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Conception

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Fireworks, bonfires and long winters' eves will herald the Rat Smacketeers' BFPs this month and we are Brooking No Argument!

944 replies

Shrieklette · 27/10/2012 11:32

Welcome to our new humble abode for the next six weeks or so, Brookers!

Here's hoping this fred will be as lucky as sparks' and scarlett's [hgrin]

OP posts:
WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 14:56

That is a great name Geek & Keep well done!

Right anyone for spanish hot chocolate?

SantasLittleControlGeek · 29/11/2012 14:58

whohoo keep fab new name, and check out those pins!!!

solstice what's a spanish hot chocolate?

WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 15:00

It's just plain hot chocolate but it's a lot thicker!

keepJinglingThoseBells · 29/11/2012 15:01

Nope,

BeedlesPineNeedles · 29/11/2012 15:01

I think you're lovely too geek, and I'd have tea with you when we're both yummy mummies (if I wasn't so far away). and I like the new name and keeps too

WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 15:01

Have I missed your Pagan festive plans by the way Geek? I kinda skim read the pages full of smileys!

SantasLittleControlGeek · 29/11/2012 15:01

ooh yes please then solstice, I love a good thick hot chocolate so strong you can stand a spoon up in it (quite literally!) Brew Grin

WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 15:05

coming right up Geek Brew

Waves to Olives & Cups too!!

SantasLittleControlGeek · 29/11/2012 15:13

thank you beedle and keep you are both so sweet, and I will be very happy to have virtual coffees any time with you, mat leave or not! Can't wait for us to have synchronised mat leave though, that would be such a brooking coup - the second tripe whammy girls!

solstice no, I've not posted about my pagan plans yet, I'll try to do that this evening as I'll probably have fewer interruptions at home than here.

cartoonface · 29/11/2012 15:59

its Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

GreenOlives · 29/11/2012 16:03

Shock I am quite organised with money but that is a whole new level - im in awe geek! Good on you!
I know my TTC planning was really not good for Xmas off work was it?? Hmm And Id like to point out that in real life helpful people have pointed that fact out to me - and I managed to compose myself well enough to not kill them Grin The current favourite is people asking why I "left it so long" before having DC2! Still telling them about the 2 miscarriages, 1 ectopic and 1 CP tends to make them shut up quick smart and maybe think twice before they open their mouths next time Grin

keepJinglingThoseBells · 29/11/2012 16:20

Good on you olives saying something! Hope you know we were joking...

Hi face how are wedding plans? Look forward to having you TTC with us v shortly!

Night all

WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 16:23

Face how are the wedding plans now? It's pretty soon right? Are you now allowed to start ttc now too?

Olives that sounds like a new thread title to me, in a similar vain to Sparke's what not to say to someone who's taken a while to get pg!

cartoonface · 29/11/2012 16:26

wedding plans going well, pretty much all ready actually. seating plan pretty much done, i just need to type up my wishing tree poem, make a post box and sort out putting my ceremony music on to cd.
i shall be ovulating around the time of the wedding so we are going for that. the count down is on im really excited (is that weird!)
hmmm need to think of a new xmas name.

cartoonface · 29/11/2012 16:28

yup the weddings 22nd dec.
sorry everyone i sorta skimmed back but took absolutly nothing in Blush

MissLToeishavingsantasbabyboo · 29/11/2012 17:28

Hey Geek I will have a tea/non alcoholic cocktail/really thick hot chocolate any time :) and big well done on the weight loss!

Face good to see you, now get changed into your Christmas costume ....... go on! Grin

I feel like an actual human today, finally back at the gym after 2 weeks off, and Mr boo might just let me have my tree up this weekend Grin

GreenOlives · 29/11/2012 17:52

Of course keep I could never be offended by fellow brookers - we all know the heartache that lies behind the TTC process! Xx

SweetieSnowball · 29/11/2012 18:53

Evening brookers,

face lovelly to see you, and not long until the big day. It will fly by, so exciting.

olives nice to see you too, and try not to over do it at work. I can only imagine how tired you are these days.

keep loving the festive name, suits you Mrs and geek like yours too I was missing the geekiness of the FFS nn.

Am back from our appointment, it has been a grueller, how can I be so tired? Anyway we are on the list for matching with a donor. They were worried about my short light AFs so I have to do a mock cycle to make sure I respond to the drugs to thicken my womb lining ready for transfer. We both had all our physical characteristics listed and ranked to determine how important these are matched for us.

The only question is what to do about having a dedicated donor so we get all the eggs produced or sharing the eggs either between us and another couple or us and the donor going through IVF themselves. if we share it is unlikely we will get enough to freeze any additional embryos, but could have 2 embies put back with the chance of twins. If we want a chance of a genetic match sibling, at a later date, we would need to use a dedicated donor. The cost is double for a dedicated donor and of course there is a very real risk it couldnt work at all so I am just not sure what to do. Come on ladies what are your thoughts?

SantasLittleControlGeek · 29/11/2012 18:58

Ladies I am so impressed, in the last three days we have managed to double the number of posts on this thread! Go us Grin

Ok, so as promised, here is how to Have A Very Merry Pagan Christmas Geek-style.

Pagans celebrate eight festivals a year, arranged in what is known as 'the wheel of the year'. These fall at approximately equal intervals, about 6 weeks apart, the biggest of which is Samhain, 31st October (aka Hallowe'en to the rest of the world). Then there are just six weeks to go until Yule, which lands on 21st December.

What is Yule all about? It is no coincidence that Yule lands on the shortest day of the year. It is all about celebrating the end of winter's rule and the inevitable turning of the year towards spring. Pagan mythology tells us that this is the time of year that the Moon Goddess gives birth to the Sun God's son, who will in a few short months become the Sun God himself, impregnate her with his own son, and the cycle continues.

Celebration therefore revolves around the rebirth of light, warmth and hope.

We celebrate by decorating the house in 'natural' ways - think victoriana: pine boughs, holly sprigs, ivy trails etc. We also have a 'forest' rather than a christmas tree - three trees we have 'gained' over the years, that tend to look better together than individually. These are decorated in the normal way - tinsel, lights, baubels, but topped with a star or a moon.

Aware that we are not out of the woods yet, we make bird feeders and decorate local trees with them. We pamper our pets because we don't have any farm animals - traditionally, the animals would have been well fed at this time as even though the nights will start to get shorter, the worst of the weather is usually still ahead of us. We stock our own larders/cupboards/freezers, and bulk-make food that can be kept for when we are having lazy days, or for when certain foods are out of season. Sprouts and leeks are our favourite for this, as we enjoy eating them throughout the year.

On the 21st itself we have a lovely meal with the best quality ingredients we can get/afford, with an eye to high quality animal welfare and environmental policies so that we are helping to sustain the earth as the wheel turns. Real ale, or better still homebrew, is an absolute must! Each year I like to make sloe vodka for the following year too so there is the Daily Shaking Of The Bottle ritual Grin

I have a little altar that I decorate with wintery type things - pinecones, pretty leaves, holly and mistletoe. I normally spend a few minutes there on the 21st, just reflecting on things and thinking about what I can start to 'wake up', that I can concentrate on and grow in over the coming months.

Usually we save exchanging cards and presents for the 25th (when we normally eat beans on toast or something equally excitingly normal) because these aren't part of our celebrations, they are just something we were both brought up to do at this time of year.

So that's it, nothing majorly exciting, and not even that different to most christmases just on a different day.

SantasLittleControlGeek · 29/11/2012 19:05

ooh sweetie cross post, sorry - what an exciting appointment! So you are starting to gear up now yes? The idea of a mock cycle sounds brilliant, hopefully that should take the stress of 'will it won't it' out of the drugs (and put you in a good position for an ironic BFP no?). You're self-funding yes? Can you afford a dedicated donor, knowing that there are no guarantees with anything? How strongly do you feel about having genetic siblings? They will be half-genetic siblings anyway won't they? How fab that they would be willing to put two back if you go down the shared route.

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of physical features did you have to rank? Was it stuff like height, eye colour, hair colour, or did it go right down to 'I hate my nose and want my offspring to have a better one'?

Sorry, this probably wasn't the most helpful of posts, I seem to have asked a lot of questions...

{{{hugs}}}

SweetieSnowball · 29/11/2012 20:07

Geek your celebration sounds lovely, very traditional and back to nature. We get very wrapped up in the commercialism of it all. It is just a time to spend with family and relax for us.

Yes it was a good appointment and I am pleased about the mock cycle as it will give us piece of mind that things will be as they should be. We are self funding so everything costs, I think it is £300 for the mock cycle thing. We can afford the dedicated donor but it is very expensive and of course i will be gutted if it doesn't work. I am thinking this is our only chance as i wont be doing it again if not successful. I would like to think that if we are successful first go then we would have the option of a sibling. It is more the way they would look if different genetics, and them feeling connected to each other.

We said blood type and CMV status (which should be matched with the donor), medium build, height under 5ft 6 is the most important then hair colour lighter than mid brown DH has red hair and is dead against red haired donor but I would love i ginger child and light eyes but not bothered if blue, grey or green. I did ask if we could go for rounder face shape and small nose, the nurse laughed at this so not sure if that is a bit too specific.

WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 21:16

Sweetie I think the way I would approach it is making sure you give yourself the best shot without any regrets. If for some very unlikely reason it is unsuccessful would you be able to say, looking back in a few years time that I gave it my best shot for my family with no regrets? Which option would you regret taking if it was unsuccessful? Did the clinic give you any stats in terms of it being successful at the first attempt or not? Whether it takes couples a few goes or not? Does the mock trial will give some reassurance in terms of success? Ie can you have to make the decision after the mock?

WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 21:18

Last sentence was meant to be, can you make the decision after the mock?

WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 21:32

Geek thanks for that and there are some very beautiful sentiments that we could all learn from.

WinterSolstice · 29/11/2012 21:35

DH is out on a work night out and I am watching 21 Grams! I was quite looking forward to watching it after reading some good reviews but it's a little slow going hence why I'm MNing too!

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