The rats are all going to be jolly well smacked, we are going to have lots of festive BFPs and possibly a mince pie (or three)

[Munkiii]

Welcome to all!

Grab a glittery tinsel wrapped ramekin, grab some mulled wine and join our very lucky thread.

whim I have no words, literally!

p.s. we have been invited to a cool party on NYE and so don;t have to spend it with friends and their screaming brats

Hoorah
p.s. I love screaming brats really, honest

Whim that could so easily be my boss. On hearing about the birth of a male colleagues baby, he ran into the lab shouting 'it's ok, she's had a c-section, so she is still tight'. No joke

Oooh, party sounds fun Far DH and I are old farts, we like staying in on NYE because we don't get better offers

Sounds like it's coming along nicely Whim sock 1 almost finished, then on to sock 2

Pop I am going to have a good look through those patterns. Because we are all going to be needing them shortly....

I am planning a festive baking weekend. I am making a hamper for my S&BIL for crimbo and am planning all the goodies I am going to put in it!

whim thats fantastic!

Omg whim :o

Chicken Door Stop?

Maybe!!!!!!

I am spending NYE with my parents, sister, BIL, niece and nephew. My mum, sister and I are each responsible for a course (it rotates each year) - we have the starter at lunchtime, the main course at around 5pm and pudding at about 9pm. My BIL makes canapes for breakfast and my dad is responsible for coffee and chocolates after midnight. When we're not eating we play games. It's my most favourite way to spend NYE!

OMG I LOVE that chicken door stop!!!! I'm going to make me one!!!!! even thought we don't have any doors which need to be stopped

That chicken is brilliant. I wonder if i could make it a bit more 'Angry Birds' (although then my boys would need one each to throw at each other).

What I particularly like, is that I was thinking as it uploaded 'I can't do a chicken, because I want it to be tasteful and grey and yellow to match my poncy stylish wallpaper' and low and behold, it IS grey and yellow.

imps [re-checks I have correct fairy-type person ] I love the sound of that NYE

That sounds like our NYE too Imps though mainly my Dad and I do the cooking. I wish this week would hurry up, then it's the week before Christmas wooooooohhhhhhoooooo [overly excited adult/child at Christmas emoticon]

Morning ladies. (I started writing this at 10am!)

My temp dropped a bit more this morning, but still above baseline. I did an internet cheapie test and got a BFN, which was fully expected so not very disappointing. I just wanted to do one, because usually I don't get a chance to before AF turns up. 11/12DPO, and if no AF today then it'll likely be tomorrow. I think I'll hold off testing again till the weekend.

I think our NYE will be at a party at friends house, though I might try and convince DH to stay in with me this year. He's much more social than I am though, so I can't see him wanting to stay home and cuddle. I like the sound of spending it with family, maybe I'll see what DH's parents are doing.

Smeg I hope you find a good acu. I got in touch with one here, but they never returned my call or email, so I'm going to leave it till the new year. Maybe also research one that'll be a little more responsive to potential customers!

Sweetie I'm glad you're feeling better today.

Bean good luck with your results, keeping fingers crossed for you, and brooking no argument all is good.

Olives I hope you're bursting with positivity today. Early nights always make me feel better, at least for a while the next morning. Usually wears off quick if I have to go into work though..

Munkiii yep, 11 or 12 DPO now (my temp went up over two days from a low point, which I think may have confused FF into thinking egg popped earlier than it did). Phone and FF say AF due tomorrow, so we'll see. I'm a little worried it'll turn up today, but no sign of it so far. Still feeling quite sick, but that could also be stress/worry.

Maybe It was so hard to leave the house this morning, windy, rainy and cold outside and I had to leave DH in bed still sleeping! Makes it so much harder to get out of bed when he just moves over and steals my pillow as soon as I'm gone.

Late lovely to hear from you, and glad things are going well.

Scarlett that sounds like a great way to secure a BFP. I wish I could convince my DH, but he'd never get a dog. However, we did make a deal that if I don't get pg next year I'm allowed a cuddly pet. I'm thinking guinea pigs :)

Whim nice to see you back, hope you've been busy in a good way. I think a sneaky NYE test sounds like a good idea.

Far I was thinking of either a carribean cruise or african safari. Right now somewhere warm sounds like luxury, it's cold and horrible here today.

Smegs Get your DH a new GP, I would! There are some people that you just don't want to be involved with. I hate know-it-all GPs who refuse to listen to their patients. Makes me annoyed just reading that!

Popcorn I've always just said "maybe some day", I hate being asked though, and try and change the subject as soon as possible. I'm wondering if the time has come to be honest with some people, like DH's parents. But they're such lovely people that they've never asked! Also loving the chicken door stop - I think there will soon be one in our house too :)

Ninja good luck with the scan. I'm sure you'll see a lovely comfy mini-ninja in there!

Imps love your responses to the dreaded question. You're far more confident and outgoing than I though! I'd get tongue tied if I tried to say any of them.

Biscuits I love iPhone typos, they always make me giggle.

Ooh what nice NY dos and chicken doorstops too (though angry birds is even better). I've been missing in action today...

Now - in the waiting room of the baby-making clinic, dear Brookers, I perused a 'fertility glossy' (if you will) and apparently we are all to floss like buggery as gum infections really hinder conception. So there you go.

Congrats to the grads and good scans etc. Great news.

My blood results were rather uninteresting. They confirmed that I am no longer a young beangrower, but a natural pg isn't out of the question either. My FSH is only slightly raised at 9.5 (they like it to be about 8 but that would be normal for up to 35) and my AMH (to to with ovarian reserve) is 9.5 (less than 6 means you are close to menopause so this figure does make me a bit uncomfortable). I was told I to "plan" if I really want another child and was offered fertility drugs (something similar to clomid but not clomid), IUI or IVF. But tbh the stats are so low on the latter - 6-15% success rate - that I think I'm in with a better chance trying naturally, with acupuncture and being super healthy.

Mrs W - acupuncturist - was v positive. Figures are fine as far as she's concerned and she seems certain I'll be updiffed sooner or later. I like her style.

Of course - we still need SA done to understand our combined odds.

I don't feel too bad but I think I need to keep working on the mindset that I have a beautiful DS, quickly conceived and born at home in perfect health and that just one DC means he gets our full attention and resources... This felt simply untrue in the past few months but it's beginning to have legs as DS is so gorgeous at the moment and I might miss out if I have a tiny baby to look after again. [realises that she isn't utterly convincing but give her the benefit of the doubt as she attempts to create a win-win]

A jug - sounds gorgeous! Perhaps I will just have a small zoo instead of lots of children. So far the Brookers have rabbits, dogs and Pop's miaow. Any other pets worth mentioning?

Ooh btw - re the BIG question. How about 'Kids? Us? Hmm. Hadn't thought about that. So tell me what's required?'

Boo to Stasi's BFN. But you just don't know...

Bean I have 2 cats and a snake... the snake is only little, and still not named though! I don't know if it's male or female so need to chose a nice gender in-specific name. I've had it since Sept already . I've put a picture of it on my profile, incase anyone is interested.

bean that's great news! Really positive, I can't imagine you could have asked for a better result (apart from a surprise pg of course).

I have chickens, too :o Didn't someone mention a snake at some point?

whimsy I've seen angry birds stuffed toys in GAME before, I wonder if you could cut a hole in the bottom and take out the stuffing and put in beans? :)

Imps that sounds like an amazing way to spend NYE, I think we might have to adopt that at some point. DH will be working this year, and tbh I'm not very good at staying up late (I tend to get rather, er, emotional the next day ) but generally we just stay home, eat takeaway, watch films all day (the extended LOR box set has been known to be broken out) and SWOI :o

stasi SIL had a hamster once that they called Leroy. A few weeks later it became apparent it was a female, so they just called it Lady Leroy :o

Ok, I've made the chicken. Shall i stuff it with:

a. Expensive Organic Basmati Rice (which I have in the house)

b. Cheapy rice from the smelly shop (which will require leaving the house. Brr)

c. Sand from nursery, which i won't get until home until 7

Answers on a postcard...

Hi everyone, hope you're all ok

bean glad results didn't find anything to worry about

maybe me & dp are in on NYE too due to no better offers

biscuits you reminded me of something my gp said on Monday. I told her how I probably ovulated late as only dtd cd9 & cd19 and think it was the CD19 one that I conceived on. Apparently, according to her, this is not the case, as people ovulate early, not late

whimsi I'd expect sand to leak from a loose seam (but then I am a very slap-dash seamstress). I'm also impatient, so I'd go for A :o

My spinning wheel's heeeeere, woo!

popcorn You have a spinning wheeeeeeeeel?!

That's so exciting.

I had thought I would bag up sand to put in. I had a bad experience in India with rice and mice and juggling balls. But think I will nip to shop for cheap rice.

Ta da.

Not sure what a snake of any gender should be called? Do you cuddle it Stasi? What do the cats say?

Thanks Pop but I'm afraid I may have made it sound better than it actually is. My AMH level suggests low fertility. You need over 15 to have satisfactory fertility so I am feeling a bit sad and still fear that all my efforts (acupuncuture, diet, yoga, no alcholol etc) may be in vain. However, I also appreciate that I just need one good quality egg to meet some decent sperm in the next 6 months and I might have got away with it (if the pg goes ok). I'm beginning to think I played my best dice with pg and birth of DS, but I also have to accept that a child in any other relationship would not have been fair to anyone involved so this is how it's worked out for me (and DP). But don't worry, I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet. Nor am I willing to gamble with IVF and spend DS's university fees.

Chickens sound good. That would be nice, a few cluckers round the place.

Oh bean, what a shame, but I am astonished by your fortitude and pragmatic attitude.

I'll send you a chicken if you like. Just as soon as FB uploads a picture of my new one I'm planning on showing you all. It's taking longer to upload than it did to make.

Been catching up on my lunch break Whims and Scarlet very funny storeys

Pets wise I have a Lhasa Apso, who is like a cuddly teddy bear. She has a few health issues (leading to her being blind) but she just carries on. She is very much a house dog and doesn't go far.

Bean I thought the results sounded positive, am sorry you are sad about them. I am not an expert but your FSH levels seem very reasonable, mine were 12.4. Under 10 is considered Good.

DH and I must be mad are spending NYE in London, 1st class train, flashy much spendy hotel, meal behind London eye. We have never done this before and probably will never do it again. Am loving the sounds of Imps event though.

So, chicken fanciers, I have completed the chicken popcorn linked to earlier. There's a photo on my profile. I'm so proud!

And if any of you would like one, PM me your home address and I'll pop one in the post to you, unstuffed as it were.

I have a HUGE cupboard of material, so if you have colour preferences, let me know and I'll see what I can do...

Wow - Whimsi - very good chicken-making there! Actually - I really want some live ones. Can you muster?! V V sweet of you to offer me one (unalive) - you sweety. I'll think about how to get my address to you but imagine you have plenty to do before Chrimbo so there's no rush.

Thanks Sweetie. Yes - it's a bit confusing. My FSH is quite good isn't it? I think the acupuncture is keeping it under control. Like I say I'm not ruling out a pregnancy, as long as DP's swimmers are up to it. But my AMH isn't great at all so I think it all has to happen pretty sharpish (and after a year of TTC I'm wondering if it is just game over). I have gathered lots of wonderful stories of pgs in people's 40s and so it may happen to me too. But in case it doesn't I want to try and be upbeat about one v lovely DC with a man I actually love and really enjoy life with. (Really enjoyed Far's post about thinking her DH is gorgeous - that's the way to get up the stick, it really is.)

Your little doglet sounds like a love, Sweetie - sorry she's losing her sight but being a dog she'll adapt quickly. Do you have to groom her much?

DS is a bit poorly. Every time DP goes away for work DS's immune system seems to suffer; I'm sure it's linked. Isn't that amazing? He misses his Daddy so much...