Dec 08 - three is the new two.

[Vagolajahooli]

Well it seems appropriate you cheeky breeders.

Hee hee! I'm a bit like your DH, Vag. If I need a poo, I have to go immediately. Although it then only takes me seconds to do them!

Chicken Kevin coming my way shortly. Yumbo. Straight out of a packet.

Actually chicken Kiev, but I like Kevin more.

sounds like a good party.

dh is the same. always ends up a few min late or making it by the skin of his teeth. drives me mad. especially when he sees me stressing and cross and foes " it's fine! we made it didn't we?"

why do men take so long to poo? is there an actual biological reason?

picked a tonne if blackberries and got stung by a wasp. my finger still hurts. bastard creatures.

big 2 are in bed. the baby is of course still up and playing catch. he is very cute but I wish he'd bloody well sleep. dd never slept either but at least by this age shrewd going ti bed if an evening and. giving us a couple of hours off before she began her shenanigans.

mind you I think some of it is that he likes the time with us minus the big ones.

I love chicken Kiev from a packet. garlic, salt nd crunchy bits. can't go wrong.

That's just like my dh Vag. He is just never in a rush, even if it takes an hour to get somewhere his brain doesn't register lateness until the hour we were due to be there has passed. It is so infuriating. He suddenly has to floss his teeth or polish his shoes as we're about to leave .

My grandad used to get us all in the car and then go back inside for a poo. It would happen every time we were going anywhere!

Glad the party went well!

Come on baby Beans. Are you going for a hb beans?

Hello Indith, lovely to see you. How are you finding bleeding people? I've got awful veins that collapse and disappear at the first sign of the needle. I've had phlebotomists baffled by them!

Any news on the exchange Nolda?

We've got a fire going tonight. It was lovely and sunny here earlier but the nights are chilly. Our cats are very excited that the fire is lit in the evenings again.

I have a theory on male pooing that they go and sit on the toilet at the time when most women think ' I'll need a poo soon'. Therefore it takes them ages because they are not ready to poo. Women then go when they actually need one so in they go, do it, out, all done!

Hons, that is absolutely true! Poo might come soon....

Yup, home birth for me! Am I nuts?? X

Beans I think people who go into hospital are nuts. HB is so much more simple. Plus you have at least one very experienced with you all the time and later on 2.

Interesting theory Hons should we do some study om this. How could we recruit to the study. Or shall we just time when we start to need to go and when we do go and when they sit on the toilet and when they actually poo and compare the times. Personally from when I feel the urge I can cook the boys breakfast cut a 2 sandwiches and pack their lunchboxes (not including drinks) & feed the cat. Then I have to go.

excellent theory Hons.

hurrah for home birth! very exciting. it will be lovely beans.

I am DREADFUL at bleeding people. absolutely useless. my mentor keeps telling me that we all have our personal block andthis is mine and some day it will click but I swear I'm still going to be calling someone else to do it in 10 years time. I only manage the really obvious ones. the other day I felt it, got mentor to confirm there wad a vein where I thought there was, noted to myself where I needed to aim which happened to be just where a freckle was so the girl had a bloody great x marks the spot. and I missed. again. every so often I give myself a pep talk, gear myself up to succeed and without fail the first woman I need to stab informs me she usually needs a butterfly needle and last time she needed to have blood taken the consultant had to put a central line in or something.

I'm doomed.

but I'm getting half way decent and finding and assessing a cervix

fire on here too. love it. means we have running hot water again instead of spending a fortune on the electric shower nd boiling kettles for washing up! tis a bit toasty if the heating comes on though, just fire is enough.

Taking blood of those things don't assume you're bad at it you just need a few good bleeds in a row you'll be fine. I had beginners luck when I first started taking blood, got several really good bloods including one lady who was really hard to bleed. But then had a couple of bad experiences and really lost my confidence. I think if I hadn't had a couple of good goes I would have given up. It is a difficult thing to have to deal with, to practice you have to keep sticking needles into people.

Forgot the "one" after "taking blood"

I beg to differ Vag.

Regarding hospital

I guess it's all a personal preference, innit? No arguing please!

I've woken up with dripping snot and a sore throat. Whoopee.

re birth everyone needs to go where they feel safest and most comfortable. my oxytocin would run a mile at the sight of a hospital and I'd never give birth without a Dr dragging the baby out. for others they'd be too worried about the what ifs to progress well at home. for some hospital is the only sound medical choice. I'm just grateful to live somewhere where we all have that choice.

Urgh, baby sleeps til 7am for once (after three wakes) and bloody DD2 wakes at 6.

Hiya Indith! Lovely to see you. How are you finding leaving the kids and being a working mum? Is DS2 ok with the childminder? Is your DH pulling his weight. I'm impressed how quickly you are doing the real clinical stuff, I'd presumed you'd be in lectures for ages.

Sorry about the cold Beans. Feel better soon. Did your other two come early or late?

Any news on the house Nolda. I like it, it looks very spacious. Is it very near where you live now?

Our new au pair arrived last night. She is soooooo young and has never really left her small German village. She looked utterly overwhelmed. It's DD1's birthday party this morn so that's not going to do much to settle her.

Arti, DD1 was 1 day early and DD2, 5 days... Here's to hoping...

I agree Indith. I had a lovely lovely time in hospital with first two, so am not biased against it at all. Just didnt really fancy our local one and after 2 easy (in as much as any can be considered nice or easy!,) births, a home birth just seems convenient! And more midwives than I had in hospital!

Arti, a party is probably quite a good way of introducing her to the way of life in your family. Not too intense getting to know you, plenty of jobs to do to keep busy, plenty of holding baby whilst you do the hard things like the candles. Your cake looked fab. I always run out of time so end up doing the famous Sybil number made out of chocolate buttons. This year will be better.

Agree with Indith about births. Too posh to push myself, but go you to everyone who isn't, whether at home or in the hospital. And you get a gorgeous squishy baby at the end by whichever method. How fine is that?

Beans, sorry about your snot. There is a lot of it about - change in temperature and all that, back to school, new germs etc. It will have settled for Tuesday and the baby.

Tomorrow is a glorious day in the Towers. I will have the first day for 8.5 years when all my chicks are out and I am home alone with my thoughts and a pile of washing. Obviously I've had lots of days away from them (and they from me) but this is the start of a new era. 2 days a week with no job and no kids til 3.30. Wow. What will I do with myself? Well, I've already arranged a swimming date, a lunch date and a coffee date for tomorrow so I don't think I'll be lonely. Must try not to spend too much cash though.

Ooh, enjoy DD's party, Arti.
I'm leaky again this morning, but am not sure if its waters or grossness. Ad it's in real dribs and drabs, not a steady flow like with DD2. So am not racing to call anyone. It does smell quite sweet though... Bleugh.

Dribs and drabs can be waters. Took me a whole day to realise what it was with ds2 as they had only ever gone in labour before! I'd see how you go a bit longer and maybe this afternoon if you can get someone to sit with the big ones give the hospital a ring to get checked over. What they should do is pop you on the monitor for around half an hour to make sure baby is still happy and assess you to see if it is your waters. They might get their answer jsut from looking at your pad or they might do a speculum exam to see if they can see anything draining from your cervix. If all is well, your waters are clear then you'll get sent home to await labour BUT the NICE guideline is to induce 24 hours after waters breaking and they will also talk about giving antibiotics in labour just in case of an infection. So obviously you take the time that your "realised" is was waters and phoned them as that time . You can also argue for expectant management and refuse both induction and antibiotics. Personally when I was in that position with ds2 I would have accepted induction just because I was 2 weeks over, knackered and I knew I wold have childcare that day! I'd have refused antibiotics unless there was a definite sign of needing them though. You will be given temperature dots to take your temp every 4 hours as a raised temp would be the first sign of infection. So long as baby still happy and temp is stable then it is highly unlikely that there is an infection present, especially if you have been careful. No sex, shower don't bath, don't stick anything up there or try to feel your cervix or anything. If they do an exam in hospital make sure they wear sterile gloves not the ones from a box.

Arti hope the party goes well, hopefully it will help the AP feel welcome rather than scared! Ds2 loves the childminder, he has a great time there, as do the otehrs. She is a gem. Dh isn't toooo bad. He cooks some of the time and does pick ups and drop offs and stuff. he has yet to remember how to work a hoover, mop a floor or put the washing machine on though. I have 2 weeks of night coming up, I shudder to think what state the house will be in by the end of those!

sybil how ever will you cope? Enjoy those quiet days!

Hose of snot here too. Ds2 is very snotty grumpy. Ds1 and dd both sniffing away and I am all snotty, headachy and sinusy. Needs to clear up today as I'm on labour ward tomorrow. Weather supposed to be shit today so I've made waffle batter for later. Ds1 and dd have rugby this morning so dh will take them (he coaches) and ds2 and me will sit and snuggle and feel sorry for ourselves.

Well, Beans, if your waters are going today, then this is excellent timing for Tuesday. Just don't get going too soon. I don't want you having a long labour or, worse, having to cross your leg to stop the baby falling out on the 16th. A deal is a deal.

DD1 is going to the shop on her own to buy milk. She is 8. Only 1 road to cross. Am tempted to follow her but she needs to feel that we trust her.

Wow, Indith, thanks so much for that advice. Really appreciate it enormously! Will keep it all in mind and use it. I am thinking it probably isn't waters as seems to have stopped now and isn't even happening during wees and stuff. Yawn!

Gosh, grown up DD1, Sybs!

She made it with papers and milk in fifteen minutes. Superstar. Grown up though. I am am bit helicopter but need to back off.

DH has said that i can go to a party in York (overnight on my own) in November and - get this - 5 days in Majorca in May ON MY OWN. The sister of my dear friend who died wants to go and have a happy girl time with me and the friend I went to see in Edinburgh. Their family had a villa out there fore 30 years and her parents are buried there so it holds lots of special memories for her. I had lots of holidays at the villa too - much naked swimming after 400 bottles of cava and dancing round the pool. I suspect we may not be doing as much of that now we are older but the break will be fab nonetheless.

Hang on in there baby Beans.

Indith you are so wise and helpful. I'd love to have you as my midwife. You would be such a calm and reassuring presence.

Arti how is AP settling in today?

Are we ever going to have our meet up? I am longing to see you all (well the SE ladies anyway). Arti, I am going to fix a curtain date to come over your way (a Mon or a Fri) so I hope we can hook up too. And Beans, I will swing over to you to worship the babe once s/he is finally here.

Am in such a good mood, even though the sun has gone in. Long may it last.

Gosh that is grown up Sybs. I've been wondering recently if I could shoot up to the veggie guy and the butcher who are literally 2 mins away on our block (ok and the booze shop that is next to the butcher) & leave the boys in here as ds1 is 8 now and quite a grown up 8. But I'm too scared someone will come to the door or something will catch on fire. Maybe I should just send him up the road for some apples, sausages (& prosecco).

Looking forward to see how the AP works out Arti. I also think dealing with the party today will be a good thing. Just really utilise her, make her feel needed get her running off to grab something from the fridge, or cutting stuff, plus watching the kids. It will make her feel useful and used to working with you & taking orders (tried to say that without sounding like some southern laydee sorting out the new 'help').

Indith you are amazing I really admire you. I feel completely held down with just the two assignments and coursework I have per term. Also I meant to say well done on your cervix assessment skills. Something I never thought I would say to a female friend.

Speaking of assessments I'm going to have to clock off here for a few days I really need to get this essay done. DH is taking the boys out this afternoon so hopefully will get something done this afternoon. But it is due Friday and I am losing Monday and Tuesday because the boys are off due to a pupil free day and the opening of parliament and the kings budget reading on Tuesday (sounds quite different saying King).

Heys Rubs you've gotta admit you wouldn't want to give birth in your work place? Haha though ironically my work place is now my home hahahaaaaa

Beans, I had a lot of strange slimy stuff for two days before DS was born.

Sybil, enjoy your new freedom! I hope DD1's solo trip went well.

Arti, hope the party is going well. Loved the cake.

Yes, we did exchange on Friday. Yay! But I didn't hear until after 5 in the middle of cooking etc. The completion date is 31 Oct. we are currently staying at my mother's house at weekends and a Travelodge during the week so the children can get to school OK. Hopefully, we'll all survive until then.