The Berries: On knockerwatch, sniffing willies and clinging to the coat tails of the continued clusterdiff (thread 21)

[barkingtreefrog]

The smallprint –
Berries have a strict entrance criteria (TTC #1, over 30, TTC for 12+ months, NO instadiffers, must have a special pot and definitely no mention of baby dust or baby dancing).
Those not abiding by the rules may be escorted from the premises.

Thanks for the article Beaky as a summary it pretty much hits the nail on the head.

This Cook book sounds interesting; feel it may become one of the Berry staples; may have to look into getting it.

I'm hoping for all of you in limbo land between POAS and scans that you have sticky and healthy ones, it must be such a tough time for you. I think that that is sometimes he hardest bit of this TTC lark; not the injecting or bum bullets but the uncertainty of it all.

Thanks for the comments on the crafting that I've done. The blanket has been a work in progress since February. It came as a kit and is cross stitch. God only knows how many stitches there are. The bit that took the long time was fraying and trying the tassels round the edges. The cake almost ended in disaster; the person is supposed to be my pg friend but that is take number 3; last night as I was assembling it a leg fell off then an arm and then the dress started to disintegrate causing a lot of alam in the HB household. Luckily I had just enough flesh tone icing (so wrong) left over to knock up another.

Love Graham Norton so can't wit to watch that on catch up. I think Amanda Holden has had a lot of Botox so that would probably explain why she cannot move!

Bushy I don't think that there is anything wrong with a shandy especially given the weather yesterday.

hb is the baby shower today? Thinking of you. The cake and blanket are lovely (late to comment here, I use the app so just popped onto the website to have a peek!) I hope your friend appreciates them. If it all gets too much you've done more than your bit by making the gifts and turning up, don't feel like you can't feign a migraine or something and leave when you need to.

rain I've not bought any other cookbooks, I made the recipes the chasing rainbows lady gave me and there's a nice brocolli and chicken risotto in the baby making bible, but other than that it's just been cooking as normal. Plenty of rice dishes, egg based stuff, and gluten free pasta when we fancy a pasta dish. It's lunchtimes that have been the only difficulty. I'm not overly keen on the gluten free bread so making five batches of sandwiches and freezing them for the week as I used to is out as I tend to put more filling in with the gluten free bread and it's not freezable. I've been eating loads of carrots, cucumber and peppers with houmous, but it's more of a faff and more expensive. Grabbing lunch while you're out is a nightmare. Apparently though larger M&S food stores have gf lunch choices, I must check that out sometime.

Was supposed to be swimming this morning but stayed in bed instead. Got acupuncture later. I'm going to try and relax and not question whether she should be putting a needle there every time she puts one in....

Barking the sweet potato wedges and burgers sound lovely. That poem is so sad.

Rosie glad you are feeling a little better. Hoping its not AF for you.

HB good luck for today, I hope the shower is manageable.

Feather good luck for your wedding today! I hope it's nice weather

Tiger enjoy yoga! I really want to do it but there's no where round here that does it.

Bushy a cider shandy should be fine! Sounds like you had a lovely evening.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

barking that poem is so sad, even though I am the other side now it made me tear up! it is spot on how you feel when struggling to conceive x

Happy wedding day to feather

Willing the BFPs to stick ladies and more BFPs to come x

Happy wedding day Feather. Have an amazing time and come back with some pictures when all the craziness has died down!

Thinking of you today HB, you're one brave lady. Amazing blanket and cake!

Honestly healthy cookbook has arrived. Some lovely looking recipes that I can't wait to make. As Barking said some of the ingredients are a bit woo, I've never even heard of galangal?!

Was woken up at 5:30 this morning by a horrendous thunderstorm and couldn't get back to sleep. Off to the private FC in a bit to get that show on the road.

Have a great weekend all.

Oh galangal is just like ginger apparently. Just in case anyone was wondering! Off to Google lúcuma powder.........

Good luck for your appointment today Happy

Berries I need your help! I am godmother next week and I want to buy a gift which will last and is inspiring for the future, any ideas please?

Beaky there's a page on FB called Poppalinas that I've had quite a few lovely things from. She makes frames and can basically do anything you want. Maybe something like this but with a poem/inspiring quote instead of the map?

Rain hope yesterday went ok for you and that the dinner and drinks helped.

hb that cake is amazing, and with all those little baby booties too! And wait, you actually made that blanket yourself! (Keels over in stunned awe......thunk). You are an amazing (and talented) friend - but still leave the shower early today if you feel the need.

feather speaking of showers, I hope the one we just had here does not land on you. Have a fabulous wedding day.

beaky that's a great article and the comments were interesting too. That poem so nails it, just so sad.

Rosie and barking glad you mentioned meditation and visualisation, I'm going to follow you excellent examples right now. My acupuncture lady emphasised the importance of balancing energies and building up some yin through meditation.

Lovely weekends to all.

I think the poem barking posted is one we can all relate to! the daring to hope bit esp. Haven't read that article yet. I'm curious about your sandwich making and freezing. Would you make them up for whole week then defrost one per day? How does that work? Any particular fillings that do work / don't work?

hb it's def the uncertainty that's the killer. Dh and I were just talking this morning saying that in a world where you can google at an instant, get what you want, when you want ,that the uncertainty of it is actually quite novel ( we said this with a slightly jaded laugh!) I find now after the wobble we're just saying 'it' and not really mentioning it. Anyone else like this? It's like we're a bit scared to.

Having lazy lie in today with the lovely graham norton, dh cooking breakfast, I am hungry!!

Ha ha lie in just got interrupted by friend going to christening wanting to take present as leaving, hadn't even wrapped present or written card so mad rush!!

Haven't told PIL. Have brown blood traces this morning which hasn't happened at all so far :(

rp if it's just traces and it's brown, that's apparently 'old' blood and ok. Easy for me to say though, I know. Have a squeeze.

Argh, meant to reply to rosie earlier about food, not rain.
rain how are you doing?

bushy I usually get to school about 7.15 and getting up earlier in the morning to make lunch isn't an option for me, so I buy a loaf of bread/pack of bread rolls on a Sunday and make up loads of sandwiches. Unfortunately nothing involving salad or anything 'damp' like tuna mayo doesn't unfreeze well, so I pretty much used to live on peanut butter and jam/ cheese/ ham/ pate sandwiches... I'd take a pack out of the freezer in the morning, and they'd be defrosted by lunchtime. You can always take in a handful of salad and add it to the sandwich when defrosted. Big time saver, I need to try again with the gluten free bread. If I'm hungry enough I'll eat it....

Expect me drowning this thread this morning, I'm trying to plan next week's lessons so I can go for a nice walk with DH tomorrow and not have to rush back to do my planning..... Obviously that just means I'll be online trying to avoid my work. I never learn...

I know that theoretically but Dr Google said it might also be so,etching bad (why did I google that??). Just had a massive crying fit and had torun upstairs so PIL wouldn't see. Sorry to so mememe and gloomy.....

rp take a deep breath and have a . It's tough, but you need to just hang in there. We're all with you .

Thanks.... I think probably it will be okay but it's all the uncertainty. It is also DMIL 60th and we are taking her out to the poshest restaurant we can afford tonight so I don't want to mess that up. Thankfully DH took PIL out for a long walk so I can wallow have some time to myself.

Anyhow, aren't I a cheery little so and so this morning

rp don't panic my love. As barking said its likely to be old blood. Just take it easy today and avoid anything too strenuous. My neighbour was telling me about a 10k assault course she did in March whilst a few weeks pg and she has a healthy baby girl now - i guess most people dont worry like we do! My best mate was up and down to hospital with loads of bleeding in the first 12 weeks and she too has a healthy baby girl. Step away from google!

I would also recommend the medicinal chef cook book to whoever was asking? it's not gf per se but I think all the recipes are or could be with a tiny tweak. It has fish recipes too, so not all veggie. The layer bake from honestly healthy is my favourite although I have doctored slightly with fresh parsley and chilli on the top. I've also been making the granola which is a good alternative to the sugary stuff which I won't lie, I love

rosie hope you enjoy your festival. I love festivals - might try and squeeze one in this summer. My close girlfriends are trying to organise a girls weekend in Ibiza though, so might do that instead!

beaky I got my friends boys a personalized baby mug each from Emma bridgewater. I'm off to their christening tomorrow. Not meaningful exactly but super cute!

This is what the berries are here for rp, RL is easier to handle when you have the berries as an outlet I've been abusing this thread for well over a year.

RP, I second everyone else, deep breath and focus on being pregnant today. It is probably old blood.

SIL sent me some lovely meditations - they may help, one is 'Mindful mama to be' and another one by Molly Nichols.
inspirationalmama.wordpress.com/tag/meditation/

I need to try them, have done done 'easy' breathing meditation so far.

Tiger, thanks for the cook book suggestion. I'm always up for trying food rather than drugs for wellbeing. Re festivals, we're considering GreenMan this year. Anyone else?

Happy, let us know how you get on at the appointment.

Beaky, I've given a little piggy bank before (right English word?)

Just about to make the quinoa burgers for our festival today.

Barking, stop procrastinating!

Thanks all! Having my makeup done now!!!

Still at the FC but just waiting for DP to do a SA and then we're done. All very straight forward. Said whether we have IVF/ICSI or half and half depends on DPs sperm on the day. Basically we can start treatment as soon as we like although we'll wait until after the honeymoon but we're going to get a planning appointment booked in for a few weeks before the the wedding. Big news.... I just lost my dildocam virginity!! Everything looking very healthy

Feather hope all is going smoothly. Enjoy!

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone! Off to have a look now

RP as others have said, it seems as though most people have a bit of bleeding at some point or other, it doesn't stop you worrying though hey. Sending hugs and hand holds for you

X post Happy! Woohoo to the dildocam virginity(!) and excellent that all is good. A bit of pressure there for your dp to knock one out under the appointment sounds like it went well though and everything will fly round.

All the best for today feather! Hope you have the perfect day

rp it's impossible not to worry but remember that the odds are that it's nothing to be concerned about. Hope you can take it easy today and manage to enjoy your nice meal out.

Beyond impressed with the various craft and cooking endeavours on here! I really ought to try to be more adventurous with stuff like that especially after eating out 4 of the last 5 nights

happy good luck at the FC today, expecting a full report later please!

Thank you all so much for your lovely kind thoughts yesterday - they were the only things that got me teary in the end! I was so busy at work and them had lovely night out with MrP so didn't have any time to dwell. Tbh I think it's going to get me more when SIL has her baby (being induced day after my birthday next weekend). I've successfully avoided seeing her since January which has helped the anger/jealousy stuff massively!

Sorry for not checking in with everyone, I'm on my phone and about to take niece and nephew to ride-on railway. Give me strength!

Feather here are some peonies which are the right size - now have a brilliant day