeeeeease win Federer.

Not repetitive am I?

Merry - shame on you!! Rafa all the way! Am so glad I don't work Mondays now as I would hate to miss this if it doesn't finish tonight.

aren't they bubbaz...they have some lovely shoes for little girls as well. I had some of those soft leather ones for DD; they are the only ones that stay on their feet.

OOOh coming back on now.

Go Roger, Go Roger, Go Roger.....Go!

this has been a fantastic final.

baby is dancing around with the excitement

evening all - I am also Fedderer - the rudyard kipling poem just sent me wailing for the tissues - anyone else??!!! Bloody pregnancy hormones!!

Soory haven't read the threas as haven't been on for a few days, so hopefully not missed to much gossip!!!

Come on Roger!!

DMx