The Zoo!

[WinomoreTheFruitbat]

Is it feeding time yet?

pull up a rock or patch of grass and get comfy in our new enclosure!

Helllooooo, where is everyone? Have you all gone to Milan with Fruitbat

I wish I had gone to Milan! Actually can't complain, it's supposed to be winter and August our coldest month but today and yesterday are around 30deg Not humid either so actually pleasant. dh and the dd's washed the car before, all in their bathers getting very wet with the hose ds is starting to smile lots now, he's so gorgeous when he does I'm trying to get a photo of it, sort of did this morning, but I want to get one of his really big smiles.
dh has sort of pull his head in, still being too hard on dd2 and biting my head off at every given moment. Who's got the hormonal changes going on here I wonder?

Yes it must be his time of the month!! Don't you think everything just gets easier when the smiles come - at last something back from this little eating and pooping machine!! Lovely days

It is also gorgeous and sunny here and apparently going to be 27. We invested in a beach/sun shade yesterday so should be able to have N outside while we sort the camping stuff out.

I'm not in Milan either (although I have had a very lazy morning eating breccie in bed with DD). She had her first 'sleep over' last night with her best friend who is a lad. They took a long time to go to sleep but were very well behaved.
Giraffe I'm obviously living in the wrong part of the country - they sky is grey here and it looks as though it's about to p it down.
Mamafox Bloody men - honestly! I'd love to put them in our shoes for a bit. I took DD out for a few hours yday and when I cam back I asked DP what he had been doing - he said he had been busy and had swept up the crumbs from lunch and put the dishwasher on.... must have taken him AGES . Can't wait to see smiley C pics.
Meeeow Have you managed to leave I with DH yet? Are things any better?
Nemo Any news from you?
Fruitbat Hope you're having an amazing time. Can't wait to see lots of pics.

Lots of love to all xxx

Bloody t'inter web has been down so only just caught up with what's been going on.

F asleep and L watching TV after bossing me around for 2 hours all in the name of 'playing'. Hmmmm. M is off on hols with her Dad. Still tripping over boxes, but managed to unpack another 6 this morning. Builder back from his hols (month away in the South of France - obv paying him FAR too much) and back on site 1st September so work will start again on completing the basement. Looks like I'll have to postpone our September get together, but I do want to do an early Christmas one instead. So maybe beginning of Dec? Mamafox Will of course post some pics when it's all done and the dust has settled - literally!

Not too bad here at Chez Wolverine. F is a 'little and often' type of babe. She's not going longer than 2.5 hours without a feed. Can't for the life of me remember what DD1 and 2 were like at this age. But, we're mananging with a bit of BF and bottles. She's cooing at us and smiling now which is lovely. DH certainly more interested in her now she's smiling at him. But DD2 is def a daddy's girl.

Nemo A very happy belated birthday to you. Hope you had a smashing day. And fingers crossed that LO doesn't keep you waiting.

Wino Thanks for the thumbs up on the house front. And can't wait to hear about the drunken expolits in Milan.

Meeow How's it going with DH? How's I?

Mamafox Think you should give DH swift smack round the chops and tell him that it takes two to tango!

Hyena Wow, brekkie in bed. That's something I aspire to! And love the fact that DD had her first sleep over. Ahhhhh.

Impala Can't believe that E will be crawling soon. How's the hols? Sounds wonderful .

Giraffe Are you going 'glamping' or regular camping? Am such a wuss, that I'd prob have to go glamping I'm afriad - soft southern wanker that I am!!!

Penguinpoo How goes it with you? Things looking up?

Hippo Lovely to see you.

Wolverine 'I' is doing well, she has good an bad nights but we have finally found a dummy that she will take so fingers crossed my nipples may get a break now! ouch. She smiles now which is lovely, when did 'F' start cooing? sounds lovely when can I get me some of that?

Hyena Well I have managed to leave the two of them together in the sitting room whilst I shower and let DH take the pram to a different shop to me when in town baby steps eh!? Boy best friends aaw I had one of them; Jeremy was his name we met at play group...he 'came out' a year ago

Nemo Happy belated birthday! How are you and bump? any niggles yet? I'm so excited for you looking back I did enjoy my labour it is very exciting!

I'm officially viable today!!!

SWI
Tigger CD? cycle 24 (CP/MC april, june08 & april 09)

Infanticipating
CaptainNemo 39 weeks pg EDD 26th August
Turkleton 30 weeks pg TWINS!! EDD 16 - 23 October
Hyena 30 weeks pg EDD 30th October
PenguinPoo 24 weeks pg EDD 16 Dec

Yummy Mummies
E GIRL! A born 7th October 08 5lbs 12oz
Impala GIRL! E at 0630am 4th November 08, 7lbs 15oz
Hippopotamum BOY! E born 3rd December 08, 6lbs 5oz
WinomoreTheFruitbat! J born 18th March 09, 8lbs 5oz
Havingagiraffe BOY! N born 13th April 09, 6lbs 12oz
MamaFox BOY! C Born 11th July 09, 7lb 13oz
WolvernineInMarigolds GIRL! F Born 18th July 09, 9.24am, 8lbs 7oz
Meeeow GIRL! I born 6th Aug 09, 3.09pm 8lbs 9oz

Meeeow Glad DH will get a bit of "I" time today and that dummy seems to be doing the trick
Nemo Looking forward to birthday update
Wino Looking forward to hen weekend update too if you make it back!

Oh and Tigger seems you are right woke up this morning and oh my I've grown I always had a b-shaped bump pre-pg as I'm a cuddly lady but the top part of the b has popped out massively today bigger than my (.)(.) so another Tigger prediction has come true! Just want the middle to poke out a bit now so I feel more pg than fat!

Wolverine it is so tiring when they feed so often. DS has just dropped down to 2 milk feeds so life is so much easier now . Glad feeding is going ok for you though.

Wino I saw your pics on FB, looks like a great time was had by all . So... details !

Nemo I see from FB that you had a lovely weekend but no other news for us... update please. You'll have to check in daily from now on as we'll be on tenterhooks !!

Impala I am terrified of the crawling stage as life will become so much more tricky ! I like that I know he can't move too far at the moment

Meeow sounds like you are starting to make progress, it will get easier to let go and let someone else be in control for a wee while. Sounds like you have become more accepting of your birth story if you can actually describe it as exciting - well done !! I have to say that is not a word I'd have used but the end result is just sooo amazing that it is worth it

Hello to everyone else xx

Just popping in to say hello. I'm absolutely exhausted so will catch up tomorrow.
had an amazing time
Check out the pics on FB when you get a chance xx

An evening to myself as DP has gone to the football. Don't really know what to do with myself when I get free time these days!

Hippo I bet E is still getting around even without walking although you'll really have to be on your game once he is truly mobile. 2 milk feeds must be lovely to see them reducing or is it a bit of a wrench. When can we expect some more E facebook pics - I've got used to his monthly update.

Meeeow Glad you've found the wonder that is dummy and have left I with DH, although not sure still being in the house counts Go on try going for a walk! I can't remember if I answered your Q about expressing but I started when N was 3 weeks and no problems switching between.

Wolverine Later sounds better as we know that Nemo won't have an excuse not to come and we will have another baby to cuddle The 1st time I went camping with DP we carried it all on our backs as we walked in cornwall so anything is Glamping after that but sadly it's normal, no electric, no frills camping. (which really I love as so peaceful and beautiful)

Fruitbat So glad you had a great time, details please, love the pics though. Not long now

Nemo I've decided I'm not going to ask if you have news at all as you will let us know as soon as there is anything to report - won't you!! Let's see the bag then.

Penguinpoo I remember hitting the viable milestone and things suddenly felt better AND speeded up so get shopping. So, Tigger what's your prediction on sex for Penguin? Mamafox Hope DH is behaving now. Perhaps clearing up guinea pig poo will refocus his mind!

Hyena Bless your DD, she will break his heart one day no doubt. Enjoy the last weeks of brekkie in bed. Nearly the end of the hols so DP will soon be off your hands.

Might not get a chance to post again before we go as having hair done tomorrow, I used to find having it coloured a real bore but now the thought of 3 hours to chill is bliss. I might just tell my hairdresser to load me up with mags and coffee and not talk to me- he won't mind.

Wish me luck for N's first camping trip - yikes!

Hello to everyone else

Evening ladies

So, I know you're all longing for a birthday update (nothing else to update you on although I can promise you I'll let you know if there ever is as soon as there is) so here goes...

My actual birthday was on Friday, DH woke me up with tea and juice, birthday cards, flowers and a bottle of champagne - good start!! Then I went to meet a friend for lunch at the hotel where DH and I had our wedding reception - here We managed to make lunch last from 11.30 til about 3pm which was really lovely. Then some friends from the village came round for a drink at about 6.30 and later DH and I went for a BBQ with my parents. My parents got DH me a Sony Handycam for my birthday, DH I was very pleased and DH I have been working out how to use it and playing with it ever since....

On Saturday DH hired a friend's rib (like this) and DH and I went across to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight for lunch here which was lovely. We figured we'd try to shake little one out although luckily the water was pretty flat. After lunch DH went to pick up my sister and one of my friends who had come down, while I stayed and sat in the sunshine in the hotel garden with my book (bliss - though I felt like a bit of a loner after a while!) They came over and so did some other friends of ours and we stayed in the sunshine for a few hours before heading back to the boat DH used to skipper where my parents came down and met us for dinner (which happily they brought with them!) So all in all a pretty top weekend! At about 1.30 on Sunday morning I did wonder whether the rib trips had done the trick, was pretty uncomfortable for a while in a period pain type way but I took a couple of paracetamol & it didn't come to anything. I felt really guilty on sunday for jiggling LO about so much, but she seems to have been wriggling away quite happily since so hopefully she didn't object too much....

So there you go! Bored yet

Penguin yeeeee haaaaa for viable!! I remember 24 weeks really well! Giraffe's right, definitely time to go shopping!

Giraffe have a great time camping, you sounds like a pro, I'm sure you'll have a lovely break, though I'll keep my fingers crossed for you so far as the weather is concerned! Will text pic tom xx

Wolverine sorry to hear things are still taking longer than you'd hoped, but yippee for postponing September meet up to December! Can't wait! xx

wino great (drinken) pics on fb, loved the fact that nearly every shot was blurry, a sign of a good night ime!!

Mamafox don't think I'd be too keen on the guinea pig plan either Though I'm sure your DH and the DDs will be the ones to do all the work caring for them and you won't have to do a thing Or maybe not...

Meeow baby steps sound like a good place to start to me! Loving the pics of I on fb, can't believe how much she's grown already! How much does she weigh now?

Hyena sleep over! Awwwww! And YUM to breakfast in bed!

to everyone else, running out of typing energy now.... But doubtless I'll be back tomorrow... and the next day... and the next day... blah blah blah..... Although I ate most of a pineapple today, so who knows!

Meant to ask Wolverine what are the plans for the basement?

Also just checked out Mamafox's latest FB photos and there are just too many gorgeous ones to comment on. I think C looks like his Dad. He is such a little dinky thing and looks very smiley. Love the ones with his big sisters. DD1 looks like a pro - playing her game while he's on his pillow.

Nemo wow what a day! Sounds like you were spoilt, how lovely. Don't down play the period pain that's how it all started for me, a couple of weeks of that on and off, in the end I believe it was my mamouth walk whilst experiencing the period pain feeling that kicked the labour in! So if you're ready get walking 'I' is getting big isn't she! And heavy too, bf whilst walking is not working now need a cushion for my poor arm. She was weighed last week and was 8lb 13oz, getting her done today but I reckon she's fast aproaching 10lb! Whopper eh
havingagiraffe hair apt sounds bliss! Now there's an idea I could buy into my hair is a state and I would have to leave I with DH hmmmm
hippopotomum can't quite believe I said that too! I must be coming to terms with it all eh

nemo lovely to hear from you. Your birthday weekend sounds fabulous - you are a very lucky and spoiled mum-to-be ! What happened with the bag ? Did you peek into the bag you found and was it the right one ? I am with Meeow on the walking - I walked for hours round a shopping centre the day my water (dribble !) went, so if you are ready to meet DD then get your trainers on (you'll need someone to tie the laces for you if you are as big as I was !!!!). How exciting those cramps could well be the start of you birth story....woohoooo !!

meeow get thee to a hairdresser pronto - as well as being a big step forward leaving I with DH, you'll feel better with a lovely new 'do' and you can chill with some mags and a hot drink, pure luxury

Oh and I also loved the pic of mamafox's DD1 playing her DS (or whatever it was) while cuddling her baby brother. And the one of DD2's face when he was crying is classic gorgeous memories captured.

I'll be uploading the next month worth of pics of E soon, just need to find a few spare minutes . Off for lunch soon with some girls from work, this mat leave is tough !

Snatching 5 mins whilst DD watches Peppa Pig and does some stickers. DP has gone for a 10K run so peace for an hour . We're just back from bowling and science museum. Only a week left before school starts...

Hippo Looking forward to seeing some new pics of E. When is your maternity leave supposed to end? Have you decided on whether you'll be going back to work/working full time etc? I'm hoping to get away with not working until a year Sept - wonder if I'll manage it .
Meeeow Lovely pic of I enjoying her time in the garden. How are things?
Nemo Am v of your lovely birthday weekend but you truely deserve it. Is today D-day? I'm feeling so excited for you.
Giraffe Enjoy the peace at your appointment and have a fab time camping. Are you looking forward to your DP going back to work? I'm torn between feeling really happy to have him here and really with him getting in my way .
Wino Glad you had fun .
Penguin Yey for viable and bump. Are you totally relaxed now?
Wolverine I remember L feeding every 2.5 hours - nights were hell. Hope F starts to go a bit longer between feeds. Am hoping to make meet up even though I'll prob go two weeks overdue and not get this LO out til mid-Nov .

Hyena oh no! only a week 'til school that's when I lose DH and have to cope alone! gulp. We're not sure he can take pat leave on top which was the plan as his school have misled us regarding the pay.

hippopotamum yes a new do would be good

Things are ok here 'I' had a dodgy colicy moment yesterday; 2 hours of inconsolable crying! Even the boob couldn't pacify and that is always my fall back! scary stuff, I'm nervous that this will happen again tonight??!

fruitbat love the pics! especially the podium shot! oh you! x

Meeeow If you have another colic epi then it's worth investing in some Infacol. DD suffered with colic and I found that it helped (if only a little). Good luck!

I was using infacol as she was 'possiting' then stopped when she got better. On it again just in case. Thank you hyena

SWI
Tigger CD? cycle 24 (CP/MC april, june08 & april 09)

Infanticipating
CaptainNemo 40 weeks pg EDD 26th August
Turkleton 30 weeks pg TWINS!! EDD 16 - 23 October
Hyena 30 weeks pg EDD 30th October
PenguinPoo 24 weeks pg EDD 16 Dec

Yummy Mummies
E GIRL! A born 7th October 08 5lbs 12oz
Impala GIRL! E at 0630am 4th November 08, 7lbs 15oz
Hippopotamum BOY! E born 3rd December 08, 6lbs 5oz
WinomoreTheFruitbat! J born 18th March 09, 8lbs 5oz
Havingagiraffe BOY! N born 13th April 09, 6lbs 12oz
MamaFox BOY! C Born 11th July 09, 7lb 13oz
WolvernineInMarigolds GIRL! F Born 18th July 09, 9.24am, 8lbs 7oz
Meeeow GIRL! I born 6th Aug 09, 3.09pm 8lbs 9oz

Still here. Nuff said. xx

oooh nemo i give you 8 days! i did loads of research and apparantly this is the most poular time to start labour. worked for me and Wolverine I think!

8 days?!?!??!? I heard most 1st babies are 4 days late??? Although having said that, they brought my due date forward by 4 days at 11 weeks, I always thought I was due on 30th rather than today, so I guess 4 days late from 30th would be the same as 8 days late from today.... Poor little thing, if she's born on 3rd-6th ish of Spetember she'll probably end up having the first day of term on her birthday some years! How much would that suck?!?

Ohh the question is...Will Nemo have the youngest baby in the school year or the eldest? [winkk

Morning girls! (I started typing this this morning but got distracted!)

Hen weekend was fantastic fun! Luckily they didn't make me do anything too bad.
The 1st night we went out for a "quiet" meal and drink. However, my mother got a little too drunk and my sister (who had to share a room with her) said she threw up all over the bathroom floor MY.OWN.MOTHER! She's 60yrs old FFS
anyway the next day we went on a tour of Milan and Saturday eve (the big one) we went out for a meal, to a few bars then on to here: Just Cavalli which is one of Roberto Cavalli's clubs. Amazing place, it's an outside club with probably the best looking people I've ever seen. We managed to convince the door staff to let us in to the VIP area for the 1st hour (while it was quiet) it normally costs 300 Euro (including two bottles of spirit) to sit there

The girls had organised a game of Mr&Mrs so there were a load of questions about me with DP's answers. I had to guess what his response was. Needless to say, he didn't make it easy for me! Still, I won a lot of prizes, which you will see around my neck in the pictures I also had a lot of dares to do. It was really difficult because Milan is full of very good looking (even the taxi drivers were good looking!) but stuck up individuals, they don't seem to like letting go. They are all very posy types who don't seem to like having fun. They also don't really have Hen do's so trying to get the locals to understand what what going on and get them to co-operate with my dares (such as "kiss a guy in uniform") was really difficult.
Still, we all had such a good time. I just want to do it all again, went far too quickly

Time for a catch up I think.....

Wolverine Your Moby is doing well so far check it out

Meeeow Hope you don't mind, I've sort of invited myself and my Mum over to yours at 11am on Sat so your lovely sis can do my make up I'm looking forward to another I cuddle!

CaptainNemo I never got the opportunity to wish you a very happy (and very belated) birthday! Looks like you had loads of fun and celebrated in serious style! I cannot believe how close you are to D-day

Penguin Thank goodness you are now at viable stage, now, can you finally relax?

I adore all the lovely new pics of babies on FB. They are all gorgeous - well they would be with such beautiful mummies

really busy with wedding organisations at the moment. Went for 2nd dress fitting last night, gotta take a bit off the chest area (surprise surprise ) then one more fitting and I can take it home

Right, better go and sort these kiddies out, TTFN!...........

Just realised nemo today is d-day!!!!!!!! even more

Nemo better to expect she will arrive later I learnt then it's a lovely suprise when labour starts. (Fruitbat constantly reminded me of this in the lead up to I's birth) It might interest you to know that 'I' was actually born on her original due date, the one they changed at her Nuchal scan; so perhaps you will be busy on Sunday!? xx

fruitbat 11am Sat is fine. She did mention it to me the other day. See you then, you can of course cuddle little I again, she is very chubby now as pics show

OMG we have had a brill day! I expressed 2floz and DH gave I a feed at 5pm; she took the bottle no problem and then fell fast asleep without any fuss and is still sleeping now! I was wondering if 2floz would be enough but it seems it is! I felt a bit redundant looking at the two of them but I think it was a fab bonding moment for DH and 'I' Thank you for that fabulous advice!