due Dec 08-the one were we are so brain dead we can't think of a thread title.

[Veggiemummy]

hey there will this be the last one do you think

Ooooooooooh all this to come. Just been for a haircut don't feel quite as dowdy now

afternoon all hooray about Obama, i haven't heard hs speech yet but DH heard it on the radio last night (he slept with it in his ear so if he woke he could get the results. and he said the speech was amazing so will listen later.

Beans that article doesn't seem real. What is wrong on our society that women are so scared of childbirth, or in fact anything vaguely medical that they won't have children. And as someone else said the pregnancy and birth bit doesn't take the time away from career it is the having children bit, and for some that isn't really that bad. Is it wrong to say these women are too selfish to have children.

veggie full speech here. I didn't stay up at all to watch for the results but first thing I checked this morning!

Just read the article. Am kind of torn really, I really don't like DM articles as they always seem so skewed. And whilst I do think its sad that they're not going to experience pregnancy & birth, at least they are giving a child a much-needed home, even if its for selfish reasons.

Hello everyone,

I've been away for a bit and it has taken me ages to catch up! Just a quick summary, sorry in advance for not saying hello to everyone individually.

indith Congrats on your new job . Have you arranged a starting date?

Congrats on your MA waiting . I've got my phd graduation in December - I'm sure we'll both look great in the pics, I'm hoping the gown will be flattering

poison I loved your before and after pics! The wonders of photoshop...

hatty What fantastic news! You must be so relieved.

LadyT Hang on in there with the driving. As others have said, it is amazing you have even attempted to learn at this stage. Oh and my Dad gave my brother the wrong name on his birth certificate! I won't give his real name but they had chosen say Alexander Thomas but were going to call him Thomas and my Dad registered Thomas Stephen. My mum was NOT pleased.

mibbes I hope your leak gets sorted. Household disasters are the last thing you need at the moment! Fingers crossed it is something easy and cheap to fix.

arti, youngvisitor and JJ It was really touching what you all wrote about your mums Pregnancy does make you more aware of family members who are no longer here and who we'd have loved to have shared the experience with.

Pixsix Congrats on becoming an Auntie!

I'm jealous of all those going on maternity leave now, only three weeks, two days left for me though. I've already written a list of lovely things to do which includes... going to the Christmas market and meeting DH for lunch, baking and freezing Christmas goodies, decorating the house... can you tell I love Christmas!

I'm trying to trick the cats into thinking it is evening and coming back in to avoid the fireworks. They whine like mad if they are not allowed to go out, so I'm hoping having fed them two hours early they will be fooled into coming back in about an hour before the fireworks start properly! Fingers crossed it works

One of my sisters told me to go to matinee cinema performances on maternity leave, as once you've had a baby, you'll never go - too much to get a babysitter for just a couple of hours etc. I'm off on Monday! And will have a haircut on Tuesday. Brilliant!

Perhaps our new link should be called something like "Hopefully first December babies making an appearance...." Oh wow, it's tooooo exciting!

I have just had a text from MIL and she is feeling much better. DH is off to see her tonight, so I'll have a full update. Hurray! Fingers crossed it all keeps going uphill, then she should be back on her feet in a few weeks. She's in hospital for 6 weeks, I think. Horrible.

Hello all

Beans how is MIL? Sorry I may well have missed most recent update. Great idea about going to cinema matinees. The thing I miss most I think about pre-children life is that spontaneity of being able to go wherever/whenever. Try going out at different times of the day as well.

IE I always seem to be at home from about 4.30 onwards as DD's tend to have tea around 5pm and then it's bath, bed etc. Before that 4.30 onwards seemed to be the witching hour when we had babies, when you're tired and they're tired.

When me and DH have a rare night away we always relish the unusual feeling of being free and lying around relaxing at that time of day!

Arti I too have no alcohol stamina. Half a glass on Friday night and I felt really dehydrated and a bit queasy at the taste. I remember after the girls were born last time losing my taste for alcohol for ages - I don't think I had more than a glass at a a time for months.

Pixsix congrats on being an auntie!

I have 4 and a bit days of work to go during this month. Have struggled to put a bid together today and am now trying to find the energy to finish it as it absolutely has to be in tonight. Cannot be bothered in the slightest!

If you're in Sarf Lunnen though you can go to the 'Big Scream' at picture house cinemas. (It's a parent-and-infant cinema club.) I was near Brixton last time round and have to say seeing a grown-up film once a week was bliss. I saw more films in six months than in the previous six years! I'm definitely going to join again this time... though I might be going to the Clapham one not Brixton as we've moved.

Thanks Hatty - seems like she may be coming out of the other side - I really hope so. She's just lovely! Feeling more upbeat about it today.

Oooh, Verso - I'm definitely going to Big Scream at Clapham Pic House after arrival of nipper - hopefully see you there! Was also thinking about going to see Bond next week at a matinee - brilliant!!!

Just added a photo from today - I feel much bigger! But it might just be the stripes.... Although the lump does definitely look bigger...

I'm very bored at work now - done all my work, so feeling a bit smug.

And if you are in Central/West London then the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill has brilliant weekly Mum and Baby screenings. Huge conmfy armchairs, loads of floor space in front of each row in which you can lay babe on a sheepskin. A light show on teh ceiling to keep babe amused. A bar at the back of the cinema. I spent many a happy afternoon there when DD was still young enought that I could keep her quiet with a breast for several hours.

can't believe we are on our next thread again!!

That Mail article was very odd - it managed to be simultaneously insulting to both biological and adoptive parents. As for implying that taking on an adoptive child is somehow an easy option ?

Do you think our next thread will take us up to December?

To do list: buy presents, stuff turkey, decorate tree, pop out baby.

Great tip Verso about the mother and baby screenings at the cinema. There are two near me that do it and to my with two babies I never did it. It's is SO on my list to do with DC3!

Jolly I LOVE Christmas too! Still a kid about it really...

Who's goign to start the next thread???

I've done it! So brave... here we go!

xxx

Hope that's ok for new thread - will wait for this one to run out maybe? Let me know if anything different has been done.

I'm off home now. What a boring day, apart from Burritos for lunch. Delicious.

Hi everyone, hope you?re all well today?

trace/chutney I?m another one with smell overdrive at the moment, it stopped for a while in the middle, but has come back with a vengeance now!

trace v of your baby shower

pixsix congratulations to your sister on her new son (and to you too)

beans I saw that too, and in an evil way was chuffed that the lady who didn?t want the inconvenience of ML ended up needing 2 years off work ? ha (evil laugh)

I got my new carpets yesterday and they look fab (and smell fab too!) I walked round in bare feet for ages last night . And the health visitor came round to introduce herself yesterday and she seems nice. But she did mention something that made me quite cross (not with her) ? there?s a new children?s centre opening locally in the next couple of weeks and we were talking about it. But there won?t be any BF support there because that excludes the Mum?s in the area who are bottle feeding. I?m not a militant ?breast is best? type of gal, but surely it?s just silly to not allow anyone any feeding support