The one where the BROOKERS make babies and blankets and hats and other crochet stuff!

[BeedlesPineNeedles]

I almost put this in arts and crafts, seeing as how we talk about crochet as much as we talk about babies!

Keep what a lovely sneeze birth! I love his names ah yes I remember vividly crying my eyes out on my first day home which would have been day 3 and telling DH to stop being mean to me! I've no idea what he did to upset me. Well done on getting out. I really enjoyed walks in those early days, so nice to get some fresh air. How is Kip doing?

Imps your boss is a dick I really hope you can start handing stuff over and enjoy the wind down

Beedle I imagine it must be so frustrating not being able to do much. Hopefully you can keep busy knitting for baby and get lots of rest in before the big day!

Trix hope you are ok? My friend recently had a baby who was born with a VSD and ASD. It wasn't picked up on the scans so they had no idea until baby was born. Amazingly after a worrying few weeks they have started to get smaller on their own so they are just monitoring her for now and she may be able to avoid surgery. Do you know anymore about baby's condition? Thinking of you X

Loopy hope you are doing ok if you are reading

We've all been ill at Casa Cupcake. I've had 2 weeks off work with different things. I'm dreading going back in next week as I feel so guilty. I hate being off.

I've got a new phone and finally an iPad so I've downloaded the MN app in order to stalk you all better!

What is it with these managers? beedle I think you might have helped to teach yours a valuable lesson - at least I hope so. Imps, I would take any offer of new work as an exercise in delegation: "Oh, that looks like an exciting new project, what a shame I won't be able to fit that in before mat leave starts but I bet X would be brilliant at it".

I have to say, my own manager is bloody awesome. She couldn't be further from Dink if she tried. It's a good job really since I have an average of 5 appointments a week that I need time off for, from now until mat leave starts. I officially have 21.5 working days left

Keep glad you (and MrK!) both survived day 3. Thanks for the timely reminder, I'd heard about it before but had forgotten. I'm very impressed at you being out and about so soon, but then I think you were able to stay active throughout, weren't you?

My 'urgent' GTT has been booked for two weeks' time, along with my extra growth scan, I'm really hoping my mum can come and visit over one of my scans as she's never experienced an ultrasound - I can't believe the things that exist for us now, that our own mums never had the benefit of.

Just to round off a truly shit day, I had to miss a freebie work do that had been organised to celebrate the firm opening a new office because I had urgent work to do. Then having agreed with Mr Imps that he could pick the car up from my office to go up to York for a cycling event he's doing tomorrow, the train that I'm on to get home (should be a 50 min journey) has been sat on the track for 93 minutes so far due to a signalling issue. This means I'll miss the last bus home from the station (they stop ridiculously early) and will have to pay £15-ish for a taxi. I have no idea when I'll get home. And then I have to get some dinner and tidy up for my parents who are coming tomorrow and letting themselves in while I'm out with friends during the day. I will get all sorts of sarcastic comments if the house is a bit of a mess and it will do my head in.

I am feeling very much as though the world is against me and Barry-Baxter today.

Geek I love your suggested way to dodge new work. I will so try that on Monday, rather than the angry/stroppy approach I took today.

Re: growth scans - a friend of mine was told at 36-38 weeks that her bump hadn't grown and they were concerned about a small baby. BUT they wouldn't scan her! Then her bump had grown at 38 weeks so they were less concerned, but at her 41 week appt on Weds they said that they were concerned again and booked a growth scan for Friday (today). She went into labour yesterday, and because she had a growth scan booked, they insisted on doing it while she was in labour. They said it looked to be a 7lb-er, but baby was born last night, a nice and chunky 8lb 4oz. So I suppose growth scans have their use but are limited in their accuracy.

Hope you got home eventually imps and if the house isn't up to your parents standard they are welcome to get the hoover out and use it!

cups hope everyone is feeling better now

I don't think they have really been checking the size of the baby during all my extra scans (though I haven't been able to see the screen on the post-bleeding ones) so as far as I know no-one is even guessing how big it is!

geek I'm sure your mum would love to come to a scan, my mum never had any either.

I got home at 10.30pm in the end Beedles and went straight to bed. Had a fabbo night's sleep and am in a much better frame of mind today. I even got up at 6am to tidy and clean the house and now it's looking lovely so am feeling relieved that we will avoid the judgeypants. Now off to the Big Smoke to meet up with some lovely friends.

What's everyone's weekend plans?

Imps that's rubbish, I'm glad you made it home eventually but what a horrible end to a rotten day. You should be able to claim the taxi fare back from the train company though, and also get some money back on your ticket (even if it's a season ticket). With the deepest respect though I have to say you are a slight loon for getting up at 6am to clean I too am of the opinion that at this stage in your pregnancy if a guest doesn't like how your house looks they should pick up the hoover themselves.

No weekend plans here, just keeping on top of the correspondence, finances and housekeeping. Living vicariously through you lot right now!

Hope everyone else is keeping ok, lots of love to you all, especially trix and loopy

But I love to clean! Really, most guests I would be fine about leaving the house in a bit of a state, but my mum would use the opportunity to tell everyone how we're clearly not keeping on a top of things and that she's a saviour because she rescued us from living in squalor. I know this because she does it to my sister all the time (my sister's house is just fine btw) but I don't want her doing it to me. Really it's fine though - it was a very satisfactory and productive morning!

You must be so busy Geek with keeping on top of it all. Are you able to have some rest each day? When do you finish work?

Blimey imps I take back what I said about you being a slight loon - you are a complete, out and out one! You actually like cleaning?!?!!

Not much time for me, no - my perinatal counsellor has me under strict instructions to find two hours for myself when I'm not too tired to enjoy them this weekend. No idea how to even start going about that. She's even changed my next counselling session so we're going shopping together instead of the usual office-based chat.

imps yes, you are bonkers. I agree with geek re guests. We've had lots of family show up, no food, just sit down and expect tea, food, beds, cleaning up, etc. I mean, come on!

geek you sound too busy. You need to rest and knit, or whatever else you like doing

I've added a fb photo so you can see my beautiful boy

This newborn time is absolutely magical, I'm in heaven

Keep it is totally unacceptable for people to show up and expect to be waited upon! At the very very very least a visitor has to make tea for everyone. Bringing food - if just pasta and a jar of sauce - hardly takes much effort either.

Glad you're having a joyous time with F. Now that I've come out of my Facebook shell and am satisfied that none of you are stalkers or axe murderers I will track you down...I think I know who you are (thanks to Beedles) so will send you an invite...

You can't say that imps now I will feel responsible for legitimising their friendship with a mad axe-murdering stalker crochet loving cleaning freak :o :o

We had a trip to ikea yesterday morning, bought the baby a teddy or 2! And had a friend over to play some games and eat pizza yesterday evening. He is obviously well trained around pregnant women as he bought me chocolate!

We can add you to the Brookers fb group if you like Imps

Omg is there a Brookers FB group??

For the chosen few Imps

"I hope you're not going to be twiddling your thumbs this week Imps" says the boss. What a bellend.

How do I get me into this special Brookers Club Pasta??

Your boss is a serious cock imps. I hope you are twiddling your thumbs!! Bet you absolutely can't wait

Holy moly it's peaceful when it's just me and F, dh has taken kip out. He's a week old already. Slow down, time!!

Time to start planning his 18th birthday Keep!

PM me with your details Imps so that I can friend you and I will add you. It is a secret group so you won't find it by searching

Last day at work today imps?

trix how are you lovely? Do check in

My edd today

IT'S MY LAST DAY AT WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some random vomiting this morning. Maybe B-B is having one final growth spurt?

Vomming can be a labour sign #justsaying

Don't you dare say that!

Happy mat leave Imps!! Hopefully it's not a sign of labour! Fingers crossed you get a bit of rest before BB arrives

Keep boo to rubbish guests! We had plenty of them too. Hope you are having lots and lots of cuddles with your lovely boy

Trix and Loopy hope you are both ok?

How's things Beedle?

Geek how many weeks are you now?

Hello sorry seem to have so much going on at the moment! Had a growth scan this morning which all seems to be on track so one less thing to worry about. It likes like I will have an induction at John radcliffe at 38/39wks (xmas!) They want to avoid me going into Labour as it looks like he will need a time buying procedure before the main op. We have till the end of the month to decide between south Hampton and grt Ormond st for the main op.
N seems to be sleeping better the last few nights so hopefully that will continue. Preschool is going ok too.