Due April 2009: Episode 17 - We're off of work and ready to push, time for DH's to attend to that bush!!

[BabyBolat]

Inspired by our Smutty x

DD loves blueberries and always has to have a punnet while we are going round. She has scattered a few in her time.
Papa Juice just really made DH and I laugh. At Christmas we were at my father in laws and DD kept pointing at everyone's champagne flutes and saying "Mummy's drink".

[disclaimer: they are pre priced so as long as the lid is scanned at the checkout, it is NOT the same as eating grapes which are charged by weight]

Lulu {shock] at arms crossed thing!

Funny you should suggest pets. I have to confess animal husbandry is not our strong point in this household, as everything we acquire seems to die a horrid death. Rabbit No 1 ate a slug pellet a well-intentioned neighbour put in our garden without asking us. Rabbit No 2 had an ingrowing tooth problem which meant she was starving to death and had to be put down (got more sympathy from the vet over that than I ever got from medics over the miscarriage I had a year later, funnily enough). Guinea pig had a violent heart attack one lunchtime and was found in a state of rigour mortis pressed against the door of the cage. The goldfish all developed dread diseases and swan around in a deformed manner until joining the great goldfish bowl in the sky. Maybe this has been at the root of all the poor boy's problems.

Actually this reads quite badly. I am amazed social services haven't intervened with the children considering how badly we are doing with the livestock.

errr - ok best not get a pet.

Although I do think pets are a good way of kids learning about life and death I think your DS probably has enough concerns about death without another deceased animal to add to your pet cemetary collection

To be honest I'm sure he will grow out of it before too long.

Morning

Happy Birthday to Nutty's DD!! She will have a fabulous day being spoilt by you all!

Nutty you are definitely coming shopping with me - my carpet (admittedly we did the whole house) was astronomical! But then I am one of those people that HATE looking around and like to go into a shop have everything neatly laid out for me and just pick and sign!!

Aaah I actually find your LO stories adorable - LOL LuLu at 'papa-juice'

MathsMummy will you leave your fanjo alone!!!!

Well last night we had a very spicy curry and nookie and bar making me feel really really uncomfortable all night and a bit grouchie this morning from lack of sleep there appears to be no massive movement from LO today!

Boff I had something very similar to that at about the same age but the opposite (in that I was convinced I was going to die outside so only felt safe in the house), was petrified to walk down the street or get on a bus or in a car! it lasted a couple of months and then passed fairly uneventfully. Has he seen anything that would make him suddenly start thinking about it?

I don't have any experienced tips but I think if I can offer anything to the next few weeks post baby it would be to be selfish (within reason) and don't allow people to bully you in to what you should be doing and who should be coming to see you! I will definitely be learning polite ways to say no to people over the first few weeks. If you don't feel like 5 people in your house then don't have them there!! And from what I have heard, you have to do what feels right to you so when people say you should be doing this, feeding that way and sleeping etc etc, I intend to ignore them and just adapt to whatever feels right.

We had a kind of cleaning / nesting day yesterday cleaning the house (Even hoovering mattresses and sofa's!!) and changing the kitchen around a bit to make things a bit more accessible post-baby but I couldn't persuade DH to paint the house! lazy boy!!

What's everyone up to today, think we are going to head down to the beach for a bit of a ponder and have a bit of a lazy day!

Puzzle - some shops are now selling grapes in pre-priced packs. Probably because of thieving toddlers scoffing the lot before check-out.

I occasionally try to con DD with grapes rather than blueberries as they are so expensive [stingy mum emoticon]

BB - Hallelujah to that. You and your new family will know what works for you. Others will have wildly different ways of doing things but the best thing you can do as a parent is trust your instincts.

I find it so funny how people are already offering me advice on what I should and shouldn't be doing (and I still have 3 weeks to go!!) but not in a nice MN way but in a 'whatever you do, don't do this or do that..." like oh you don't want them in bed with you or you want to feed at set times not when they demand it etc etc etc and I am just like, "yeah i'll take that on board" (and then promptly ignore them!!!)

That sounds like a good approach. Smile and ignore.

Oh BB everyone gets so heated. The best thing you can do is work out what works for you. Most people I know were about me co-sleeping with DD but it worked best for us while breastfeeding. My MIL didn't miss an opportunity to 'encourage' me to enforce a routine as quickly as possible "You need 4 hour gaps between feeds" etc etc. Well not necessarily if you are breastfeeding. Grrrr.

Just smile sweetly and carry on doing what feels best to you. I did let it get to me at times, but best to just ignore everyone and their 'well intentioned advice'.

x posts

People say all sorts of things to you when you have your first baby, and it's good to nod and smile sweetly whilst ignoring them!!

IME you know when someone's advice is worth listening to, because they generally spend time hearing what you have to say in detail first, and waiting to be asked their opinion, before wading in.

Complete change of subject

GingerSarah sorry if you've already said this somewhere and I missed it. I hope the funeral on Thursday went well. I thought of you and have been wondering what chose to sing in the end. I have found myself thinking about what would be appropriate ever since you mentioned it last week.

mein herz brennt

Is that completely wrong Boff?

Boffin - there is a reassuring sense in your post that people butt in less with second and subsequent babies [hopeful emoticon].

I thought you were quoting a German romantic poet for a moment there, and then realised it was probably a Gaviscon reference.

Or a suggestion for a truly awful song to sing at a funeral mein herz brennt (unless you or the deceased have a particular interest in the German industrial metal music genre....)

Nice that you assumed I have a bit of culture when all I have is wind.

Lulu - How do you think I knew the phrase. I got a C for my GCSE German . I have that album!

Which funnily enough for an antenatal thread is called Mutter.

I don't think people who know I have multiple offspring give me advice unless I ask for it, tbh.

Sometimes HR patronise me terribly though. Great quotes:

"Of course pregnant women faint all the time so we do not allow you to work alone in the evening in the building for this reason". (Oh, is that what all those pg women are doing lying all over the place unconscious?? I thought they were sunbathing).

"Babies are banned from campus, of course, like dogs, because offices are dangerous". (Oh yes, the baby eating rubber plant is a well known phenomenon).

Also my BIL used to give me 'useful' advice like when I got pg with my second. He is very good about telling everyone their business, an 'expert' on every subject under the sun.

"Of course you should know there will be lots of hormones".

Thanks, BIL, I wouldn't have known that.

Hormones eh? Nope, don't think i've had those yet.

Sorry Puzzle - didn't know you were a fan. I'm sure it would be a lovely song to sing at a funeral!

My taste in German pop hasn't progressed much further than 99 Luftballons I'm afraid.

Nobody ever offers USEFUL advice. Like, if you have been trying to adjust the itunes volume for five minutes with no luck, it might be worth checking that what you have in your hand is in fact the sky remote.

[Realises I know sound incredibly lazy but I am actually working on the pc]

That is an excellent track. Can we have Mein Herz Brennt somewhere in the next thread title????

Should be on Guitar Hero, that track.

Another inappropriate metal type track for the funeral might be 'Hier Kommt Alex', depending on what is name is, of course.