June 08: I see it, I want it, it's mine!

[spongebrainmaternitypants]

Welcome to our new thread .

Viva, that is very kind of you to offer, thank you. As long as the nursery opens before I start work, all should be fine.

Amber yes we are a single jab family here, all three have had the singles rather than the mmr.

Poppy Oooh, Hong Kong and a wedding, lovely. Edie not being able to walk may be a good thing. J would be charging all over the place, climbing everything in sight and generally making me red-faced and flustered by chasing after him. At least you won't have this.

Fingers crossed for you Viva. Hopefully all will be injury free and you can usefully spend your time mumsnetting.

Hi, I've just been lurking as I'm exhausted at the moment. Fraser's been ill (weird rash and very grumpy) and DH is offshore (of course). Normally the boys are really easy going but fraser's been demanding attention all the time and then DS1 has been feeling left out. I can't win! But Fraser's doing better now and only one more day until Monday (yeah for pre-school!) so I'll survive until DH gets home early next week (fingers crossed).

Amber, hmm, your GP didn't seem to helpful, I hope you're feeling okay.

I know I've missed a bunch more conversations, but I'm off to sleep... Maybe if Fraser's in a better mood tomorrow he'll let me catch up with you all.

abdeen, sorry to hear fraser has been ill, but that's good he's on the better side of it now. It's quiet around here this morning, is everyone having a lie-in?

We had a lie in - 8am! Doesn't quite make up for the 3 hours sleep on thursday night though... Am feeling a bit crap this w/e which is related to my mirena coil woes as still haven't been to the docs. Must, must, must arrange an appointment.

Despite the grey skies and wind we're off to the zoo. I've got my waterproof jacket to try out and I want to make the most of the annual zoo membership we bought!

Abdn how are you this morning? Is Fraser any better. Amber, is Luke improving at all?

Oh, I've now bought two tops for S on eBay! I can see how people get addicted. No 99p bundles have caught my eye, but a nice JL top and a Boden sweatshirt are hopefully on their way to me in good condition!

Hi, haven't got time to catch up as off to assemble some IKEA furniture and prepare the nursery, but just a quick wave to fellow e-bay addict BDQ!

Hello! Here, reading, being a bit busy with laundry and the stupid weather.

Epidural - well, there was no way I wasn't having one, being the biggest wimp around. (When brave Sponge steps aside I'm the pathetic wimp in her shadow. ) It was the best. I also did not feel the needle going in, not at all, and I had a cracking good epidural - it seems there are different styles of epiduralling. I fail to understand why anyone would be against them, really - if I wanted a 'natural' birth I'd go and crouch in a cave somewhere and take my chances. Mind you, even if I hadn't had an epidural for the birth (and it wasn't topped up because I decided against it - something I still can't believe and it must be down to some other braver person occupying my body during the pushing stage) I would have been forced to have one afterwards because my placenta didn't come out, and I had a spinal block for the delightful 'manual removal'. Ugh!

Iestyn's had his second haircut this week! He has rather a lot of hair, and it's extremely fair. Seriously, loads of children have fair hair, but Iestyn's a bit of a shock horror platinum blonde, peroxide style. Seriously, that's all I ever get - at the supermarket, at church, petrol stations... 'isn't he fair?! Always accompanied by suspicious looks because Tim and I are dark, and have produced this strange Aryan child. But god, his hair (when it's cut) is like gold. Gorgeous!

@ her brave chum Essie!

We get the same thing re: the blonde hair - although when I'm feeling particularly cruel I do like to put on a serious face and tell people they gave us the wrong embryo !

Seriously though, how someone as dark as me could have produced a blonde haired blue eyed hair baby god only knows! Matt is slightly fairer, but still . . . . .

On the blonde chat - DH was very blonde as a young child and his hair would be near enough black now if he hadn't starting greying so prematurely!

Have discovered that an assignment needs to be in by the 15th and no idea how I'll fit it in as away at DN's 2nd bday next w/e. Crumbs.

I have just watched the first episode of Wuthering Heights which I sky plussed and think I am in love with Tom Hardy who plays Heathcliffe.

Fraser's almost 100% better (thanks for asking allnew and bdq) so life is more under control and DH is supposed to be home tomorrow night. I'm proud of myself for handling things a bit better this time - less yelling and crying and more cuddles. Amber hats off to you, Fraser's only been ill for two nights and it's been so hard!

Fraser is super-fair too, almost white, but I'm a very dark blonde (DH says it's light brown but I ignore him because that would mean yet another way I don't look like my 20yr old self) so it's not too surprising. My brother has white hair and it's never really darkened. He got the long eyelashes too.

I love love loved my epidural with DS1, and i was coping so poorly with the pain before I had it that I feel like it put me back into control and allowed me to bond and celebrate DS1's arrival. I didn't feel the needle at all but I think you could have cut off a limb and I wouldn't have noticed.

With DS2 there wasn't time for the epidural which is the only reason I didn't get it. And I can tell you that needing an epidural does not mean you're a wimp - Fraser's birth was so much easier that it really made me feel better about the first time around. I did well to last as long as I did with that hellish pain!!! I hate childbirth.

aww -all this blonde talk is so cute - edie not that fair but then again I don't think she looks particularly like either of us (does anyone else get sick of the qeustion who does she look like)? Had really nice day hanging out at home and having another one tomorrow - took edie to feed the ducks and it was soo cute (even though she preferred to eat the bread) -she gets so excited to see any kind of bird even a pigeon.

Ah - glad duncan is better as that sounded painful.

amber - am impressed you have your own stuff on sky plus -in between tikkabilla and little einsteins and rugby I don't get much chance to record stuff (plus I'm dead keen to get back into reading - am irritated as halfway through a fantastic book by sarah dunant and havent had a chance to read it since friday).

Sponge -opted out of going on uni recce today with dss so he could do some daddy bonding without a small person yelling duck at both of them (we have some words but duck seems most popluar) but will be down again in next couple of weeks so will try and catch up then. Plus I think I'd have been a gooseberry with your ikea time.

I think we're doing Ikea today as well - going to see if there's anything we like in preparation for the new house. Will also check out the wooden toys for B of course!

Amber, I'm of Wuthering Heights. Shitty STV here in its wisdom is having some sort of hoo ha with ITV, and has axed a load of new drama from the Scottish schedules - so no WH for us, or several other things. Madness. I know I can watch it online, but it's just not the same! Gah! Hoping they'll repeat it on ITV2 at some point, or even ITV - if I'd been more on the ball, I could have fired up our old Sky box I think to watch it. Rant rant rant.

Abdn, glad Fraser is almost better.

BDQ, I was looking at your pics on FB - love the one of S with his cheesy dippers! - and as well as matching shoes, I think we now have matching Berghaus waterproofs!

Oh before I forget - I looked at Boden and they have some really nice things but most of all I loved the create your own outfit thingy. For those who haven't seen it, it's a pic of a woman in her undercrackers and you select items of clothing and dress her. Made loads of nice outfits for their size 8 model although would probably look hideous on size 16 me! Maybe they should have a choice of bodies too including buttons to press to make it's tummy/boobs bigger. At least you might then get an idea of what the outfit would look like on you!

Whinegums - Wuthering Heights - mmmm that's where the two main characters fell in love in real life so it was full of sexual tension! Hope you get to see it.

Poppy - Luke also loves birds and points at every one he sees and goes 'ugh' (caveman ughs and arghs are pretty much all Luke can do in terms of communication). He seems to like pigeons best bizzarely. He usually tries to catch them in the park!

Aberdeen - glad Fraser is better. It's rubbish having sick kids. It is worse having a sick adult male though. Mark now has flu and is in bed at home. Will probably have to call him an ambulance later. Luke is much better now and only has the runny nose and a few spots. He still can't breathe though.

If Luke had come out blond I would have been very surprised and I think Mark may have called up Jeremy Kyle for a DNA!

that outfit maker seems like a bad idea to me, I just tried to make an outfit and ended up at over £500. It was enough to make me exit the site entirely! Far better to suck you in buying one thing I'd have thought...

And that model must be a size six - at least in the thighs. Buying trousers online is always impossible as the models don't really show how things hang off generous curves.

Amber is it real flu not just man flu? Uggh!

Yes Mark really does have flu! I think the outfit maker is better to pretend you are a personal stylist ratehr than to actually purchase outfits!

Abdn, sorry that Fraser has been ill. I hate it when they are, and always get convinced that every rash is meningitis. I mean, whyat is the glass thing supposed to show!

Amber, sorry that Mark has been ill. Was lurking but missing the ending of your house. Was your offer accepted on the house in the end?

Essie, I would second the fact that Iestyn has gorgeous hair! But you're not that dark - well, you're fairer than me - and look at Dorothy!

Alipalli, love the Peterish idea.

Whinegums, I hope the nusery sorts out. I go back a week today. What about you?

Debs, thought you were magnificent on TV! I hope you find a nice house.

Walking, Dorothy's not walking yet either - she has Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (spotted at the hospital baby check when her left hip clicked.) She has it very mildly, but we're not expecting her to walk for a few months as she doesn't like putting weight on her left hip.

We've been settling her into nursery and she's loving it. Also seeing all the other kids waolking has inspired her to practise pushing her trolley around, so she's certianly strengthening her muscles.

The worst at the moment is that she's constipated. She hasn't been since Thursday, has had Lactulose from the Doctors and vast quantities of prune juice, so I'm hoping something will appear soon ... (some grunting now so hopefully)

Hi everyone,

Am working from home today but feeling a bit poorly so don't think I'll be getting much done. Need to try and shake it off though so I can get my assignment done!

On the glass test, it really is a bit of a life saver. I've had both meningitis and septicemia together and nearly died because it was diagnosed so late. S has had a few viral rashes which scared the life out of me but the glass test was very reassuring.

UDC great to hear D is settling into nursery well and that she's been inspired to practice walking with her walker. A friend's baby had some hip problems at birth and had to wear some kind of brace thing (which is off now) and they're not expecting her to walk for another few months either.

Amber and Abdn don't be buying anything full price on Boden - MN is full of codes! I'm turning into a bit of a Boden addict, but only because I've got such a good deal every time I've bought something.

S loves birds too. In fact its a great distraction tool. If he gets upset at something we cry 'oh look there's a birdie' and he rushes to the window to have a look.

I'm very miffed at missing out at Wuthering Heights too whinegums. Bloody STV. I didn't read about it till afterwards either which is annoying as I could probably have found an English ITV channel on Sky. How's things with the nursery going? Fingers crossed it all gets sorted in time. Thanks for comments on the pics by the way!

I'm a bit cross with my ebay adventures Sponge. I had the highest bid on something with 5 mins to go and went off to do something else. I then discovered that I 'didn't win', but funnily I didn't get a 'you've been outbid' message on either my ipod (the ebay app is very clever) or in my email. Just that I didn't win. It was a really cheap bundle of tops too and I would have happily upped my bid.

Right, I think I'll go and lie down for a bit and try and shake off my headache and general poorly-ness.

BDQ - www.auctionsniper.com it bids on your behalf and puts in a bid 1p more than the highest bid 1 second before it closes so you always win! It's brilliant.

UDC - hello long time no see! Yes our offer has been accepted and we are in the process of buying it at the moment (although last week in the flat - eek!!)

So I was sniped?! That's cheating! . But clever! So how does it work? Can you put a limit on what it'll bid for you? What if they have two people trying to snipe the same item? Do they charge for the service?

whinegums meant to say earlier - what fabulous taste you have in coats and shoes! DH has a few Saturdays later in the year he has to work so thinking I could do a wee trip to Glasgow then...

Uh uh BDQ, I spy an Ebay addiction beginning!!! And what fabulous taste you have too . Yes, DP is also working a lot of Saturdays, so come on through!

Upsidedowncake, nice to see you. I start work in two weeks time, I'm expecting to hear from the nursery this Wednesday about when they're going to open. It is very annoying. Good to hear Dorothy is settling well.

Just a quick one to mark my spot.

Busy day here. We met up with friends at Beale Park which is a mini zoo / kiddie friendly place near Reading. We had a great time. P is getting very good in his new shoes. He ran around so much that he fell asleep in my arms on the mini train. A contrast to the other kids who were all mega excited about the train ride. Felt very sorry for one friend whose DH gives her a hard time about her post baby weight (which is negligible). She had a full fat coke and said that she could not have it if her DH was there as he would give her a "look". . This is the kind of thing to bring out the feminist in me.

Better go, dinner nearly ready.

BDQ - auctionsniper does charge but it's a couple of pence. You tell it what your maximum is and whatever the bid is at -1 second, it adds 1p from you and you win it. It'll never bid more than your maximum. Try it!

ALi, it's been so long since Luke fell asleep in my arms - I miss it!
whinegums - how are you feeling about going back to work?

I am getting some hormone checks done at my docs. They did the first one today and I have to have the other done on day 21 of my cycle. I hope they come up normal and then I can just blame the wrong day on my lack of success in the preggo department. Started using the monitor this cycle so let's see how it goes this month. Fingers crossed x

Thanks Amber I'll investigate!