Jan '07 part 25: Tell our families that they may take our social lives, but they'll never take our FRREEEEEDOMMMMM!

[2Happy]

Now paint your face blue, and stick your tongue out at the world - end especially the half-wit-mid-life-crisis-lacking-common-sense-PMT-suffering-eejits we otherwise call men.

eandh, ratbunny, susie, UD - this one's for you

Wow UD - thats exciting news!
Do you qualify for maternity leave?

Now would be a good time to get a nice big house by the sea side don't you think?!

One of my neighbours has got a 3 month DS and a 2 year old DD and apart from being as organised as possible she hasn't found DD had any probs adapting to having a baby in the house. ( to answer Mr UD's query on other thread)

xxx

ps - anyone know (EAH???) where that list of who we reckoned was going to get 'up the duff' next is?! - I'm sure there was one!

doh -

Wilkie
Rgee
SusieCB
UD

Hmm, so EAH had you down as number 4 on the list....what about you other 3?!

Ahhh, would love to be pg...

(and no I'm not by the way)

I reckon UD is 5 weeks

Had a text from suzy over the weekend, her internet buggered at the mo. Shes home and her dh been home part of last week and all this week, shes going into hospital at 2pm for day surgery (injections in her back to relieve some of the pain, depends how she gets on with desation whether she is home tonight or tomorrow) All seems good between her and dh at the mo and she said to say 'hi'.

I have just had my hair cut in a impromptu spare of the moment decision and booked ellie
in for her to have wash,cut and blowdry on monday - she'll love it as its a super poncy salon and they'll pamper her!

I think i'm about 6 weeks. The bleed was quite heavy, reddish-brown blood (sorry if TMI!!)

But i'd quite like to be 11 weeks+ - my work trousers are getting a bit tight (i thought i'd just been eating all the pies) and i felt some stomach things the other week that i thought at the time, "Ooh, if i was pregnant those would be movements!" But who knows - maybe i'm just kidding myself!

How long did you bleed for UD?

An afternoon? I know i put a tampon in (thinking i was on my AF) and it was quite used when i took it out - but then i didn't bleed anymore, which i thought was odd at the time.

I don't think it was a mc, because if i had miscarried at that point i wouldn't be getting a BFP, would i?

I had a big bleed with Hattie around 6 weeks, thought I was mc again but it stopped after an hour but soaked through 2 pads, obviously everything was fine (and she is charging around the lounge with a buggy and trying to clip E's ankles)

When I had the m/c's I had a lot of lower stomach/lower back pain and cramping and steady bleeding for around 48hours then started to ease off

No, it doesn't sound like a m/c but I still showed up BFP two weeks after mine.

However, I bled with J for two weeks and then two days before my 12 week scan but not enough to soak a pad. Just rusty red blood.

It will be great once you have had your scan and know more.

Are you happy about it? Are things more stable with DH?

Hi everyone

Well im just about ready for our hols, packing is done lawns are mowed just a good old clean tomorrow and then I can go away knowing my house is tidy. My friend is coming round this evening to do my nails and toenails and wax my bits . She makes me sick she is a little skinny size 6 !!!!!!!!!!!! I am a skinny six with a one in front .

Right well im going to bath the kids then jump in myself I dont want my friend to have to deal with smelly bits

Congrats UD, lets hope you have a scan soon so you can see whats happening for definite.

LAL - happy hols! Think I need to get DH to do that for me before I show everything off in delivery suite. Wish it didn't grow so fast.

DH working late again. He is desperate for the baby to arrive so can have his paternity leave. Even though we will be busy at home we are just looking forward to spending some time together.

Ellen has one of those fabric covered wardrobes in her room that I keep 'open' all the time. We've got a cheap ikea one for the baby that she loves openign the doors and climbing inside. I can see her playing more in the babys room than hers. The baby car seat is there at the moment so she's straight for the straps on that.....easier to keep the door shut for the moment!

WOW Congratulations UD!! Thats amazing. (I'm so jealous... )

DP and I have been working on opening our own children's bookshop recently. We've both worked in book retailing for years and years and have decided to try it for ourselves. Independent bookshops do better witha niche market I think, so we chose kids and will have some educational toys and games too. We've picked an affluent area of SW London where hopefully there'll be lots of mums hanging around with babies and lots of money and not much to do. I want it to be a place they can come and be comfortable and want to spend time in. SO, I want all your opinions on childrens books... good ones, bad ones and what you love and hate about bookshops!! You guys are my market research!

OMG I'm still not over your news UD! Has it sunk in yet?

Shimmer - no, it hasn't really sunk in! Although i'm sure i could feel movements today, it was probably just wind though!

Our local bookshop has a little aquarium with a few goldfish and neons in - it's not much but Z sits in his buggy transfixed for hours while i have a good browse!! I hate book buses and special little kids seats though, they're always filthy and you always see out of control children climbing all over it and wrecking it and the books!

I'll try and think of some more things! Why don't you start a thread on the children's fiction topic, or on the self-employed perhaps?

Shimmer - how exciting!! Are you gonna have facility for people to sit and have a drink? If so, make sure the children - young and old - are catered for.

Make sure there is a baby change facility that is kept nice and clean

Books wise - god there are SO MANY! I would definitely ask the wider MN audience on the Book thread.

I think it is a fantastic idea - also agree with UD about the fish tank although would steer clear of tropical as they are more hassle than they are worth (am converting mine to coldwater for this reason).

Why not have one day a week where you get a face painter in or something?

You could have a story reading time too once a week and maybe music session?

I'll think of more...

Shimmer - you HAVE to come to Eastbourne for the day so I can show you our local bookshop. You can meet LTH and I for lunch so we can show it to you. Its truly FABULOUS!
Its called Mr & Mrs Doags (the owners name) Bumper Bookshop for children. Its been open for about 18 months or so, it has a little tea room in the back. Regular storytimes, arts and craft classes, competitions all kinds of things. Plus it has a bit full of charlie and lola gifts and another bit full of 'faux' cath kidston gifts. Its wonderful and I love it!
Please come down for the day! Its not that hard. The train goes straight from Vitoria to Eastbourne and takes about 1 hours 20 mins or so.
xxx

here is their crap website!

ps - Rgee & Wilks - I got a Buzz Campaign!!! very excited

this could be useful...£12 jeans for UD?!

I burned my old maternity jeans! I was so so so so sick of them by the time Z was born. I quite like H&M for maternity clothes!

Which did you get Lizz? I am doing Appletiser and then got offered a book this morning which I turned down cos I haven't got time to read it!!

activia yoghurt! (i lurve a good freebie) not sure how they will send yohurt to me though...

Shimmer - that sounds fantastic, we have a local one that has small cafe area plus tuesday morning is preschool ryhme and story sessions and tuesday afternoon they run baby yoga in a room upstairs!

I used to love going when I just had Ellie, I sort of run out of time to take Hattie as have to do preschool drop off andpick up.

I know they often have local authors in doing readings and they had a horrid henry afternoon the other week as I went to take Ellie but it was heaving (the author was reading chapters from latest book)

I have had a weird few days Ellie came home from preschool yesterday moaning about headache and fell asleep, my Dad popped round I felt really queasy and laid on sofa and slept for 2 hours dh came home in the midst of all this and tidied up cut the grass and entertained Hattie (Ellie was snuggled up with me) I woke up and felt fine but E refused to eat all day and went to bed at 5pm and slept through till 5.45 this morning and is fine now

Got friend and godaughter coming for lunch so I have been busy, amde sandwiches for kids and garlic prawn salad for us (made fresh rolls to bake to go with it) also made a choc fudge cake and 2 shepherds pie (one for tonight and one for freezer) and peeled all the veg for dinner tonight, now I have half an hour on here before picking E up again

happy birthday ratbunny

chuck us some chocolate fudge cake EAH!
Happy Birthday Ratbunny - what are you doing today?

My neighour was scheduled for her C-section this morning at 6.45am and went into hospital at 3am in pain. Her MIL is looking after her DS1 and hasn't heard anything from them yet...how long does a C-section take?
Hope shes ok.