The 10th Gemini bus - 2nd Christmas stop

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I'm so lucky to continue to have you ladies to chat to Let's all have a merry Christmas and an even happier 2015!

So sorry to hear that pear I know words from a strange lady online won't fix it, but please know that I'm thinking of you.

We've got a paddling pool up and I think that I end up being more wet from all the splashing and squirting with the water guns than the kids! It's been super hot here lately too so we've been outside as much as possible and thankfully it's keeping them entertained for longer than 15 minutes (as that seems to be the entertained-limit that M gets to).

Absolutely nothing wrong with taking the little ones out of preschool if you're not happy or you can tell they're not happy! M got pulled out of Montessori because she clearly wasn't having a great time, she was a mess when she'd get home afterward.

Nothing too exciting to report over here. Leaving for the UK for another ridiculously-expensive-family-reunion again in about 5 weeks. Looking forward to our stop over in Iceland, but trying to just not even think about the time we have to stay with the entire extended family in a rented cottage (with DH's step-sis who drives me MENTAL because she thinks that she's the first person who's ever had a baby, and also loves to dish out parenting advice even though her kid is a whopping 16 months old). Ugh. I start getting crabby even just thinking about the whole ordeal. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

Bring - hahahh words from a strange lady online made me at least smile Aww your paddling pool adventures with the kids sound fun and you're 1 brave lady taking the kids on a plane again! I bet you'd tell me that the plane part is probably the easiest bit of your journey!

Thanks Lor! I too really thought it was my month. Guess not.

So, I'm thinking about taking Vitex Agnus cactus now to help balance my hormones. However, I'm a bit not too sure whether I should. I've noticed this month that my skin is less greasy around OV and AF time and that's probably a good sign that things are balancing by themselves? Maybe I should just give it one more month and then start taking herbal capsules. I've already cut down on sugar. I looked at seeing a local acupuncture but that will cost £60 for the 1 session and £45 thereafter. I'm on my 8th cycle so maybe I should wait until cycle 12 before making drastic changes. I think?!

Have now officially started taking Agnus Cactus. It does not taste nice

Agnu - is your name linked to Agnus Cactus?

What's it surposed to do pear? Sorry this month wasn't the one do you think your kits etc are getting your ov wrong? Seams like it's saying really late on in your cycle but then your af has come much sooner then 2weeks after hasn't it?
One of my friends had her second yesterday and I'm soooo jeleous feeling very broody and sad I know it won't happen despite the fact kitten was a little shit yesterday, first time I've really fallen out with her!

Kitty - the Agnus Cactus is meant to balance your hormones. Online research says it can help regulate cycles but you know I am still sceptical. Anyway, they're in my cupboard for now. I've stopped taking them because I've made a doctors appointment to see someone this week to ask for a prolactin blood test. I just want to see whether long term bf has had an effect on my hormones which I suspect it has.

Oh and I'm sorry for that broody feeling. It must be really hard when you want dc3 but feel torn! It must have been a very cute baby if Kitten was playing up

Kitty - lastly I think the opk tests are right because AF is arriving 12 days after and I am dtd several days before I see a smiley face so if it was earlier then I should technically catch an egg. The months I ovulate late my cycles are longer. This month was 36 days were as the previous month was 26. It's a different length every month.

Morning! Hope everyone is having a good weekend?

We've turned the sand table into just water so we now have a much calmer but wetter environment without rules now DH has now spray painted 1/3 of the house. It's taking forever but these things always do!!

I saw the doctor and he's offered me progesterone tests to check that I'm ovulating. He agrees that it's probably just a matter of time but it's nice to know I can have the tests a week later after seeing a peak on the cb sticks. It feels like I'm doing something and can now be a bit calmer about the situation as I've accepted there's no more I can do and I just have to roll with it...not always easy to remember when I'm surrounded by so many friends with dc2 or reading announcements in the media of a pending dc2. Anyway, I'm more comfortable about the situation now and the bitter side has certainly subsided which I'm very relieved about as that's not me at all

How is everyone else?

Oh and I'm back on the Agnus Cactus. Hoping it has a quick effect to shorten my cycle this month as I could do without another 36 day cycle!!

Hey Pear, glad you were able to speak with someone and just confirm some things that have been thinking about regarding your fertility. It is so hard to not feel disappointed when you are seeing practically everyone around you experiencing the sole thing you'd like in life right now! I don't know much about Angus Cactus.... I shall go google it now in fact!

Bridesmaid dress shopping this afternoon. Joy. My future SIL is proposing gold sequenced dresses for her Christmas wedding . My sisters and I already have a yellow undertone to our skin and gold is a color we 3 steer clear from, so this should be an interesting experience. My youngest sister also have no problem with informing everyone complaining about exactly what she thinks about things so I'm really looking forward to needing to be the older and wiser sister and telling her to just STFU because it's not her wedding. So hey! Yay, the big day of fun.

How is everyone else doing?

Holy cow, can I just apologise for my horrible grammar this morning? Yikes, sorry about that. Better go get another cup of coffee!

Omg seriously??? Gold sequin dresses...wow Oooooo to be a bride again and get away with ANYTHING your heart desires I made my bridesmaids wear canary yellow I swear they all looked stunning though! I'm pretty sure they won't keen at first though Is it a long or short sequin dress? Makes me think of that film 21 dresses!! Love that film

Well, we got out of that one! The dresses we tried on were long with a wrap effect on the front. They were horrible. Super heavy, the sequin were scratching our arms right away when we put them on so we were really not happy at the thought of wearing them for hours and rubbing our arms raw and the tipping point where we were able to come to a compromise was when the dresses were $375 and they didn't think the dresses would come in until 3 weeks before the wedding! So we had a different appointment at another bridal salon and we found some gorgeous black dresses that were a cool $168, very comfortable and they were very flattering on everyone. The bride liked them and was very happy with the result. So instead of gold dresses we are wearing the black with some gold-accented beaded sashes. Here's the dress we are wearing... here A plus was that my sister was too hung over to care and so was making minimal fuss.

bring when I first read "gold sequined dresses" I thought you meant for M! That would be just about acceptable but no adult should ever be dressed in sequins against their will! I'm quite glad I didn't have many friends at about the time most people seemed to be getting married so I was never asked to be a bridesmaid! I've done it once for my aunt but that was fairly painless. My little sister may ask me if she ever decides to get married but I can be honest with her. She had to put up with whatever SIL decided when she was a bridesmaid for her I wasn't asked, I haven't forgotten that fact so I'm sure she'll be reasonable if/when her turn comes!

Glad you're feeling a little more positive pear it must be so frustrating to feel like your body just isn't doing what you tell it to! Fx the tests can give you some reassurance & that it's just a matter of time until you get that BFP!

We had our last ever toddler group this morning. We've been running the group for 3 years but numbers are a bit low now & the decision has been made to re-combine with the group we were an offshoot from. It makes sense but does mean that I won't be running it with my lovely team of friends anymore & we couldn't go to the other group because they're firm about their 3yo cut off point. Still, on to new pastures etc...! I'm desperately trying not to dwell on it but I did get a bit wibbly when we were singing our goodbye song at the end!

Oooh, beautiful dress bring! I was so hoping to see photos of you in the sequin dress though!

Just noticed we've nearly filled this thread up... I'll start another one now...

New thread

Love that dress! Very classy and I can see how it would flatter pretty-much everyone.

I've never been a bridesmaid either. A lot of my friends in London aren't married. I was my sister's 'official witness' and kind of bridesmaid but there wasn't much to it. She also told me to buy myself a dress, of any kind, as long as it was floor length and was block colours (ie no big patterns or florals). Loved the dress I wore.