Due in September 2009: we are now officially blooming!

[StealthPolarBear]

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

Haven't even started thinking about names.

This bubs will live in hand me downs from older siblings.

As for Maternity leave I am going to book this years annual leave for August (all of it) then take mat leave from Sept 1st. I will tell work I am taking the full 12 months which leaves me the option to return after 9 if I need to. Luckily I work evenings/weekends so don't need to shell out for childcare, I dread to think how much it would cost for nursery and after school care for 3 kids!

Ooo I love thinking about names, I have been mulling it over since my bfp ! We have only got one girls name we agree on and two boys names in consideration, I am happy with them, plenty of time for more to crop up too though. Dp chose ds's name which I was fine about, as I love it too.

I don't have many baby clothes left from ds as I got rid of most of them as he grew I kept all the special things and presents, so mostly need to stock up on babygros and vests for the first few months.

I was very anti pink/blue before, but tbh if I am having a girl I think I will be buying some pink bits! Not everything mind, and I expect most things will be more girly/feminine than pink all the time but it would be nice to get some little dresses and things. I would have no qualms about putting her in ds's old things too, I'm not going to waste good clothes because they are the 'wrong' colour!

I hope everyone is well and enjoying the bank holiday weekend. I am getting 5 mins peace after a morning of baking and cleaning, ds is asleep and there is no mess or washing for once Its lovely!

Ah, bigbang, enjoy your moments of peace.

Quiet here on weekends! Does that mean you're all just mumsnetting on your employers' time? Mind you, I'm at work now too, but since I'm self-employed I figure I can waste my time whichever way I like.
I have no real plan for the bookshop yet. The ideal solution would be to find at least two more booksellers to take a share in the shop, so that I would have to pay a quarter of the rent, get a quarter of the shelf-space (I see big "almost everything must go" sales coming up), and would only have to spend a day or two at the shop. That should be manageable, and for the really early days I could pay someone to take over my hours.

Going back to work wednesday...been off since 26th Jan - wonder if I'll remember how to use the computers?! When we took the car out yesterday for a test drive, I had a few seconds where I completely forgot how to drive, and it was an automatic ! I blame the preg hormones!

Happy Easter All

aarrgghhh baby names, am really struggling with names this time round. Have about 4/5 names for a girl that i quite like and 2 at a push for a boy. None of them are particularly jumping out saying choose me though. All the names i really like are names of friends of ours or the dc's and i think it would be too confusing to have a sibling with the same name as close friend. With ds & dd we had the names ready for the 20wk scan, so once we knew the sex they then became J or E for the rest of the pg. This time i think i might wait til after the scan before choosing so that i only have to concentrate on 1 gender! 2 weeks and 1 day till our scan, will be 20wks exactly.

Had a busy few days as it was dd's 2nd birthday on Friday and we had 37 people in the house at various points of the afternoon. I spent Thursday baking cookies, profiteroles and a white choc cheesecake. Spent most of yesterday cleaning up the mess!

HAPPY EASTER!

Cannot believe that it is still sunny, its like a summers day here, not a cloud in the sky!

Hats off to you April! I've only just managed to cook for myself, 37 people would have brought me out in a rash!! Hope you get a chance to put your feet up a bit now

Momentous (sp?!) happenings here, definately feeling bubs moving now which is brilliant! Its like little squirmings! My pg book says bubs should be around 5 - 5.75'' or thereabouts, I thought that was quite small until I looked a measuring tape, so no wonder I can feel it! . 18 weeks today, and 12 days til scan!

Hope everyone has a lovely day x

Happy Easter everyone bsmile] - got my parents staying for the weekend so that's taking a load off for me - dd just ignores me and goes running to Grandma for everything so it's great!!!

Is anyone else massive by the evening?!?!?!
My bump is just a flabby belly when I get up in the morning, but it definately gets bigger as the day goes on! By tea time I've got a huge firm bump that looks like I'm a good 6months pregnant!! Think 2moz I'll measure in the morning and the evening to see the difference - it really is quite unbelievable! My parents arrived late yesterday and we're convinced I'm having twins - then this morning they can't believe the difference - Dad say's you can't even really tell I'm pregnant!!
Anyone else like this???..........

Same here FairySparkles! Its like jumping straight to 7 months!

laughed so much at the idea of patting someone's bum when they pat your belly uninvited...

I went shopping yesterday for some clothes that actually fit. Went to the massive flagship Gap on Oxford St looking for jeans and again nothing above a size 8. I ended up speaking to someone who was quite helpful, and looked up the ones I wanted to find there are none anywhere in a 14 or a 16 (I don't know what I am), but she did give me a customer order phone number, as well as the item number of the jeans so I'll try calling them on Tuesday.

I think I'm feeling movements but to echo fairysparkles, by the end of the day I'm bloated and farting for Britain still, so I'm confused - no prior experience to tell the difference sadly

Happy Easter everyone
Where do you live daffodilly? Just wondering, cos it's so miserable here. Raining and overcast. We went to Legoland on Friday. It rained all day, but we refused to let it spoil our day

Liz - you probably are feeling movements. I don't think you're imagining it. Mine are more noticable in the evenings.

Fairy - yes my bump is much bigger in the evenings. Haven't measured the difference but might on TPT(am and pm).

I had to give myself a stern talking to yesterday. I had a bad night's sleep and started to think negative thoughts about all the sleepless nights ahead. Typical! Waited so long for this lo to come along and then start thinking negative thoughts. Ds was a terrible sleeper but he is an angel now. Dh said he'd rather go through that again and have a dc as lovely as ds than a perfect baby who turns into a horror child I suppose we can't have it all our way.

Living in Swansea Ladylush (or if I was being really posh I'd say on the edge of Gower!)

Lizlemon I've got no experience of movements either, but have spent the last week trying to decide between normal bloating/wind and the only thing I can say is that it really is like a little squirmy feeling, heavier than just wind! Kind of like a 5'' tadpole I guess!

ladylush, part of my reason to have dc number two now is to get the sleepless nights out of the way!! ds is two now and sleeps like a dream (mostly) but it took a long time to get that way.
definitely been feeling movements for a while now. they started off gurgly like, but now get the occassional kick. they say its easier to feel second time round. i'd trust your intution that your feeling the baby and not just gas! they will slowly get stronger over a couple of weeks turning into lovely kicks i reckon...

okay, off to meet dh and ds at playground after my afternoon nap

Hello ladies hope you have all had a lovely easter. We have been at my mums all weekend so been lovely and relaxing as our DD is the same and i become obsoleate (sp) when grandma is around.

I have done the baby gender predictor so just waitimng for the results now, more interested to see if it is actually right come september than whether they say boy or girl.

We really cant decide/agree on any names. DD is Isabelle Sophie so ideally something that sounds nice with that We quite like naomi for a girl but im not that excited by it. DD (2) wants a boy baby called Alistair, but me and dh cant agree on any boys names.

I now have a whole new wardrobe of maternity clothes and its lovely although DH has already warned me it better last and im not allowed to buy much more lol.

On the buying front, we have bought a lovely outfit for bubble to come home from hospital in, but really aren't getting many more clothes and will buy the pram when we get the health in pregnancy grant.

I did the chinese predictor thing and that says I am having a boy. However we shall see in May at the scan. I'm still open to both possibilities and DH is convinced it will be a girl

this one
or here

It is right for DD, and to be cynical it will be right 50% of the time. I work with lots of women maybe I'll take it in to see what they think.

Hope everyone had a good day with lots of chocolate

Hi everyone

I haven't eaten all that much chocolate today but did manage a humungernormous fry up at my Mum's this morning We've been at Mum's for the weekend and the weather was glorious, she lives in Blackpool so we went to the beach and did the whole sand/sea/icecream/donkey/tram thing.

Not sure if I've felt movements or not, I sometimes wonder if I have and then decide it must be wind.

Glad to hear that many of you are starting to feel movement - I'm really looking forward to that. I'm due toward the end of Sept and a first timer, so shouldn't be too impatient.

I was thinking of asking if anyone else felt they got bigger during the course of the day. Was thinking it was just me.

It's been gorgeous up here in the north-east today, too. Pleased to have managed a wander along to the beach in between bouts of decorating the bathroom. The end is in sight - it was orange and peach with a sand coloured suite , but that's all gone now and the end is in sight.

DP's SIL's family have just offered us a load of baby stuff - her nephew is about 6 months old now, so has grown out of a few things. Does anyone know if we need to get new mattresses for a moses basket, or is that just for cots?

minshu, it's recommendedto get new mattresses for any bed for new baby, but i know a lot who don't bother. i think it's to do with mold and bacteria.
i don't know if i'd be that cautious though. if you know the mattress is clean and has been used with a protector (and smoke free home etc), i would probably use it. but us second time mums are generally a bit slack!

the chinese predictor says i'm having a boy. other "old wives tales" type predictors tend to fall in favour of girl. who knows!! will find out hopefully in 1 week though - yay

The first Chinese predictor predicts a girl, the other a boy. Spooky, one must be right!

My brother is the only one to have expressed a preference - he would rather have a niece. He is also the first one to have bought me a baby present, a black hoody with an apple mac logo from California. So if it is a girl it will definitely be a cool chick.

Well another lovely sunny day here - sorry to hear not everyone's had lush weather this weekend! We too were at the beach yesterday and feeling much like we were on holiday!!!

Minshu - you shouldn't need a new mattress for the moses basket if its only 6 months old - if it's been in someone's loft for a few years then yes, but I wouldn't bother in your case - especially if you know where its come from and not just bought it second hand! Check with SIL if her baby threw up in it or wet the mattress, might want a new one then?!
........ but like audrey said - us second timers are definately a lot more slack!! I've just bought a second hand crib off ebay for this little bean, and got second hand buggy!!

Ooooo - just done the predictor's - both said girl!! Convinced it's a boy tho

That hoodie sounds so cute, Thusnelda.

Predictors give me a girl, which pleases dh. I have no instinct either way atm.

Afternoon all - hope everyone's enjoying the Easter break.

I've been poorly this week with a horrible cold virus that made me sick AGAIN! Just adds insult to injury

Nothing much new to report here - still chugging along...feeling some defininte kicks now, but they're still quite sporadic. The MW did say she thought my placenta was at the front because she struggled to find baby's heartbeat, and thinks it was being muffled by the placenta...guess that would explain why I'm not feeling every tiny kick at the moment. Will double check at the scan on the 30th.

Just had the most unpleasant experience - went and bought some lovely organic poppy and sunflower seed bread from Sainsbury's on Saturday. Just made myself some toast with jam and was sat munching away happily thinking "this is a bit fusty - must be the sinflower seeds" when...you guessed it - I looked down at the remaining slice on my plate to discover it THICK with mould. Errrr - was disgusted, but haven't been sick, althought think in many respects I'd actually rather be sick! I'm such a drama queen - DH just said "you'll be fine - stop bleating" which helped

Anyone else had similar gross experiences this pregnancy?

Thanks for the mattress advice - will ask for the service history (as tactfully as possible, obviously). Being a first timer, I'm bound to be a bit of a fuss-pot but will try to heed your advice and restrain myself.

Trixie - that sounds gross. Nothing like that during the pregnancy, but sounds familiar from experiences with elderly relatives about how the cake that's been in the tin is still perfectly edible. The green and blue bits are just coloured sugar.

Tried a couple of the online gender predictors - nothing definitive. One said 53% boy and the other 60% girl. Still think it's a boy, but hoping to find out on 28th.