Are you on the wagon?

[largeginandtonic]

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Hope this is ok?

Nat -

Right, update from me...
Work - all fine. Day in London tomorrow representing my boss at a meeting for the East Division of Boots
Need to leave home about 7.15am and find the place off the Kings Rd.

ttc - I'm getting excited and looking forward to May but naturally worried that it'll take a while and possibility of another mc. On top of that though, I still haven't had a period yet. I know it is possible to get pg without having had one but obviously less likely. O is showing no sign of wanting to stop morning or bedtime feeds (usually one other as well) and I don't want to stop whilst he doesn't. I think I may be ovulating again as noticing more CM and variances in it.
I just really have a strong desire to be pg again!
(Maybe I'm just having a few days of those hormones Star was talking about!)

DS - is lovely (I know I'm biased!)
He's being v smiley and full of chuckles at the moment. He also took a few steps holding on to his walker at the wkend. I can't believe he was 10mo yesterday! Where has the time gone??!

The other big thing looming is that DH has had a head hunting company contact him about a job abroad again. He reckons there's only a 50% chance he'll get offerred it but if he does, he's v keen to take it. It's in Oman and would be for 2yrs.
Pros are that it's a job that DH would love to do and it would be a 6-fig salary tax free. It would set us up so that I wouldn't have to work and we could do our extension.
However, I'm not v keen on moving out there to a strange country where I have no friends or family. There is an option that O and I could stay here and DH come back 1 week out of every 8 but DH doesn't want to do that and miss out on O (and me?!)
If we all moved over there we'd get a place provided and I guess there would be others in a similar situation.
It also puts a different slant on ttc#2. If I were pg in a strange country; if we were still ttc; would I cope with 2DC with no support network, etc, etc
On the other hand, if this is something DH does want to do at some point, now would be the right time as in 2yrs, O still wouldn't have started school.
Loads of thoughts (as you can tell!) yet still only 50/50 as to anything coming of it!

Ooooh, big plans Ses! I think if I were you, I'd hate it but wait it out, if he get's offered the job, then maybe it is is one of those things that's meant to be. I'm not good at waiting things out obviously and nothing will stop you thinking about it and all of the maybe's and what if's etc. but there is no point making deffo plans until you know exactly what the options are. How long do you think it will be before he knows if he's been offered it or not?

FWIW, we've done the moving away from family and/or friends 3 times now, and as much as there are parts of me that would love to go back to having that support network, there is also a part of me that thinks if we hadn't have done it, we wouldn't be where we are now, I'd not be doing this course, we probably would have stopped at DS1 because there is so much pressure to get back to work and not stay home, and I have to admit, I don't think I could be arsed with the working while pregnant, maternity leave/going back to work etc. more than once!

DH is off up to bonny Scotland, after me finally dropping off at some point after 2.15, we were up at 3.30, DS1 and 3 are up, DS3 woke up as we were getting up, so brought him down, did him some toast and a bottle hoping he'd drop off again but no such luck, and then DS1 came down about 20 mins ago saying we were being too loud, don't know how, DH had gone, DS3 is happy chomping cold toast, and I was just sat here on the laptop.

Hey guess what though, got to page 200 in my book last night (feels like a milestone somehow, not sure why when there are still 100's and 100's to go....), and it's D day tomorrow! And you never know, she said it's sent on a 48 hour service and that she'd have posted it yesterday to arrive tomorrow, but we've sent stuff on a 48hr del and it be there the next day.... that'll be today BTW!! (Won't mention that if she posted it late yesterday that it won't be here till Saturday, no, I have faith in RM to have it rushed to me, if only to see the feather boa do it's work...

Ses- that does sound like big plans on work front. I'd say doing it now would 'get it done' as you say it'd bean you wouldn't have to work, you could finish the extension... it sounds like a great opportunity. I understand the complications around DC2... but you'd work something out i'm sure!!

Nat- good going on pg 200!! We'll get a honk if it arrives earlier than tomorrow you'll be so excited!!

Playing- massive congrats!!

DS's parents evening was amazing- my grin got bigger and bigger till my face was sore from grinning too much!!! He's doing fab- he's moved onto year 1 books, only one in the class!! He's already achieving higher than his peers on the curriculum!! I'm such a proud mummy- but at the same time really feel for the DD's he's set a very high benchmark for them now !! haha!!

Morning all!

Congratulations Playing! (I was Gyo a long time ago?) good to have you back!
Nat- hope you are ok with DH away. I confess to rather liking the solitude but sometimes its weird at night when I hear odd noises! LOL about the handcuffs?
Hurray for the book arriving.

Rugby- how are you today? Did you get a better night?

Star- that?s great news about the sleep. Sorry to hear that you were feeling poorly with stomach cramps though.

Cant- fab news for DS- what a star he is !!

Tink- thanks for the coat advice. I will probably try and do some ordering this weekend.

Ses- thanks for the kind comments about the parenting technique things. I am probably being oversensitive but still- you are right, its about what works for us.
Wow- what exciting potential plans. I can understand all your pros and cons etc. When will he find out?

Regarding periods and BFing. I?ve only had two and some very random stuff going on. Think when I dropped to just 2 feeds a day things kicked off and I?ve definitely ovulated twice for both of those-

Diege- so sorry to hear about the vomit house. Hope you are feeling ok and don?t get it.

Talking of vomit- when I went to get DD on Tuesday there was a sign on the door to say there was norovirus going around Since then I?ve been a coiled spring waiting for it to land. So far (touching every bit of wood I can find) DD hasn?t had it, and I haven?t but DH was feeling ill all day yesterday and sick in night so I suspect we are ticking time bombs. I am dreading the call from the nursery today as I really cant take any more time off?. I know it will end up being me to go and get her?.

The girls at the nursery say that parents bring the babies back before they are better and it keeps spreading. I really makes me cross- and it makes me not want to take the advised precautions (48hrs from last puke) when its our turn.

Right- off to keep my mind of nausea (I?ve got a fantastic mind for imagining these things!)

OOOOH- ses- i forgot to say- i'm one of those women who ovulated and fell PG before my 1st AF!! Thats how DD1 happened!! Very unexpected as i was also on the mini pill and still BF DS!! So it can happen, your right!!

Rioght i best dash and finish sorting the DC's for the school run, need to brush teeth, do DD1's hair, and get coats and shoes on within 25mins... much easier said than done when they are mid-picnic game!!

Can't, well done to DS! You've every right to be proud as punch

GBL, will keep fingers crossed that you and DD stay well, and that DH get's better soon. There are so many bugs and viruses going round this year, you'd think all of the freezing conditions would have killed a lot of them off, if anything it's seemed to make it worse.

DS3 slept for a couple of hours so hopefully he'll not be too bad today, poor DS1 has been awake since 4.30, and he didn't get to sleep till late, he's excited as well, his Club Penguin membership ran out last week, but he'd been a bit mouthy so I told him he had a week to improve his attitude before I bought a new membership, so he's been on almost best behaviour all week, and he knew I'd renew it today. Poor thing looks wiped out! Can't believe it is 8.30 and I've already done 5 hours, thought students were meant to be lazy buggers?

Hello,

very quick message to say that we have decided together to separate. We are both happy with our decision and we are still going to be good friends.

Hope everyone is well, stupidly busy though trying to sort everything out.

morning all,
hope everyone is ok.
NJ cant believe you have already been up 5 hours, how do you do it? Hope the delivery is on time, and you dont have to wait the extra day.
SES good opportunities there, when will you know if DH has been offered the opportunity?
alot to think about for you both.
PLAYING congratulations.
DIEGE hope the sickness has gone now, and that O and everyone else is well and not caught it.

nice day again here today, feeling all summery already with these nice days. think im off to the beach with DS let him have a run around.
no doubt he wont like the feel of the sand under his feet. (i say that because his first time on gravel/stones, and grass he was really wingey untill he realised he could actually still walk on it)
feel like hes deprived with no bucket and spade to take, but didnt realise beach weather would be so early on. so maybe try get him one in the next week. (by which time it will be rain/snow/storms haha)

sorry KYZ x posted, but weve spoke on FB anyway. but ill say it here too, glad you have decided whats for the best, and going to work best for you and the boys.

morning

cant - great news about parents evening

nat - you are doing well with book

kay - that is a shame glad u have both come to that decision

hi mm

ginger - thats ok

having a quiet day @ home today with bracken

dh hopefully findning out if people @ his work want cotbed they took it home to try and assemble havent heard yet
so badly want shoes for bracken plus cant find one of her cruising shoes now!!!

thoughts on what to do if bracken isnt a 3f on sat?

do i wait
buy them then she will grow into them

morning TINK
about the shoes, im sure if you was to buy them it wouldnt be long until she is in them would it?
i have a few pairs of shoes for DS to grow into.
hope its good news about the cotbed. (fingers crossed)

me too so desperate to get her shoe to go outsie in she walks everywhere and loves it

Morning!
I'm sat in Starbucks near Sloane Sq as arrived early for my meeting (phew!)

Kay - that is such a shame. I'm glad things sound amicable though. Take care, am thinking of you.

Nat - will try and lurk discreetly during my meeting incase of a HONK!

GBL - fingers crossed norovirus passes you by. I think you've had your fair share of illnesses.

Oman - they have his CV at the moment but don't know how long it will take. I'd be suprised on the one hand if anything comes of it but these opportunities seem to crop up every 6mo or so hence I feel I need to think it through.
Now would be the best time. I really don't want to go and live in the Middle East for 2yrs though! I don't want to stop DH taking a job he really wants though or be the barrier that stops him seeing O by refusing to move out there!!

Right gotta go!

Hello everyone else!

when DS started to take steps he was in proper shoes, and he loves walking everywhere to when he gets the chance.

she started walking about 3 weeks ago and has just taken off hasnt taken her long to stand up byherself from the ground etc is so confident she will be 14 mnths in less than a week.
she ahs clarks cruising shoes has had them since december
i got her feet measured a month ago was a 2f on one foot and a 2.5f on the other just praying she has gone up to a 3f. the clarks first walking shoes start @ a 3f

DS has been walking for 4.5 weeks now, and was taking steps 5 weeks before that, he was sloe on the getting up and going. but he got there on his own eventually. and now doesnt stop. DS has a 3f clarks, but there still a little big on him, altho was told he was a 3.5f but i dont see how when the 3f are big on him still. hes got 2 2.5 slippers, and shoes that fit him, but there not hard soled, so he cant wear them outside.
im sure soon enough she will be in the 3f

cheers mm - dont know where everyone else is today
i will just have to hang on in there and wait till sat morning will cross fingers

Thanks everyone. This thread is still as chatty and fast moving as ever!

Nat - it will be the prefect age gap .

Ok, so I'm know it will be hard and I was very surprised how quickly is happened but you know what, I do actually think 20 months will be a good gap.

Preganacy wise, DS still has 2 good naps a day which gives me some time rest which I'll need if I'm anything like as sick as before. DS is not walking yet and I don't spend all day chasing him around like a lunatic (which I know is only a matter of time) thank goodness for a lazy boy. By the time the back and PGP kicks in he should be walking which will help and it will be summer so we'll be able to spend lots of time in the garden providing easy entertainment that involves a min of walking.

Age gap wise. I was made redundant whilst on mat leave so I didn't have a job to go back to and there's nothing part time that pays enough around here at the moment. Therefore staying at home has just kinda happened. Which is good, I do love it but its financially tight, so long term I need to earn some money. Logically, it just makes sense to get on with DC2, the quicker I have s/he the quicker I can get into some kind of work and hopefully the recession might even be over by then so there might be more opportunities. Also, DS is the only beloved Grandchild on both sides and I really feel like he needs a sibling so he is not the centre of everyone's universe for too long! Plus he is such a sociable little fella that I know he would love having a playmate (normal sibling rivalry aside). I'm also still in full baby mode so I don't think it will be as much of a culture shock as if there were a large gap. DC2 will just have to fit in with DS1, no choice really!

Of course I have worries. I am worried about coping with DS and sickness, I am worried about PGP pain (especially with no car), I am worried about DC2 ending up in NICU like DS and I am worried about establishing BF as it didn't work with DS and I ended up expressing for 4 months which I know will not be an option this time. But whenever I get pg I will have to face those issues, so I might as well just face the fear head on!

Do you think I have talked myself into it yet

OK essay over.

GBL, I did guess it was you. Ignore what other people think. Its such a shame you have such a narrow minded NCT group, mine have been a brilliant source of support, infact our whole NCT branch is great so much so I have ended up on the committee somehow! You do what works for you, if its any consolation I too use cloth nappies (well I'm a bit lazy I tend to use a mixture), I do a lot of BLW, in fact now I hardly ever spoon fed, DS just wants to feed himself and I am certainly not a routine sort of person (I like patterns not fixed routines). I like my parenting to evolve naturally not have some kind of style impossed on it, but of course I am a huge advocat of simply doing what works for you.

Ses - that opportunity sounds scary and exciting. DH is always talking about doing something like that and if he really wanted to do it I would follow him to wherever he went. However, I'm not sure he ever really would when it came to crunch time. We live in a lovely part of the world to bring up kids, we have a good friend and family support network and feel part of the community. I don't think he would actually want to leave that behind no matter how tempting the financial reward.

I've written such a long post that I've now totally forgotten who else I was going to talk to and have probably x-posts with people anyhow, if I've missed you its not that I don't care. I think I'll stop rambling, go and get dressed and ready to take DS out to Small Talk. Catch up with you all later xxx

morning playing couldnt keep away

Hi all

Havent caught up but LOL at Playing
it's a slippery slope from here! haha we have got you back in our clutches...you wont escape this time

haha seriously though I think it will be a fantastic age gap! don't worry about when DS starts walking as I have found DS much easier since he has started walking! even more independent before. he will stand while I put the buggy up (ok sometimes he legs it ) he likes to just walk from room to room in the house and if I go in a different room he just follows me if I call him. you will be fine! and your DS will have a BF for life!

Right will catch up properly now...

Kayz, I am sorry that this is the way it has worked out, but agree with Ses, you sound like you're sure this is right, and I hope, in time, you'll all be a lot happier. Obviously we're all here if you ever need to talk/vent/scream. Will be thinking of you x

MMM, How do I do it? Not very well evidently, DS1 went off to school, I sat down and haven't moved You reminded me of the first time DS2 went on the sand (Blackpool) his face was a picture, he still even now can't stand in the sea, I think it's the sinking feeling he doesn't like because he's fine on the dry sand and in the sand box.

Tink, hope you hear about the cotbed soon. Re. the shoes, think I said yesterday, if I didn't I meant to, I'd still buy them, she'll grow into them no doubt about it! Or is there an option of getting them in the size she is?

Ses, they'll be no honking from me taverymuchly! Might be a very small understated post with a few thousand smilies dotted here and there, but I'm sure it won't be OTT or honk inducing! (I will be very pleased to see the postman, but not that pleased that it'll lead to a honk! ) Hope the meeting doesn't drag on too long, must be difficult trying to concentrate on much with all of this going on in your mind.

Playing, I think the age gap thing is really over played, there is nearly 5 years between DS1 and 2, and 2 years between DS2 and 3, and they both have their own good and bad points, in fact most of what you listed makes sense the other way round as well, "I'm still in baby mode" can just as easily become "I couldn't cope with two in nappies", DYKWIM? Two closer together is hard work, especially in the very early days, but it soon settles, and you have to realise that people cope with 2/3/4+ babies at once, if that's doable, then a small age gap is wussy stuff I honestly couldn't choose between whether a smaller or larger age gap is 'best', I would say I am glad that I didn't have all three close together, but only for my work load sake! All three of them get fantastically, there's never been any jealousy, rivalry, or even any arguinging really, the very odd "No that's mine, get off" but certainly nothing like what I've heard from other people, at least not yet anyway!

Morning Gruff

Morning Nat - LOL at no honking hope you don't have to wait too much longer for your stuff to be delivered!

Kayz - I hope you're ok, sounds like you are doing what is best though. You tried to make it work. sometimes the best thing you can do is walk away. if you are both happier apart this will be better for the boys you are right. great that you are going to stay friends xxx

SES - I know someone my age (no kids and not married though) who lives in Oman and seems to like it.has lived there for years. have you thought about posting on MN somewhere?? maybe Chat ask if there are any parents/mums to be in Oman ??

Cant - great on the good parents evening! Im sure DD1 will just see DS1 as a good role model and strive to be like him. thats what I am like wih my clever older sister (she went to Oxford uni etc)

Tink - shoes sound like a dilemma...I was advised to have feet GC's feet measured every 6 weeks I think (have to check that) I think the letter bit can still grow ie she could be a 3g as opposed to 3f. If you want to buy them though you could always sell them on ebay if they didn't fir. can you ask clarks people. they are more likely to know and will give you good advice Im sure. I found our sales person really helpful, he was the manager though.

GC awake better go...hi to those Ive missed

well i got me and DS ready to go to the beach, and before i even got my coat on DS was fast asleep in his pram, so im waiting for a bit, but not too long as i dont wanna get too comfy and have a lazy day and stay in like yesterday lol. nice weather so i cant have 2 days stuck in doing nothin.

Cor I wish it would warm up a bit, the sun is shining for all it's worth and it is still so bloody cold out there, only nipped to the freezer in the garage to get some bread out, am shivering still!

Spoke to my mum before and she said it's quite cloudy and dull down south so shouldn't moan too much I s'pose, at least it looks nice out there!

Am also itching to try the new car out, but I am shattered, the car seats aren't in it and I can't be bothered sorting them, and not sure it's a good idea to drive a different car, while shattered, with kids in, on my own, want to try it on my own first. And of course, if I was to go out, you can be sure that'll be when the stuff arrives... even though I am kidding myself it will come today.

Just done DS1's Club Penguin membership thing, so that's one happy bunny for later! At least I might have some peace, he's not stopped banging on about it all week. And I got him to eat sweetcorn All for the sake of a Penguin!