Due May 2009 - Childbirth is getting closer and it's giving us the (blue) willies!!

[SpangleMaker]

In honour of llareggub's DS's painting experiments........

Good morning all. I am so glad you're all in a good mood - ice skating water buffalo!!! LOL Weedle with walking boots! LOL

I am gonna have a complete moan for a mo, so please excuse me.... either let it all out or burst into tears...
My house at the moment is a tip - dishes in sink, some ironing to do, vacuuming needing done, kitchen needing tidied.... you know how it is when you're sore and too tired to get up and do it? Dh works long hours on a shift pattern in a stressful job - but he loves what he does, so that's not the problem. We're both unpaid directors of the company we started a wile back. At present we have help in th business on Mon, Wed & Sats which gives me some time off to get things done. This week I don't know what's happened but everything feels like it has piled up and it's nearly too much for me to do alone....
Well this morning at 8:28am DH asks me if I could iron him a T-Shirt 'cos I have nothing to wear. Everything I wear is in the ironing basket'. I asked him could he not have asked last night, rather than 2 minutes before I leave the house to get DS to school. So he took the huff and said he'd 'iron it myself' - great! ANyway it turned into an amazing row - not just over the ironing, but of the state of the whole house. I know it's a mess, but when he comes home (OK after doing a days work) he sits on the sofa with the lap top glued to his knees all night. If I ask him to do something for me I end up having to ask over and over ("stop nagging me"), and sometimes end up doing it myself. Eg yesterday in the shop I asked him to climb up the laddder into the attic space and get down flat pack boxes so I can start to pack stock up for the move today - did he do it??????? NO! But the worst thing was, the argument was infront of DS and really upset him - leaving me to explain to him that despite the row & being angry, we still do love each other. Then when DS & I went ot leave the house DH was sitting in a huff at the table eating his breakfast (in his nicely ironed t-shirt!), and I went in to ask him to say good bye to ds he told me to 'F**k off' and waved me away. I asked him to say goodbye to 'our son' and he did give DS a big hug and told him he loved him.

Am I being unreasonable to ask for even a bit of help from him?? Even if it's asking me to iron something for him the night before? He knows when he's running short of clothes - I don't check up on his clothing situation every day - he's lucky to get the bloody things washed and put away!

Sorry for the rant.

When I said "so I can start to pack stock up for the move today" - I don't mean we are moving today, but rather that I can start to pack up today in preparation for the move later this month.

Further DH just off the phone to apologise to me. He even informed me he started to tidy up the kitchen - great for him!! Woo Hoo - give him a medal. I really just want to shout at him to leave me alone... for a while.

Haven't posted for ages... I've been keeping away from pram/ nappy chat etc. - have a burying my head in the sand attitude for some reason which is probably really foolish but am in process of painting, flooring, new kitchen-bathrooming etc. our flat in preparation for baby so will leave the details until later! I have 7 white cotton baby grows so far and that's it - I'm 28 weeks today so I should probably start getting my act together!

Sorry to everyone with problems at work/ men/ health issues. One thing I have contended with is ballooning bosoms and the reason I'm posting is to recommend bra extenders - I got a few from John Lewis and they are a real money saver - no new bras for me + I can still wear all my nice old (+ greying!) comfy ones. You just attach them to the hooks + they give you about 4 extra hook spaces - only £1 or so.

Am off to Bath on the train today + busy checking weather conditions etc., so far everything running normally so fingers crossed - we're celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary and last special time together before we are turned from a couple into three! We've been together 7 years + while I'm so excited about the baby, I'm also really emotional about us not being alone anymore - we get on so happily together + I don't know how a baby will affect that. But I imagine everyone must feel a bit of that when they first get pregnant.... such a huge change... The pregnancy was unplanned too so I guess that makes a difference in how prepared you both feel for it!

Hope everyone has a good weekend and go safely on the ice!

LOL at JosieC - have a lovely image of you in a luxurious white bath tub up to your ears in bubbles with candles lit all round - on a train!!!! "Am off to Bath on the train today"!!!! - it's all in the translation!! Take things easy JosieC!!! You've lots going on there with you. You and DH can still have lovely times together - it jsut may take a bit more planning (or very quick!!!)

Anyhow - thanks Dandy - normally it's ok - but hes the type not to say anything for a while in the hope I'll get it sorted (not in a bad way, but usually I get things sorted) but then he explodes and everything comes out all at once!! So one unironed T-Shirt becomes the whole house shit!!! It'll be all sorted out this weekend! DS going to his nans, and Dh will be told to vacuum etc!!!

Boobs haven;t really got bigger. Have been wearing bf bras so far that I had with DS. I also find the white ones fit slightly better - strange but true...

Am I greedy??? I've just scoffed 2 Danish Cinnamon whirls..... Still licking the cinnamon off my lips...!

All of you guys worried about having put on a stone I have put on over 2 stone, so I am a real heffalump now! I put the first stone on in the first 12 weeks and then have put on another stone and a bit in the last 14 weeks. I think it didn't help that I had lost quite a bit of weight before I got pregnant this time (had 2 miscarriages before), in an attempt to get fit and healthy for the next pregnancy. It obviously worked, but as soon as I found out I was pregnant all my efforts went out the window and I have been eating pretty much constantly since! I am a healthy eater though, with the odd treat so not too worried. I hope I don't put on much more than another stone or so, taking my max weight gain to 4 stone. I have heard of lots of peeople who have put on 4 stone in pregnancy and gone back to normal eventually. Maybe I am deluded? I know they recommend a 2-3 stone maximum weight gain, but I believe everyone is different, and I have always been heavier than I look! I am 5ft 9in and a size 12 in normal life and weigh 11 and a half stone. I am now nearly 14 stone. Trying not to let it worry me, but maybe I should be? All of you 2nd and 3rd timers have any of you put on this much before?

Ooops almost gave away what my posting name stands for!!

Glad to see other other people taking on house stuff/moving. We are due to have loft conversion started in next 2 weeks which will take 8 weeks which gives me 3 weeks lee-way before baby due! I am MAD.

HtheH I am only small in height 5 foot 1 so my 1 stone doesn't have very much space to be distributed. Plus I ahve to put up with everyone asking if I am due very soon! Do you know the sex? I am convinced it's because I am epxecting a girl - I may be being deluded and it's really because I am consuming more than some smaller European nations do in a year.

Hurrah! Found you!

pulapula - have miaowed you (CAT)!

divedaisy - I SO KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!!! Got accused of nagging last night when I asked dp to get me a drink, as I was flat out on the sofa feeling totally knackered after a rubbish day at work, and definitely feeling like an ugly fat old hippo. Tried to snuggle up behind him in bed when he was asleep and he shook me off, and I ended up with his elbow in my belly. He WAS asleep, but still. AND it was snowing again this morning and gggrrrrr...

I'm not going to weigh myself - FAR too scary. Boobs have gone from a 34B to a 36E... and am currently 'only' 24 weeks. Gulp... Am off to John Lewis tomorrow morning to play with prams, so will look for those bra extender thingies - thanks for the tip, JosieC

Currently having a quiet moment in my clinic, as 2 patients haven't turned up.... I wouldn't mind if they call to say they're not coming.... but they just haven't turned up. Ho hum. Maybe I can go and get my lunch early. I'm STARVING!!!

Ho hum... hope everyone has a nice weekend - apart from my pram playing tomorrow morning, I've got a poo weekend lined up full of studying. I'd better be kept full of tea and chocolate from dp, or he will feel the wrath of the pregnant one!! Nyah ha haaaa!

ps... this is my most favourite thread since I've been on MN - some are so bitchy and judgy, and I have truly been appalled by some of the things people say, and I was considering leaving for a while. Everyone on here is lovely and helpful, even though I am a div on the nappy front! Thank you everyone

Sausageenmash - i think it's because some of the other threads are fairly short lived. Here we're like family! I think I missed out on what your clinic is - something to do with puberty??? Good luck with the prams! Make a list of what you need in a pram/system and stick to it! Don't get caught up in the sales pitch! Sometimes it's what they don't say about a pram that can make up your mind! I liked the M&P Skate and the M&P Herbie Ziko - until the lady let it slip that the Ziko has to have the seat removed every time you go to put it down! It was quickly off my list!
EG: will you be using a car - or public transport?
Have you any disability that could affect your ability to put up/put down a pram?
Consider the basket size and access to it if you do a lot of shopping.
Size for your car boot.
Weight to lift in/out of car.
Does the seat lie flat for use from birth?
If going for a carry cot car seat (I had one) it may take up the full back seat.
If planning another child soon, is it adaptable for 2?
Handle height - for DP to push.
Ask the rest of us to review a choice you may have!

At last MW appointment on 9th Feb I had only put on just under 4Kg. I don't eat that much (OK today is an exception - 2 cinnamon whirls ) and really prefer fruit to meat and proper food. The thought of food turns me - i drool over minneolas and cherries and pink grapefruit juice! Oh and yoghurts! - esp rhubarb ones! They are all quite sour fruits aren't they? Someone else here was having notions for sour sweets a while back now that I think of it!!! Maybe we've moved from salt'n'vinegar to sour!

Away to do some stock packing! Then collect ds from school then home .... to do some ironing!!!!

Hi all,
Home early cos of snow again but did have to brave a hideous drive home along the mway with lorries and people in 4x4s going 70 when there was slush. etc on the ground.

divedaisy sorry to hear about your argument with dh, sounds horrible. Not sure if its any consolation but mine does that whole let things build up until one little thing pushes him over the edge - usually house stuff too. We worked it out a bit by basically having his and hers jobs - eg. I do all the washing and dusting, he does the bins and washing up, etc. It does work although seemed a bit student house-like at first.

sausage I know exactly what you mean, I love reading this thread, even if I don't have time to post, really helpful and supportive as well as funny!

Good to hear all the DIY talk, we accepted an offer on our house so have the prospect of moving in about 8 weeks time all being well. Luckly the place we're buying doesn't need work doing to it apart from painting the baby's room, so it should be fairly smooth apart from the packing and then unpacking the other end.

May pop back in later, if not, have a lovely weekend all. I am going to curl up on the sofa and watch lots of six nations rugby. Come on Wales!

divedaisy, pulapula, and others - This wasn't a private scan but the standard 5 month scan in our hospital. Doctor mainly looked at organs, head, skeleton, etc but also toggled to 3D (with the same machine) to give me a few photos

I too shall be watching lots of rugby runningmonkey

I am english but married to a welshman - who is fanatical about rugby (caught him looking at rugby shirts again on ebay last night,lol) he tells me that our LO will NEVER be allowed to wear an england shirt

Had an appointment at the hospital this morning for check up/look at results of the heart scan I had back in November (doc heard a heart murmur). V pleased to find out my heart is ok and it's just a 'normal' pregnancy thing, something-or-other regurgitation (?) Anyway, the upshot is they have discharged me from consultant-led care and I can choose to have the baby where I want Also they did all the 28 week checks & bloods so I don't have to see the midwife again in the week. Seems I'm measuring on the upper end of the scale but from what I can gather the measure isn't very accurate anyway.

Went into Mothercare on the way back to get a new mattress for the moses basket we've been given & had another look at the Bee. I think I've managed to persuade DH we 'need' one We said we'd keep the Pliko for eg quick trips to the shops (as we can use the car seat with it) & the Bee if out for longer so the baby can lie flat. Dunno if it will work out like this but the argument seems to have worked!

Divedaisy sorry to hear about your argument with DH. I really don't think it's an uncommon argument to have but it does sound like he was a bit of an arse about it to say the least. I've let housework build up too and I don't have another DC to look after! Housework is about the only thing DH and I argue about for much the same reasons as you: we're both out of the house the same amount of time in the week but I start/get in earlier, plus he works Saturdays, so I basically do all housework, laundry, cooking etc and he just does bins and washing up (most of the time). If I've been busy or am tired it builds up. Most occasions he doesn't seem to notice but sometimes he'll make some remark like, 'the sink is really gross' or 'I'll wear this again shall I, as there appear to be no clean ones'. It takes about 5 seconds for him to see my eyes narrow and realise he has made a BIG mistake!! If he's lucky he'll get 'well you know where the washing machine is!' if not, a huge rant about how much I do, how early I get up, how he only has to think about work... stroppy, moi?!

Unsurprisingly, I will also be cheering on Wales!

My father tried to persuade me to return to Wales to have DS1 because he couldn't get his head around having a grandson who would be eligible to play for England...

llareggub I know the feeling. My DH keeps threatening to drive me to Abergavenny while in the throes of labour!

when i was expecting ds last time dh thought it would be a nice idea to have him delivered back in scotland! i pointed out it would make Ante-natal check ups a bit tricky.. not to mention the v long journey home with a newborn.. he's not said a word this time!

rant all you need divedaisy my dh does exactly the same it's always something trivial that sets him off.. suddenly a molehill becomes mount everest. at least when they've cooled down they apologize but i still find it stressful and upsetting..

great news spangle about your heart. what a relief

Looby and llareggub lol that's a bit extreme! I think they'll both still be ok to play for the 'right' team with at least one parent of welsh descent Mind you my DB was born in bristol and gers no end of stick from tge entire family as a result!! I'm lucky cos DH isn't really into sport all that much so he supports Wales over England in the rugby!

cote your pic is cool. I had one too as the staff were playing with a new scanner but it's nowhere near as clear as yours - is exactly the same pose tho!

spangle good news on the heart, bet that's a big relief

dandy we were posting at the same time and I didn't want you to think I ignored you. A bit crap of her really, and I can understand your worries about relying on her for the birth. No helpful suggestions aparr from maybe get DH to have a quiet word. In the meantime, Have you got any friends who can take dd for a bit tomorrow or sun so you get your break?