Dec 08: but that doesn't mean you can touch my bump!

[rosmerta]

New thread with bisou's title suggestion

Woooo hoooo LadyT well done you

Well done LadyT

Hurrah for you, LadyT!

thanks chaps - hatty - chin up - and you're not whinging on at all, you're being understandably upset and not in any way going on about it - I just hope you are ok. BIG HUGS etc. Wish they had that emoticon!

I'm meeting a friend for dinner tonight and am SO tired. Thankfully we're meeting at 6.15, so will be all done and dusted by 8.30 at latest and will be in bed at home by 9.30, I hope! Hurray!!!

Tess was quite good, but no Pride and Prejudice!!! I'm afraid that wins on all scores, even years on. Colin Firth coming out of the lake will NEVER fade from memory. I don't even fancy him in anything else!

and I forgot to congratulate lady T! So remiss! Well done - now get the practical bit done asap and you'll be driving around like mad! Well done - hurray!!!!

hatty Wow, such a lot on your plate at once. I'm not surprised you feel like it's all stacking up against you. You might find that you can cope quite well on reduced income if it does come down to that - we found our outgoings went down considerably when we had DS, plus there are tax credits available. On the plus side, you might find it's lovely to have DH around a bit more to help and share all those special moments if he hasn't sorted something out by then - I do feel sorry for new fathers as they tend to just get a couple of weeks of chaos on paternity leave then are kind of forced out of the equation and miss out on loads (although I get the impression that suits a lot of dads fine).

On the maternity leave question, for DS I went at about 37 weeks then gave birth 5 days late, which meant a couple of days shy of a month. It was the right amount of time for me - earlier and I would have probably wished I'd taken it afterwards and spent it with the baby, and later I would have just been too knackered. That month was blissful actually - just lumbering around, sleeping and daydreaming (plus a lot of ordering DP around on the DIY front - my version of nesting). I'm so envious of all you first-timers - maternity leave won't be the quite the same with a 19-month-old in tow. This time I'm officially on mat leave from 39 weeks but with leave it will be more like 36. Can't wait!

Verso good news about the (non)-infection. Bloody idiots.

LadyT congrats!

Effie/Umlellala - I have no other plans so far that day so I can make any time. I'll take DS to the pool either before or after (I think it closes at 5pm). We could say 1pm as a starter for ten or is that too close to lunchtime? Really, any time is fine with me.

Thanks everyone, I feel it was largely undeserved so I am still going to keep mugging up on it all as I learn to drive, otherwise I will be a danger on the roads

Cor, I love Colin Firth as well.

Right, must take my swollen feet/ankles/legs off to John Lewis Food Hall...

well done Lady T

Hatty that is a lot of stress to deal with. My DH was made redundant just before DD was born and I was taking voluntary redundancy so I remember it was very worrying. It worked out fine-he had a job within a couple of weeks. Hope it all works out for you. Your poor inlaws.

With DD I worked up til 39 weeks, but was only going into the office a couple of times a week and as I said above, was being made redundant anyway, so nothing too pressing to do. With DS I worked to 37 weeks.

Verso what a waste of time and energy for you. Still at least there is nothing wrong.

Beans-I felt terrified of being a parent before DD arrived-it is such a huge responsibility. Still despite her falling into the odd gate and me letting them watch Cbeebies while I am on mumsnet, everything has turned out fine!

Good advice from PD, Hatty, I reckon. I hope you feel a bit brighter when you have had some proper rest,.

yes agree about Colin Firth in 'Pride and Prejudice'. Plus for Sunday night viewing it is a lot easier on the emotions.

Congrats on passing the theory test LT

Hatty: PD has a good point about your DH having more time. DH jacked in his office job to go freelance shortly before I found out I was pg with DS and it took ages to build up the work and contracts. Which meant finances were a bit dicky for a while BUT he was more or less a full-time dad for the first months of my maternity leave.

just thought you might like to know my friend just updated her status on facebook to say she is 7cms dilated and getting pretty strong contractions - anyone else planning on updating their fb status during birth???

hatty - sorry to hear the news. everyone is right to say the early hours simply don't count - it is when all the demons come out to play in my brain, and i just have to read a stupid, simple book to put them to bed again so i can get back to sleep. everything looks better in the morning somehow. easier said than done, though, i know.

Another vote for Mr Darcy coming out of the lake here - I don't fancy Colin Firth in anything, but in Pride and Prejudice, wow. I watched the bollywood Bride and Prejudice the other week with DH, which is entertaining but not a patch on the BBC version. DH, who flatly refuses to watch any period drama, really enjoyed that and I found myself trying to sell P&P to him with the Colin Firth scene . Think maybe he'd prefer the Keira Knightly film version ...

Well done to LadyT, one step closer to that driving licence!

wg - oh my GOD! Why oh why would you be online - on facebook! That's extraordinary behaviour!!! and also possibly TMI for people??!!! Eek! Actually quite hilarious too - has made me laugh out loud at work!

Hi all,Hatty - sorry to hear all that - hopefully things will turn around - usually a whole lot of good things happen after a string of bad I find.
Went to the dentist today to use my freebie prego card! No fillings! Amazing - just got to go back for a clean and repair an old one! V happy as I hate needles and usually pass out! We're getting a dryer - yay! After chatting to mum and giving her the scenario of the place we just moved to she said - winter baby in England - def get a decent tumble dryer!!! They've become rather cheap these days.
Decided DH hasn't given enough (any except one) input about baby names so printed us off a list of 1000 I found online and we crossed off all the names we hated then compared lists - from 1000 we had 5 the same! Think we'll keep it a surprise from family since they know the due date and sex already! Don't know about anyone else but I get really confused with who's who on this board! I guess it helps that some of you have met at the last meet up but I have a hard time keeping up even if I get online once a day!!!

PS hatty just remembered after I posted that you're not a first-timer. Hope I didn't come across as too patronising...

Thanks so much all for lovely support and kind words. Feel much better, like I have been virtually hugged, made several cups of tea and served homemade cake, before being tucked up in bed with cocoa .

poison no no not at all - in many ways I wierdly feel like a first-timer anyway, because so many things were unique to me having twins. You know, I never had a contraction, went into labour - breastfeeding was a whole different kettle of fish as I was doing two babies - so it was very useful advice. It's a lovely positive way to look at it that DH will be around as well, and the help and family time will be invaluable.

At least when I do start maternity leave I will have some quiet time as DDs are at nursery 2 days.

waitinggirl pmsl at that facebook update!!

Oh Hatty what a nightmare I really hope things get a bit more positive for you.

Lady T woohoo well done I took forever to pass my test 5* the awful thing was I kept failing on reverse round a corner it was soo frustrating, the examiners kept saying to me you are a good driver but you have to do reverse round a corner.

Love to hear about the nesting going on its not started here hope it kicks in soon I cant even get the ironing done so lord knows how I am going to fit in decorating a bedroom.

Waitinggirl

hatty this may seem a bit soppy and may not help in view of you financial concerns but well until you retire you can always earn money but you can never relive this time in your kids lives. Them having this time with their dad and the kind of ease it gives you on the parenting front is really valuable to their upbringing. Of all the times it could happen now is a good time. It will sort out, however having said that you have a load on your plate at the moment i think copious amounts of chocolate are definately a good idea. I wish i could send you some of the many blueberry muffins i seem to be making lately.

Verso lad you made that appoint to sort it out. hope they make a note of the small issue of receptionist reading results!! you should always have you results read and explained to you by the GP.

LT well done on test result.

and those hoping to sell houses if it's any help the rental market is very healthy in London. have a friend with a place in Hackney who has just rerented her place and the Real estate found her someone in a week and added £200 to the monthly price!!!

wg has she taken her laptop to the hospital?!!! Is her DH busy typing updates? "I'm now on... gas... breathe... and air... breathe..." Or maybe to be fair she's high on pethidine and doesn't know what she's typing?

shakes head in amazement

WG i thought i would use my FB status to let friends in Australia know the baby had arrived and vital statistics etc (much cheaper than texting) but wouldn't be doing blow by blow updates. Last time i emailed at the beginning of labour to my mum and close friends and then rang mum texted friends afterwards. The problem with texting though is that everyone writes back and ask little questions that require a return text so poor DH spent quite a lot of time (and money as international text price) replying to people. So in that way the FB status after birth would be helpful. Also with my friends in Australia we do have a little tradition of uploading a photo of new bub to close friends soon after. But we are all quite close like family and are desperate to see the ew addition so thats why.

Veggie. that's reassuring about the rental market . Do you know which agents your friend used by any chance? We're weighing up our options at the moment...

hatty so sorry you are having such a rubbish time at the moment, it is amazing how chocolate can help but it sounds like you have a hell of a lot on your plate hun - look after yourself xx Oh and I'm stopping work between 36-37 weeks.

Thanks for the reassurance about my transverse baby ladies - as always you put my mind at rest

I have also had these night time panic moments - am so glad am not the only one ! I just freak out at the thought that I have to get the baby out and then look after it - have no idea which way up a baby goes. I picked up my free Huggies starter pack yesterday and pulled out one of those teeny weeny nappies and tried it on a teddy - I was soo proud of my efforts until DP pointed out it was back to front

LT congrats

Verso aarrghhh bl00dy GP

Hi everyone! My name is Kim and I'm new to London and due to have my first baby at the end of December. Would it be alright for me to join your group?