March 2010. A lesson for much of life: Shut the door. Find the corkscrew.

[Arcadie]

Happy Christmas MMMs. This is my gift to you!

.. Deeply offended.

(Glad you're feeling better though :))

Happy Birthday Joe!

Thanks for birthday wishes for Alex. He went to nursery for the day [horrible mummy] but had a lovely tea party on Sunday with all his grandparents and two of his godparents. And ate a lot of cake so didn't notice his sister nicking his new toys.

I know what you mean, Sariska, about wanting to do the year again (well, some of it) but definitely no more thank you. My baby isn't a baby any more, but he is so much fun with his high speed crawling and imperious demands. No roaring though.

Wave to Shroomer, hope the period issue doesn't last long. FWIW I had acupuncture first time round because my system was slow in getting going after too many years on the pill and it worked wonders. If you're not a needle fan then reflexology is good too. Well, works for me, anyway.

Thank you, all, for your birthday wishes for wee Joe . I, for one, am glad I shall never have to do that 1st year again... But he IS cute. And entertaining. And smells good after a bath .

I had taken the day (afternoon) off, but had to go into work to replace a sick colleague in the morning, grrr! The joys of self-employment...

I am sorry, I missed so many birthdays; as DS3 says 'Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy to you' (sung to the tune of CBeebies birthday tune). I hope you all had lovely days with your not-so-small babies/toddlers .

I shall continue with my self-impsed MN break until the 29/3 (date of my appraisal for which I am furiously preparing - oh, the time required ). Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday little C. and congratulations Siamese :)

Happy Birthday SiameseKitten! How did I not realise until now that we had 'twins'?

Well, James does, infact, have my virus now - he literally awoke winging every ten minutes from about 4 (and maybe hourly before that) with a nose full of snot and I feel like death today. It's not the happiest of birthday's, I guess, but he's only one, he doesn't know!

Added to that DD is supposed to be having six - count 'em - friends over tomorrow for a sleepover in celebration of her birthday. I hope he/I don't get worse or we may need to postpone

Oh, how I'd KILL for a few hours uninterupted sleep just now.

winging? He hasn't turned into a little bird. Whinging*

Happy birthday to all the babies I've missed! Hope everyone had (or is having) a great time . I'm looking forward to DS's party on Sunday though am quite emotional about his actual birthday next Wednesday...and I agree that our babies (how much longer can I say that) are at an utterly gorgeous age!

pacific good luck with the appraisal prep. We'll miss you so do hurry back when you can!

shroomer lovely to see you . I was thinking about you the other day - not in a stalkerish way I promise! But you do those amazing pastel drawings don't you? I'm another acupuncture fan btw. Hope your periods show up soon and that you're back with happy news soon.

Sorry for my silence this week, I've been rather obsessed with something...OK ladies, I'm going to type something that I can hardly believe [drumroll]...I got a BFP this afternoon

I'm feeling rather calm, in a "can't believe this is happening" kind of way. DH is in Singapore (due back tomorrow morning), so I was going to was going to wait until he was back before testing. I had told him yesterday that I was late. But I bought some fancy schmancy CB conception indicator tests today while DS was at nursery (figuring that buying them would of course bring on my period!) Of course with tests in the house I couldn't wait. Ended up calling DH at Singapore airport right before he boarded his flight back to London.

I can't believe that I'm pregnant naturally - at the very time when I had been planning to do IVF/ICSI but decided not to because of not wanting to give up breastfeeding.

I can't believe that we're one of those stereotypes that get pregnant naturally after IVF/ICSI. (I have ranted to friends in the past about how much I hate people trotting out those examples, about the "false hope" they give when you're struggling with infertility ).

I can't believe that it's looking like I will be going back to work pregnant without having to spend seven grand and go slightly bonkers doing IVF.

I'm about 4+2 or 3 (not 100% sure of my dates). Now I wonder how long before I descend in the first trimester anxiety I had with DS...

Oh my God!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you and your DH!!! (and your bank balance -£7k wow! )

I'm actually feeling a bit sick for you!

Thanks for birthday wishes for C. It has been postponed till tomorrow so DH can join in.

Ooh gosh flip. :) :)

Oh, flip!! What utterly FANTASTIC news! I'm so, so SO pleased for you! Welcome to the first tri! Ok, so I've kinda just left it, but wowzers!

I know what you mean about the 'false hope' element of people who fall naturally after assistance, but I don't think it's ever really meant that way - it seems to be, anecdotally at least, accepted that something about pregnancy/giving birth often makes our bodies kinda go Ooooh, that's how I do it! Oh, I get it now! Let's do it again!

My aunty would be an example of that - she tried (naturally, mind) for her first baby for over two long years. SHe was pregnant again at her six week postnatal check and Layla came along, also accidentally, to make three in under three years. I guess I'm saying be careful!

Hey, so you're 7k up? The cupcakes are on you then!

Can't believe how excited I am for you! Yes, you'll be anxious - it comes with the territory. Will you book yourself a few private scans for reassurance? I saw this bean at 7+4 and seeing the heart flickering away was wonderful.

Congrats again!

wooooooo hooooooo! Huge congratulations flip. Wonderful news that has totally brightened my day.

Oh Flip that's such fantastic news Congratulations!

Flip - what wonderful news! I'm so pleased for you! from me, too!!

Happy Birthday to C and J, Siamese and manda - and manda, hope you (and J, of course) get a decent night tonight.

I've been lurking and today realised that this had dropped off my list but I am absolutely chuffed to bits that you have had a BFP Flip. And a natural one at that! Wow Wee !!!!
Sorry can't make much sense right now, might pop in later. MIL surprised me today by suggesting that DD1 had a sleepover again (first and last one was when I had mastitis a couple of weeks ago) She was coming down this morning to babysit DD2 while I went off to my glass class and has now gone home with DD1 for 2 nights!!!!! I will go and collect her on Sunday! I don't really know what to do with myself!

Oh yes, Happy Birthday to siamesekitten and Mandas James.

(Have namechanged btw )

and a quick chink of the old as it's Friday night

Flip Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo......

That's AMAZING news!!!!!!!! Can't believe how brilliantly brilliant it is that you don't have to do IVF now!!! Woooohoooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! And THREE preggos before the DCs are all a year old. Blliiiiiimey.

Happy Birthday to Siamese and manda's offspringen.

Will endeavour to post later.

MUST WRITE ALPHA TALK.

MUST. EXERCISE.

MUST MUST MUST Get off the computer.

Happy Birthday to Manda 's wee one!

Flip!!! OMG :o Wonderful news! So happy for you
x

Manda Aw, poor James, poorly on his birthday. You could have another birthday celebration or him next week. An unofficial one like the queen.

Candles. How have your babies handled candles on their cakes? Do they reach for them?

Congratulations Flip! Hope I can join you soon. You'll be off to a different forum then?!

Thanks for all the congrats ladies .

Still feeling quite surreal, roll on DH getting home tomorrow so someone else can confirm that yes, indeed it does say pregnant . I actually showed it to DS (I needed someone, anyone else to see it!). Then I phoned my mum, to at least talk to another adult. She's thrilled, but very cautious (had more than her fair share of MCs). Looks like a mid-November EDD. But there's no way I'd abandon the MMMs for some Nov 11 upstarts

Manda hope you and J feel better soon and that you managed to enjoy today. And that your DD's sleepover goes ahead as planned. Wise words in your post (especially as I had thought I never needed to think about contraception again!). It's interesting as I do think I'm more fertile (nothing to base this on other than having slightly longer cycles of 26/27 days versus 23/24 days pre-DS, as I'm ovulating later, and having no pre-AF spotting, which used to be the bane of my life when ttc pre-IVF!). Since our issue is quite severe male factor I wonder...anyway, I don't really care as long as this bean sticks!! Will definitely be having an early scan, but want to wait til 7 weeks at least. I had that with DS and I just loved seeing the heart beating

Siamese hope you and your gang have a good celebration of miniSiamese's birthday tomorrow

Big waves to everyone else and some virtual Friday night (though it's herbal for me for the time being!)

Am also wondering who MissPenteuth [ponderous chinstroke].

OK, off to load some nappies and do a general tidy up before watching some telly (only 1 more night til I can get my fix of The Killing - really the only thing I want to watch at the mo!).

Shroomer definitely hope you're next. And I'm proof that there's always hope (since I honestly never thought I'd ever get pregnant naturally!).

Candles - I want just a single candle but DH wanted loads so we're compromising on a number 1 candle though still plenty of time for me to get my way. From watching the babies at the NCT 1st birthday celebrations we've been to the kids are kind of dazed by it (though admittedly they don't get that close to the cake, since they're still a little young for actually blowing anything out).

wow FLIP that is AMAZING news!!!!!!!! Two under two - I think MN has special support threads for that how amazing that it has just happened like this - what did your DH say when you told him? I will have a to celebrate while you enjoy your herbal and some folic acid! Massive congrats

Ok I've written some of my Alpha talk and skillfully avoided any exercise.

Still ing like mad for Flip!

Pixie You asked about Simeon's dedication.... You're right - that was the other thing I meant to do this evening. Write his thank you cards for all the lovely things we got given!

Broad brush strokes - it was our normal Sunday morning church service with my (mostly atheist) and DH's (entirely born again) families in attendance. We stood up on stage with DS1 and DD milling around and making inappropriate noises, as we explained that we were using this slot in the service to publically thank God for the gift of Simeon (which you ladies will appreciate means a lot to us having been my support network over the "we can't find a heartbeat" fiasco that was my early pregnancy) and to promise to bring Simeon as far as we could to understand what it is to be a Christian and to ask for God's help doing it.

Our godparents prayed for us, my niece prayed for DS1 and DD to be good siblings and then anyone else who wanted to got to come up to the front and all pray at once for Simeon which was a total free for all but good fun! Then we went for an all you can eat chinese. In fact, the same one we went to on the MMMM in November! Sim's godmother also handed out bits of paper for anyone to write thoughts, messages or prayers for Sim down on, and she's mounting them into a keepsake book, which will be a treasured sobfest to read.

That's a level of detail you weren't really wanting wasn't it?

FLIP i am so so happy for you and your DH, just wonderful news and i am so glad you have not had to go along the emotional rollercoaster of ivf! (hug)

Belated birthday wishes to C- Siamese and J- manda(hope he and u r better soon too)

Also- Happy birthday for Angfirsttimer's- lo today too!

did have loads to say but in all the excitement of flips news, i cant remember any of it! heehee- WOW, so so happy for u