We are all jolly well going to smack the rat this month and grow a baby and we'll brook no argument. And probably eat some cake too.

[Imps7]

Ladies....begin.

Stasi I too have thought about adoption from quite a young age, before even marriage. DH & I have talked about it on numerous occasions and more so now because I do feel now that if clomid doesn't work for us then we would need to decide whether we want to go down the route of IUI or IVF at our own expense, still not entirely sure we want to go down those routes or whether we start to seriously think about adoption. I think our consultant said they will put us on clomid for 6 months so I guess it's a decision we make then. I have an older cousin who adopted an 8 month old baby about 3 years ago, I would love to have a chat about it with her, I never did at the time, but I know it was a gruelling time for them.

Thanks Bean I don't want to sound ungrateful but in work looking young does me no favours. Several times I have turned up at meetings with a graduate colleague and the client has assumed the colleague is in charge of the project rather than me!

Generic I hope you don't mind but I am feeling quietly confident for you, I would agree with Imps and say save your fiver, roll on wednesday!

Stasi I have not read any of those books but I have heard of Zita West, a lot of people seeam to rave about her and I have visited Marilyn Glenville's website a few times which has a lot of information on there.

Just a quickie - try to find an acu practice with fertility experience. I go to someone who was trained in China and treated a lot of women and couples with a lot of success and good stories. Try to go every week and remember it's benefiting u in many ways (unlike meds which can have risks attached - I'm thinking of IVF...)

Cor blimey, you rat smackers talk a lot!

So sorry to hear about beastly AF Stasi and Smegs.

Imps, so sorry to hear about you not being made redundant (what an odd thing to say!). Hope the other job opportunity comes to fruition :)

maybe, sorry about your experiment. How rubbish.

Far - I've probably missed you now, but hope you have a wonderful, SWI-filled holiday! Look forward to hearing all about it on your return :)

Enjoying the christmas cake discussion! I'm not a fan of christmas cake, nor is DH, so we won't be partaking in any.. I have, however, just bought a huge christmas tree tin, and will make a 'Christmas' cake in that (i.e. a Christmassy cake, rather than a traditional one). Hoping it can become a family tradition one day.. my last attempt at one was a gingerbread house a couple of years ago that sadly collapsed, despite my best attempt at propping it up with chocolate fingers...

ohhhh Zita West is supposed to be very good and she has a book. Im umming and ahhhing over whether to buy it. I bought one on alternative therapies a little while ago and haven't really got into yet but that has a lot about meditation and accupuncture. The lady I saw last night explained how the relaxation stuff helps you to get pg, something to do with the adrenal glad that is on the ovaries

Just dropping in to say hello, sorry I am behind with all the news.

Love to you all, looking forward to being back soon! Hopefully next week x

Hi everyone

Ok, well I'm not as poorly as I'm making out anymore, but I was knocked sideways yesterday with my first ever migraine. I seriously have never felt so ill.
Anyway, so CD16 here and some more spotting. Had some on CD13 & 14 too. Not sure if af coming, ovulation or what. We haven't SWI since CD9 though cos of all the illness, so I'm just chalking this month up as a lost cause and thinking to next month now.

Sorry for not having messages for everyone, I really want to but it's hard to catch up!

scrambled so sorry af got you. I know how gutting it is to have such short cycles.

stasi really sorry she got you too x

munk I hope you are ok, thanks for popping in. Big love to you xx

And finally. Everyone who has already taken their photos down (generic, imps, solars I'm looking at you), put them back!!! It's not my fault I was too ill to come on and look!

Hello everyone
I'm back from my conference. Had a lovely time, and feel like my research is just starting to garner interest. Clearly this would mean it would be poor timing for a pregnancy, and therefore I am guaranteed this month?

I've enjoyed looking at your photos! Although some I don't seem able to open which is making me very cross.

I will put one up of me, last weekend in my 8 year old wedding dress (if there was smug face, I would totally have one. I've put on and lost 4 stone with each pregnancy!)

I really admire anyone who adopts, or is thinking about it. In my heart of hearts, I'm just not sure I'm a strong enough person to deal with a drawn out, invasive and emotionally gruelling adoption process, never mind the baggage some kids sadly come with :(

Like bean, my closet's a bit cobwebby - not to mention DH's family is a load of nutters - so I expect it would be a rather unpleasant experience all round :o

little I highly recommend Migralieve - you take a pink tablet when the migraine first appears and it has some anti-nausea drug in it (godsend!). Then you take migralieve yellow (or own-brand cocodamol, which is all the yellows are) over the next 24 hours. It's really good stuff, if a bit pricey.

I bought Zita West's Guide to Getting Pregnant last week, as coincidence would have it. Can't tell you if it's any good yet, but it's the weight of a small child :o

I am dying to knit this , though I have too much other stuff to do for work and will never finish it.....

Morning all!

Popcorn that is so cute I am knitting these at the mo:

www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-yoke-baby-cardi and

www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-sisters-dress-kjole-til-lillesster

I love knitting!

Glad the conference went well Whim

How you feeling now Little? I have only ever had a migraine once, and it was horrific

Lots of love Munk can't wait to have you back x

www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-yoke-baby-cardi and

www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-sisters-dress-kjole-til-lillesster

thats better

Lovely, maybe! Kids knits are so fun, they are like instant gratification! I am knitting socks and mittens at the moment, and crocheting some placemats too I'm great at starting stuff but not so great at finishing it :)

Really mega cheesed off this morning. Weight Watchers has re-jigged its points system and now I only get 26 a day instead of 29 . Annoyingly they've made the changes today when my weightwatchers week runs Wendesday-Tuesday, so it's fudged my points allowance up for the week

Morning ladies think I have been struck down with the brookers lurgy which has been going around this thread. I about to go back to my sick bed to try get better as parents are having a celebratory chinese meal for their 40th wedding anniversary this evening.

Glad the conference went well whims obviously the new academic blouse worked wonders and you look lovely in your wedding dress, it seems quite roomy!!

Hope everyone else is doing well and enjoying their weekends. Bye for now.

Morning brookers!

Whimsical welcome back! Where are you up to in your cycle?

Sweetie hope you feel better for tonight

I'm off to work to finish my new uni assignment. I'm hoping to get it done in a few hours so I can spend the rest of the day shopping

Popcorn am thinking of getting the Zita book too. I'll await your review!

Have a nice Saturday everyone

Morning all

good luck with your assignment cupcake. I always worked better if I had something fun to do afterwards :)

Little you have my sympathy with the migraine, I've been getting a few a year since I was 21, they are completely debilitating and very scary. Would second having migraleve with you but the one thing I will say is that for it to work I think you have to recognise the signs that you are getting one. I'm rubbish at that bit, my vision has to go before I realise but I am starting to understand a bit.

popcorn surely if you are now allowed less points it means you have lost lots of weight? That's a really good thing! Although saying that it's been a long time since I've done weight watchers so I may be wrong but 26 seems way to mean. I think it should stay 29 for you

musical I did chuckle at the chocolate finger/ginger house construction I'm not brilliant at cooking, nor am I very creative so I never attempt anything like Christmas cake although I'd love to be able to. Maybe next year when I'm at home on maternity leave

Well, I'm pleased to say I feel loads better. I had a migraine last night too which rumble on into this morning but it has finally gone off and I've been to the supermarket and purchased £95 of very healthy food to get this new healthy living malarky properly underway so wish me luck! Have a nice weekend everyone xx

Afternoon ladies,

Well I've just come back from town, don't normally go into town especially on a saturday hate busyiness but had a few errands to run, so was up early while it was quiet, don't know what it's like where you all are but the sun has decided to come out here making it quite pleasant :)

I really am envious of you Maybe & Popcorn with all your knitting skills, I did a little when I was much younger, do you think it would be easy to pick up again? You tube, is that the best place to learn?

Whim sounds like timing couldn't be worse for you and lovely photo by the way!

Hey Munkii hope you're ok, look forward to having you back very soon x

Sweetie hope you feel up to your party later, 40 years, wow!

Cupcake hope you get your assignment finished and get some shopping time in.

Glad you're feeling better Little as that migraine doesn't sound like much fun and I have everything crossed for you, hoping it is implantation?? Just for you I'll put my photos back up, but only until tonight.

Waves at Musical and everyone else.

Thanks for sharing the photos again solars, you look beautiful in them.

And whimsical that wedding dress actually looks big on you!

popcorn i've bought some migralieve in case it happens again. I actually feel quite scared about it, it was that awful.

Hope you get your assignment finished cupcakes

And glad you're ok today raspberry.

Have a good afternoon everyone x

Sorry you have been feeling rough too Raspberry well done on the healthy shop though

Hope the assignment is going well Cupcake

Solars I pretty much taught myself, my friend reminded me of the basics, but the rest I learnt off of youtube and www.knittinghelp.com. Oh, and a brilliant site for all thing knit/crochet related is www.ravelry.com. Totally free, and lots of patterns and help.

I am currently wrapped up in a blanket whilst DH is doing the housework. Haven't heard him in 20 mins though, have a funny feeling he has fallen asleep somewhere

Loving the photos ladies, Solars you're beautiful :)

Sorry to hear about the sick people and migranes.

Hope you finished your work and bought some nice things cupcakes

We've had a lazy day here, just bought the final Harry Potter dvd, so we watched Deathly Hallows part 1 this afternoon, and will watch part 2 this evening. Obviously we have already seen it at the cinema, but we do like Harry Potter

I've also booked myself a trip to england in a couple of weeks time - I've a few things to sort out and I need to do some shopping and then I'm going to have a couple days at my brothers with my 3 gorgeous small nieces.

Howya brookers! How's tricks? So...DH's appointment has finally rolled round. Monday it is. Brooking for an easy and reversible problem so we can get on the ttc horse again.
What's the news? Who is up the duffer?

Hello faith I took your advice and am very happily settled in over here! Good news re your DH's appt. fingers crossed.

Cupcakes I think I'm up to day 16. I've been religiously peeing on ovulating sticks, but have yet to detect a surge. Saying that, I keep forgetting not to drink or drink more or not pee for a few hours or pee whilst drinking backwards from a cup or throw salt over my shoulder or whatever it is you're meant to do.

I've also just done one that's not showing any result either way, so wondering quite what's going on there.

I've always rather suspected that I ovulate late in my cycle as we tend to start with gay enthusiasm, that rather wanes as the month progresses. I was very disheartened last month, which we set about dtd every other day, but had totally gone off the idea by day 20.

sweetie and LF The dress has always been roomy in the boob dept. It's the waist that lets me down. I actually had to stick it to my chest on the day with tit tape so I didn't gape.

Lovely knitting as well, by the way possibly. I'm a sock and three quarters through a pair of socks at the mo.

I'm desparate for a small lacy shawl pattern that I can knit with one or two skeins of noro sock wool (impulse purchase) if anyone has any suggestions. Can cope with pretty challenging. Want a triangular scarflet that will sit with the point at the front of my neck, and the ends wrapped across the back and back round to the front, if that makes any sense.

popcorn is it you that said you work for a knitting mag? I have total job envy!

Woohoo, Faith's here! Glad your dh's appointment is finally here. Brooking hard for a good outcome for you both. And in answer to your question, err, obviously we're all up the duffer. Just not got a bloody pee stick to agree yet.

Solars I agree with the youtube suggestion, and ravelry is amazing. If you want to learn in-person, you could call you local yarn shop (some John Lewis, too) and see if they do classes.

Good luck Mr Little, brooking hard!

Yes whimsy that's me, though I think I'll be looking for a new job in the Spring, sadly. Let's just say you do it for the love, not the financial rewards!

I have a crosshair on FF! At last! Though I'm still pooping myself AF will come as normal on Tuesday??