Due in September 2009: we are now officially blooming!

[StealthPolarBear]

Even if it doesn't seem like it most of the time

I just got off the phone with my MIL, who, for the record is brilliant, we get on very well and she is a wonderful Nana. But she just really peed me off. We were talking about the gender and she says she has a feeling its a girl, and she just knew ds was a boy and was right so... Then went on and on about how wonderful it was to have a daughter and how 'lucky' she was to have one of each when her two close friends have two boys/girls. Gah. I said we were just looking forward to having another baby regardless and she said well yes of course, but another boy wouldn't be 'quite the same'. I hope she won't be bitterly disappointed if its another beautiful boy

What does the predictor kit involve? I might be tempted! Today is really dragging by, its grey and cloudy and ds is whingy. Sorry for the moan, roll on easter and lots of chocolate

it's not a kit - just 5 questions:

1. I am carrying the extra weight...

A) Out front
B) Around the hips and bottom

1. The hair on my legs is growing...

A) More quickly than before I got pregnant
B) The same as before I got pregnant

1. My feet are...

A) Colder than before pregnancy
B) The same as before

1. I had morning sickness early in my pregnancy...

A) Yes
B) No

1. During pregnancy, my chest development has been...

A) Quite dramatic
b) not too dramatic

It's just for fun! I had to write 4 a) but not as bad as last time and 5 b) but am breastfeeding. So not sure of the 'accuracy' of my results anyway!

I've done a few gender prediction thingies online - they all say I'm having a boy. In fact everyone apart from my nan reckons its a boy - not really sure why though,reasons vary from I'm eating fruit and veg, I dont need to condition my hair and the one from my sis who says because bump looks like a rugby ball its definately a boy!!

lol StayFrosty...although I quite like Isambard!
Yes, we have names decided (well kind of) we both love Alice for a girl, which is good because we can't agree on ANY others. DS will be George (my preference) or Arthur (DH's) but I think we both like both.

Ah I'm glad someone else has been thinking of names! We've decided on Bethan and Archie, we could not really agree on any others, mostly me I will admit, once my mind is made up...!

I like those!
oooh Bethan...I like it so I assume DH will hate it!

Just read StayFrosty's post properly - Lol at Isambard - he designed good bridges though!

I suppose the problem with us is I like quite 70s / 80s boring names, Sophie, Emily, Jane... whereas DH goes back a couple of generations and like Audrey (our 2nd choice), and other names that are currently used by women in their 80s - Doris etc
Although now I've said that Doris does sound quite cute...

Doris is really cute! I prefer names which will still be nice when LO is older and so does DH, although I really liked Rhodri and that got the thumbs down straight away!

When I had ds one of the mums at the baby group (at the surgery) named her dd Dolores (Dolly) - it's not a name I'd have thought of but so suited her as she was very cute and petite.

Hi girls - I'm convinced I'm having a boy (altho thats probably cos a couple of psychics have told me I'm having a boy!) so I'm still favouring the boys name I had when preg. with dd - so it'll be Oscar if it has got a winky, got no idea what I'd call a girl tho, quite like Ffion but we can't really make our minds up - same when I was pg before - a list as long as my arm for girls, all the names are so pretty!!

Stealth, my real name is Sophie and I can honestly say I love it - I think I'm the only person I have ever met who loves they're own name, friends call me Soph or Soapy which I'm happy with - no-one's ever made a horrible nickname out of it anyway!!

Agree with Stayfrosty - vagina owner is defo the final caller on names tho!!

.......Isambard? - do you live in Bristol Stayfrosty????

ooh name chatting. DD is called Maya, so we need something to go with that. ATM I like Zoe and Naomi for girls.

Boys I'm having trouble with, DD was going to be Adam, which is still in the running. I really like Zachary but DH does not. with DD I also liked Linus which Dh sugested as a joke!!

A lot happens on here in a day!! Thanks for making me so welcome and the advice on mat leave. DP and I should be able to manage on the statutory minimum that we'll get for a full year, but not really put any serious thought into timing of putting the little'un into childcare, yet.

Had my first appointment with my own allocated MW today. I've heard some horror stories, but all the MWs I've come across so far have been lovely. Told her my concerns about the blood test, that I would be unlikely to have amnio and wouldn't terminate for DS - she was very patient and told me that I could ring the unit and tell them to withold the results. Spoken to DP again this evening - we're going to get the results, and try to "prepare" (but not worry) if the results come back with a high probability. Hope this is the right thing, especially after reading what you're going through, TigOeuf. Fingers crossed for you.

Anyway, neither MW or I knew whether the heartbeat sounded like galloping horses or rushing wind...

Hi,

Welcome Weddingtigger, I am also due on the 12th September and a first timer!!

I have my 20 week scan in 2 weeks and 3 days and I cannot wait!! Have lots of people telling me to wait and not find out, but uh... no!! I struggle to wait til Christmas day to open my presents, lol!! I've decided anyone who has told me to wait I just won't tell what it is and they can have a surprise, only fair I think!!

I have a recording on my phone of the heartbeat and myself and DH have just been listening to it trying to work out whether it sounds like a train or horses. I thought train and he thought horses, so we're still none the wiser, lol!!! I wouldn't be surprise if it has it's legs crossed on the scan as we're so excited about finding out, even though we don't mind.

Totally with the whole pink/blue issue. My friend has said that if it's a girl she will buy it pink dresses cos she knows I won't!! There are some beautiful dresses out there, I'm just not into pink and never have been. Really loving some dinosaur babygro's I've seen and would personally but a girl in them but would probably not but a boy in the dresses!!

Have many of you bought alot yet? We only have a couple of babygro's and vests (vests bought by M-I-L) but I get so overwhelmed when I go into baby shops, even though I love being in them, I just walk out without anything cos there's so much stuff and I don't know what to do and then get scared it's still too soon so just run away!!

Really pleased to hear I'm not the only one blubbing at the drop of a hat, we were watching Planet Earth the other day and a baby elephant was searching for his mum but going in the wrong direction and I literally broke down in full on gut wrenching sobs, DH tried to be sympathetic but couldn't help laughing which made me worse!!

oooh names. I'd like to call her Martha if it's a girl, after my Great-Aunt, who I sadly never met, but by all accounts she was a feisty independent lady, who always did just what she pleased. I think dh has come round to the idea. For boys we've only been able to agree on Edward. I really want it to have a middle name too, since I don't. Most of our name conversations descend into silliness atm, trying to outdo each other with stupid suggestions.

So far I haven't bought a thing. I get scared, and do internet research on pushchairs instead.

ooh at the baby elephant, that's the sort of thing that would have me in tears too!
Not buying anything until I know if it's a boy or girl, as DS had loads of unisex stuff thatwill do for the first few months so I'll just buy the odd nice thing for then. I bought a lovely dress from boots when I was pg last time, it was a knitted one and was green and brown I think with a reindeer on the front, but once I knew I was having a DS I gave it away I'll have to see if they do them again as I loved that dress!
Will also have to buy snowsuit / stuff for winter as the stuff DS had will be the wrong size

hmm, this bub will probalby just get dressed in all hand me downs i'm afraid - ds' old stuff and if it's a girl and friend has said she'll pass on her girls clothes to me. poor second children!!

haven't really thought properly at names yet. will wait until we know what it is. there are plenty of girls names i like, but i have no idea for boys..

Had a good giggle at other people's dp's responses to names. I liked Sebastian for a boy - dp say 'NO WAY'. We've decided on Reuben and Amelia. dp especially likes Reuben. Only problem is the surname...Reuben+surname=name of boxer who could be seen as a legend or a murderer...

Gabriel is also on the shortlist (Gabe for short, so dp tells me)

Went for dinner with a friend who has 6 weeks to go last night. She's having a girl, so it was lovely buying a couple of tiny dresses...

LOL at LizLemon and baby name conversation - sounds very familiar.

Not bought anything for LO yet either - DP's family have offered to buy a "pram" for us, so we'll negotiate on who will buy which bits of a travel system, I think. And his SIL is going to dig out the family cot, and some bits and pieces. Generally totally overwhelmed with the choice of everything. Some friends say don't bother with something that another swears she couldn't have coped without. I guess we all find our own way.

I always think it's never too late to get something if you decide it's definitely necessary. so start with the bare minimum and see where you get to from there. you'll always somehow end up with more paraphernalia than you actually need!

Our name discussions are going round in circles and veer towards the ridiculous too. My boyfriend still thinks Siegfried is a super name and has finally found someone who agrees: my gay Zimbabwean neighbour. He totally rejects my very sound suggestions of Philip or Oliver but we can kind of agree on Conrad or Konrad for a boy.
Totally lost for girl's names though. I like Annika, and he's got no suggestions at all really. His last name, which is probably going to be the child's too, ends in -er, so 2 syllable names ending in -a are too rhyming. (think Rita Skeeter).

I haven't bought anything yet either though I was soo tempted by a little knitted coat in pink of all colours! I don't want anything pink really if I can avoid it but it was so old-fashioned and cute and cheap too as it was in a charity shop. Should have bought it, come to think of it now. I could always put it on Teddy if baby turns out to be a boy.

Sprinkleofstardust we found out then only told a few people I didn't tell anyone at work until right near the end. It was like having a little secret all to myself,as to be honest, pregnacy is a very public thing.

There was some chat about belly patting I didn'tget too much last time but one woman did it a lot and I patted her bum in response. She soon stopped. Not sure what it wll be like this time, We have a new member of staff and I think she will be a patter.

First day out in almost 4 months and me and Dh have bought a car!! Must be mad!

For bubs we've only got 2 little fluffy bunnies so far, think we'll wait until a bit later to get stuff as we now need to save!!

Hope everyones had a good day, it's been really sunny here - amazing for the Easter hols!