Issy's graduates (Bella, Blue, Head, Jumping, Irish, Wasabi, Girl, Sunny) here to give advice and swap tips

[bluesatinsash]

Ta da!

Hope this shakes a few of us out of where we're languishing these days .

Let this be the one-stop shop into everything that is the crazy, wonderful, sleep and sanity deprived world of bringing up baby

So I had my first doctor's appointmnt today - well saw the nurse and got the bloods done, BP, weight, urine etc. All done now thank God. I am such a muppet the only thing that properly freaks me out is getting my blood taken.

All is going well - 6 + 4 today. Nausea isn't as bad as last time yet - although I've probably just jinxed myself.

Right I'm heading off - hope you are all ok and talk to you soon

Hi all I?m still here, honest. I think I?ll skip the bit where I post about me and go straight into personals as, frankly, you all seem to have had a far more interesting few weeks than me.

Rogue Sqqqquuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! I am quite ridiculously excited and happy for you. Like some of the others I will of course be clucking all over the place and displacing my broodiness on you. No pressure. You know it?s times like this that I wish I could knit. So you?re getting on for 7 weeks now? Wow. I hope you are feeling ok (but not 100% ok IYSWIM). Being pregnant with a 9 month old babe is pretty challenging. On the upside you?ll barely notice the gap between maternity leave one and two.

Also, a very belated happy birthday to you. 31 is an excellent age. I can say hand on heart that I have enjoyed my thirties more than any preceeding decade. I find that I care less for the opinions of random others like work colleagues but significant relationships and friendships have deepened and that balance has made me very content, despite all the usual day to day stresses and panics. And at 31 you will still look hot in your new frocks!
Btw, I never bothered with pre walkers for mine. I had the same Jo Jo Maman little soft leather pram shoes for Fred as Head had for F but I never bothered with Clara as whenever we went out she would have her feet covered up with the buggy snuggler. By the time she eventually figured out how to walk we were over the worst of winter. I took her out and about in her slippers a lot of the time as she never really wanted to walk around outside. I eventually forked out for shoes several months ago although she refused to wear them for weeks. She still prefers bare feet anyway, even in the back garden. My little hippy baby. Maybe I should call her Moonbeam.
Oooh yes and congrats on your driving test too!

Jumping You?re back! I?m sorry to hear that your DD struggled with a bug but also happy that she managed to fight it off without hospital assistance. Ffion sounds like a joy. The ?Kick it? line made me chuckle. I imagine your house as a bit chaotic (with 3 children how could it not be?) but bursting with love and warmth.

I?m sorry to hear that things are tough financially. I?d love to offer budgeting tips but by the sounds of it you could teach me a thing or two. All I know is that every week I find myself thinking ?f**king hell, how much?? when I am told how much I owe in Sainbury?s. I meal plan meticulously, stick to lists, use what we have, cook from scratch, we grow a lot ourselves etc. and it?s still really expensive. We used to be Waitrose devotees when we lived in our last house but that?s long gone out the window, possibly due to our mortgage doubling in size when we moved. We visited some friends in Dublin a couple of weeks ago and gratefully accepted a load of lovely hand me downs from their elder kids. I seem to be thinking all the time of ways not to spend cash. Mind you, one of our cats got hit by a car several weeks ago and that cost us a fortune. No insurance (DH forgot to renew) and spinal surgery was required. Go figure. Bertie is one lucky cat. Because of him our new bathroom is now somewhat further down the agenda than it was.

However, I might be able to help on the night working stuff. It is incredibly difficult, make no mistake. The fact is you cannot do it all ? something has to go. If you are to have a work night you need to start as soon as the DC?s are settled which means that laundry/lunches/tidying etc. need to become someone elses problem. When I have to work in the evening I set DH?s expectations accordingly. It sounds brutal but IME it is the only way. When I have a big glut of work I maintain what I like to call the basic domestic service. I keep the bathrooms and kitchen clean and make sure clothes are washed and dried but beyond that it either waits or DH does it. Food either takes the form of big casseroles or one pots that I can shove in hours in advance or DH cooks when he gets home from work. Also, I do use my freezer for these times. I always do loads of everything and freeze stuff. I then have a big domestic catch up when things calm down again. In addition to that I try to fit the work in at weekends when DH will happily entertain the children. I have tried sitting down to work after I have done all the tidying, sorted washing, bit of ironing, got supper etc. and it?s all I can do to stay awake, never mind knock out a 1000 words on the security implications of cloud computing.

I hope your job interview went well ? have you had any feedback yet? One day a week sounds like a nice way to ease into a slightly newer area.
Well, this is an enormous post already (as per I hear you cry) so I will come back tomorrow to finish my personals to Blue and Head.

Ok, where was I? Ah yes, Blue Or rather Miss Shiny White Teeth Wishing you a very happy belated birthday too. The big 40 ? sounds like you had a great time and were spoiled with some lovely pressies. The necklace from the boys sounds gorgeous ? not surprised you felt a little emotional! I love your navy dress ? very sophisticated and classic. I?m kind of with you on the maxi dress thing. I have a feeling you are taller than me so would probably wear them a lot better than me but as a mere 5 foot 4 and a bit I look daft in them. I wish this whole maxi thing would go away but it is refusing to!

And now your little Issac has reached the big 5 too! Those ?I love you Mummy? moments are just the best aren?t they? It?s when Freddie gives me a spontaneous hug or kiss or tells me he loves me ?THIS? much that I just melt. He knows it as well though ? crafty little monkey that he is Your boys sound so lovely, playing their Star Wars games together!
You have now joined the iphone club too ? hurrah! I am quite devoted to mine. I like the fact that I can check on mail or take work calls if I am in the park or wherever. The 10 days I was without it for as my friends eventually got round to posting it back from Dublin were really horrid! I hadn?t realised the extent of my addiction. Which are your fave apps?

On the subject of one of our former grads I clocked who she was when I got the Facebook invitation ? I used to read the Evening Standard in my commuting days and used to read her columns. I actually remember her writing a column about MN once several years ago ? made me to remember it. I didn?t say anything at the time as she was so concerned about the possibility of being outed and made to write about stuff she didn?t really want to write about. Have just read the link that Head so kindly provided......

Head You are back too ? hooray! Your naughty teenage kitten sounds just like mine, swanking in at all hours. Be careful though because mine is currently being ?cage rested? for 4 weeks after being run over and fracturing his spine. Poor Bertie. I hope he learns to be a little less adventurous in future but I have a feeling that I am wasting my time. He has made an amazing recovery ? the fact that he is already walking is pretty impressive. He isn?t loving the cage though ? unsurprisingly. He is allowed out in the evenings and during the day when C is napping but my goodness he howls when he has to go back in again. 2 weeks to go hopefully. He has a huge bald patch in his back where they operated. It?s no good for a cats dignity you know!

Well done on the weight loss. Are you doing a low carby sort of thing? I have to say that way of eating works brilliantly for me (I can still eat cheese whch is key to my happiness) and I have managed to keep my weight steady for about 5 months now so I am very happy. I will never be teeny tiny (far too greedy) but am a comfy 12 and that feels like the right place to be. If you need recipe inspiration let me know - I have become quite inventive in the low carb cookery field!

Your job sounds very cool to me. It is such a specialised thing to do ? how did you get into it in the first place? I think I did watch some of your work as we watched the news bulletins on the wedding day because we were out until 7ish then once the kids were in bed and we?d eaten time was ticking on. We did watch the actual wedding itself at the time but no further coverage at all that day as we were partying with the neighbours. That makes it sound a lot more raucous than it actually was.
F sounds like she?s such a cutie pie ? even with her short fringe! Good to hear that the new nanny has been a hit.

All is well here, Dad is on his monitoring program and all is ok at the moment. DH?s several weeks of garden was fab. The children loved having him around all the time and we managed to fit in a week at Centreparcs in Longleat which was nice. Ah how times have changed. There was a time when I wouldn?t stay anywhere unless it has fluffy bathrobes and Molten Brown toiletries but I thoroughly enjoyed 4 nights in a Centreparcs cottage ? as Freddie called it. ?Mummy is that our little cottage?? ?That one? ?Is that one our cottage?? We did explain that all the cottages looked the same but my son is nothing if not persistent. I think cottage is actually a better description of CP accommodation than ?villa ? which seems a little fanciful. From the outside it wouldn?t have looked out of place in a former Eastern European republic. The pool was nice though which is just as well as Freddie never wanted to leave it.

Clara is also fine and dandy ? still a happy little thing provided she is fed and rested to her satisfaction! She is getting a lot more physical too ? loves climbing and being outside. I took them to our local park yesterday which has just had a refurb so there is loads of lovely new kit. The top attraction for Clara was a muddy puddle. I must post the pic on Facebook. I have a few concerns over speech though ? am considering a visit to HV or GP. She says Mama and Dada and ?yeah? but not that clearly and not consistently. The only other discernible word is still tickle which is kind of odd. She can communicate and understand things ? she responds to her name and will follow instructions so I don?t think it?s a hearing issue. For instance if I say ?time for bath? she will head for the stairs and start to climb as soon as I open the gate. Plus if I say something like ?are you ready for lunch?? she will nod and say ?duh.? But she seems to be really behind in general ? all your posts where you share what your 18 months olds are making me more aware of it. I know speech development varies hugely but I?m sure Freddie had a wider vocab at this age but I?m not 100% sure tbh.

I am hoping I am worrying unnecessarily but I can?t help be concerned.
Anyway, another mega post from me so I am signing off.
Big up to Bella and Sunny wherever you are!

Helloooooooooooooooooo

Phew. I think I have just about caught up. sorry my posts have been so sporadic and then just about me and G . Things have been a bit busy, but in a good way so I am not complaining.
First and most importantly, congrats to the roguester yayeee you! I too am enjoying opportunities for vicarious broodiness. Lucky you not havin paralysing morning sickness too. hope you just blosom and bloom and feel amazing all the way though
missblue many happy retunrs. you look AMAZING. must make it easier to have a big birthday when you look so blimmin young and gorgeous!

It has been lovely reading about all your littlies. So much cuteness in the room. sigh.

wasabi i am interested to hear you're concerned about Clara's speech. Her cyber twin G only says 'shoe' or shhhhhhhhhhoe to be precise. he says a few other things that i understand but aren't pronounced properly at all, but I haven't been worried. He seems perfectly 'with it' to me and although i know of two other little girls who were very advanced with speech, like Frankie, everyone else seems to be in the same boat more or less. My mum reckons I didn't speak til I was 3 and she never got worried. She always says to me that by the time they are at school they can all walk, talk and go to the loo on a loo. Also my friend who works in medical research says that early or late talking is not a reliable indicator of intelligence. I think different neurones just spark off and connect at different times. (did that sound like I knew what i was talking about? ;) ).
Are you surrounded by very articulate toddlers? I spose if i was i might be more concerned.
Oh shit. have to go as have left the windows open and buggy outside and it has just started to tip it down.
MOre personals ce soir x

Gah! Just rushing through as off to Majorca tomorrow, well actually off to Madchester as flights are £1,200 cheaper from there but off to Maj on Thurs...

Will catch up properly (maybe not of wasabi proportions tho' ) but just wanted to say don't worry about speech. My Isaac walked at 9 months but gave marselle marsau a good run for his money in the speaking stakes. He could understand three strand instructions "can you please get mummy's towel off the radiator and bring it to me" but only had three words when he was TWO (juice and mama).. Anyhoo been to Speech Therapist who said he was fine, understanding is what matters not actual forming of words, not until they are pre-school... Anyway my marcel is now five and very eloquent and expressive and throws in radio 4 words now and then so yes keep an eye but as Bella's Mum said its no indication of intellegance. FWIW I'm the chatterbos of my sisters and they have a LAW/Matsh degree whereas I don't

Big waves to rogue, hope your pg is moving along uneventfully in the nicest possible way and hey to Head

Laters Senioritas x

Wow it?s been quiet here. Seniorita Blue I have seen your holiday pics on FB ? it all looked fab. I am a little I have to say that I have the utmost sympathy with anyone choosing to holiday in the UK this year ? and I include myself in that sentence. What with DH starting his new job and having to put his nose well and truly to the grindstone, our week at Centerparcs was our sole holiday for the year. It was fun but some sunshine at some point might be nice.

I hope you are making some inroads into the ironing pile! Thanks for the thoughts on speech developments and sharing little Isaacs history. I am now far less concerned than I was ? partly because since I last posted Clara?s speech has been developing but also because she has very clear understanding. If I say ?can you go and get your shoes and bring them to Mummy?? she can comply. I?m sure I?m just flapping over nothing. She does say ?cat? a lot now!

I think I also compare her to Fred too much. He is a very articulate little boy and even manages to use sarcasm to pretty impressive effect. He is so his Mother?s son. Mind you I distinctly remember him being behind his peers for a good while and then catching up almost overnight. I guess his sister is wired the same way. How did your boys get on on holiday? How is little B doing? I can't believe that he, Ffion and Frankie will be 2 before the end of the year! Fred is starting a nursery school in September for 3 hours a day, 5 mornings a week and the whole "proper school" thing as opposed to nursery environment has made me a bit emotional. We tried on his new uniform earlier - I was very close to tears although mainly because all the polo shirts are too bloody small and have to go back. He's had a couple of trial sessions and says he likes it so I guess we'll go with it. It's attached to the school he'll eventually go to (fingers crossed) so it makes sense to ease him in gradually. I'm just really grateful he hung on until September to be born or else I'd be waving him off to proper school this year. Several of his friends checked in a week before and are starting this September. It seems so young. I am very grateful to have another year with my boy before big school.

Bella Lovely to her from you albeit briefly! It?s good to know that our cyber twins seem to be developing on a similar sort of tangent. I hope that it?s all going well for you with the whole work/family shindig.
Well, I?ll spare you one of my mega posts. We?re off to Norfolk tomorrow for an in-laws visit and to meet my gorgeous new 2 week old niece and attend a christening where I will be a God mother which I am, frankly, ridiculously excited about. I have made cupcakes for the wedding buffet ? really beautiful baby blue and white with tiny little baby themed decorations! I will take a pic and post on FB. Did a pink batch too for my SIL and BIL. Luckily (or not, really) work has been v quiet but I have an assignment next week which will probably (hopefully) kick off another big run of work.
I seem to be getting engrossed in the new Torchwood so will sign off for now.

Later ladies x

Hello ladies,

It has been quiet wasabi fancy sending some of those cupcakes over to me? They sounds delish and very cute.

Blue another at your holiday pics. The boys are so cute. I can't complain about holidays though as the rogue household are going to be visiting friends in Boston (USA) in November. Can't wait it's going to be deadly.

Thanks to all for the advice re pre walkes -we haven't gotten them on the strength of your advice. Aoife is getting on really well in creche and she is sleeping through every night from 7 - 6 which is so handy for me.

pregnancy wise I am still riding the nausea bus and it was about 15 weeks last time before I got over that. I am 11 weeks on Friday and got my scan on Friday week which is great.

Anyway better go it's very late for me and I need to get my beauty sleep. Hope you are all ok and I'll write more at the weekend when I am more coherent.

God girls I am going to rant - I mean I know this is my second baby and therefore people may not be as excited as the first but... ok I'll start at the beginning.

It was my sister's 21st last night - and I decided that as I am 11 weeks I would tell them I was expecting to explain the tiredness/non drinking. The first question I was asked was - "What is your work going to say?" followed by, "What will work think of that?" followed by "I can't imagine your work people will be to pleased to hear that"

Now I was congratulated by my sister who was 21, and my brother in laws but none of my older sisters, or my mother. Am I being too sensitive / hormonal? Probably

Then to make matters worse, one of my younger sisters put a status on FB saying
"Congrats to Rogue, DH and DD on the bun in the oven"

I mean I have only told my family, and very few friends - no way I wanted to put it on FB yet. It was taken down today before too many people could see it (we have a lot of cousins/aunts/ the same friends) but I know a few people did see it and have had to delete comments and private message people to ask them to keep it to themselves.

God my family are hard work sometimes. Luckily I have the best DH in the world and he was lovely about it. Plus when we tell his side they will be very happy to hear it.

Right sorry for the moan - have my scan next Friday when I wil lbe 12 weeks exactly so will come back and tell you how it goes.

TTFN

Hi Ladies,

All good here had my 12 week scan this afteroon and we have a wriggly bean in htere with a good heartbeat so I am very relieved. I had a lovely midwife as well for my booking in - she was really nice and friendly and said "oh you've been through it already you'll be fine "
Hope everyone is well ad I'll talk to you all if ye ever get back to the thread :-)

That's great news rogue

Will be back this week, honest! xx

Just a quickie from me as I'm at work and waiting to do some more depressing stuff on the economy...

rogue great news about your scan! Lovely to know all is well. Sorry to hear your family have been a bit funny with you. Families can be bloody frustrating at the best of times can't they? Mine are about as tactful as something that isn't very tactful. I get a lot of "you're looking fat today" and "you look tired, now you're 41 you have to start taking care of yourself or you'll look ancient pretty soon". Gee thanks

blue your holiday pics are fab.. looked like you had a brilliant time!

wasabi :o I'm also very grateful to have Luca for another year. He's also starting 5 mornings a week from September. I also can't BELIEVE my baby girl will be 2 in 5 months. That's so grown up!!

Her speech is pretty good, though I'm convinced sometimes I think it's because I'm tuned in to her so I understand her more. I know that "I aaaan baby" means I want baby, and "mummmeeee uck" means mummy I'm stuck! (happens quite a lot, she's a real climber/investigator)

Are you still enjoying Torchwood? I am but I'm wondering how they're going to stretch it out for another 6 episodes! I never really watched it when it was a proper series, I only got hooked when they did the children of the earth (or whatever it was called) one last year. That completely freaked me out, the children hooked up to that alien thing was one of the most horrible things I've ever seen

bella Are you still mega busy? Enjoying work? It's funny that Francesca's first word was shoooooooo too. I thought it was just a girl thing and she was obssessed with shoes :o She still is though, I'm always finding a trail of shoes scattered around the house that she's picked up and dropped off on her wanderings.

Anyway, economic armaggedon awaits... I will be back (if we don't all fall off the planet in to a black hole - honestly that's what you'd think if you watched the news too much - as I do :o)

TTFN xx

Hello everyone

Just a quick one - still here, still pregnant - 15 weeks today.

Tired, dizzy, nauseous, butall wil lbe worth it soon enough.

HOpe everyone is ok and not too snowed under wth work etc I'll talk to you all again when I have more willpower to stay awake

Hi strangers. Just popped on to lurk but only read the last page. Had to post a massive congratulations to gonerogue.

Just a quick pop in to see if anything much has been happening. I know we all stay in touch on FB these days but it?s nice to share a little more detail!

Rogue I am so happy for you that your wiggly bean was looking good at your 12 week scan. Not sure if you have disembarked from the pukey bus but I have my fingers crossed for you. Being pregnant is a joy in many ways but that bit ain?t so much fun. Hopefully you are now well into the happy second trimester!

I?m sorry to read that people?s reactions to this pregnancy aren?t quite perhaps what you expected. I do remember feeling a little miffed that people weren?t putting out the bunting when we announced that we were expecting C. I can only guess that perhaps people assume you take in your stride a bit more. For you it?s just as big a deal as first time round but the world just never seems quite as excited for a second timer. We are though so remember that! As for the FB thing, well I would be bloody annoyed too. I get a bit cross with the fact that one can barely fart these days without someone documenting it on FB. I hate being tagged in pictures and stuff unless I have given express consent which of course I never have. I have a friend who seems to be at the point where she doesn?t think an emotion is real unless it is shared with her friends on FB. Her and her bloke post these emetic messages to each other frequently. I did once try to point out that sometimes, less is more, but it went down fairly badly so now I keep schtum and bitch on MN instead!

Head Yep still watching Torchwood. I am enjoying it but you are right re series length. How Torchwood gets 13 episodes when The Hour which I LOVED only got 6 I have no idea. I suspect the answer may be American funding as this Torchwood seems to have a big American tie in which previous series?s didn?t. (PS As my only friend that works for Auntie please can you make sure The Hour gets a second series? Pretty please? It wasn?t flawless but dammit it was worth persevering with.) Mind you, I saw the first trailer for the new Downton Abbey yesterday and almost started hyperventilating. My Autumn viewing is looking good

No real news from me really. Work, kids, ironing blah. That is my life. F is starting at a little local nursery attached to his (hopefully) future school tomorrow. He is just doing 8.45 until 11.45 5 mornings a week so we?ll see how it goes. It?s still only nursery school but he?ll be in school uniform and all that jazz so it does still feel a bit momentous. Plus he is 4 tomorrow as well. The big downer with September birthdays is starting school on your birthday! He?s ok with it though ? we have sold it to him as having 2 birthdays like the Queen. We are having a party for him on Saturday ? last count around 16 kids including siblings and their respective parents. Good job the bouncy castle has been booked!

Right, I?m off to do my proof of concept for the monster cake that has been requested

Looking forward to seeing some updates from people soon!

Hello ladies.... I'm so sorry I havent been on here for ages. No reason, just terrible, extraordinary laziness seeing one of our graduates in today's Times magazine reminded me... sunny congrats on the new job... Fabulous gig girlfriend. (that was my best Gok Wan impersonation)

How is everyone? wasabi I've been admiring your cake making abilities on FB! It's Luca's birthday party tomorrow... His birthday is on Tuesday but he's so excited about his party he's gone to bed without any tea as he said he wasn't hungry and had a bit of a tummy ache. Poor love, I hope it's just excitement and tiredness.

We only got back from our hols on Wednesday night, then he was back at pre school on Thursday morning, and he's swapped to mornings at school so its all a bit of a new routine for him. I hope the bloody weather holds out too, it's not looking too good. Windy and showery. I hope our bouncy castle doesn't get blown away!!

Francesca is a jolly little thing at the moment.... Spool talkative. She never shuts up. I get a lot of "mummeee werareyooooooo?" and "baybeeee" (she loves her dolly!) she's also incredibly cheeky. Dh told her off for hitting Luca and she came running to me saying "mummy, daddy hit" she's such a little manipulator! She does it to Luca all the time too so I have to take a huge pinch of salt when she comes running up to me claiming he's hit her! Her other favourite trick is saying "mummmeeee NO!" in exactly the same tone of voice as the one I use when telling her off!!! Its so funny, I can't but laugh which kind of takes away from whatever I'm telling her off for

So apart from that life is trotting on nicely for us... Got to start thinking about applying for schools for Luca Francesca is already on the waiting list for the pre school Luca currently goes to. I don't expect we'll get a place until she's three because it's a really popular pre school.

I hope us all being on FB doesn't mean the end of this thread because we all know each others news already! For some reason I felt inspired to read back all our old threads back in our ttc days and by gum it was a long road! It's reall weird reading back to the time when we were temping and guzzling the grapefruit juice. Come back and tell me all the funny things the kids are up to!

Xxx

Pooh forgot to add... wasabi I wish I had some influence over scheduling at the BBC! I know what I'd get rid of everyone's been telling me to watch the hour as it's all about tv news... For some reason I never got a chance. But we BBC folk have a secret website where we can watch the past 5 years BBC tv so I will be able to catch up soon (well, in the next 5 years anyway!)

How is F enjoying nursery school. It does sound like we're in some kind of parallel universe.. I'm really hoping Luca gets in to the school his nursery is attached to. It's such a lovely school but they only have one intake of 30, we're 100m outside of last years catchment area and last year there were 17 siblings in the intake - arghhhh!!!!

Pooh? Pooh? Bloody autocorrect, I meant oops!!

I have spent an hour and a bit in front of shite tv drafting the mot elegant post but mnet logged me out and it has gone

FUCKING HELLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what a waste of a night.

ok have taken a few deep breaths and have decided to return with an unelegant 'digested read' of my long post.

head where was your holiday? you are a very good photographer
G obsessed with shoes including mine and his dads.

blue gorgeous gorgeous profile pic from your hols. one to treasure. how is benji? has he been signed yet? (from baby rock band thing)

wasabi g still has a pretty piss poor vocab. my favourite thing he says though is uh ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. the ohhh bit can go on for ages. not sure why...
(had listed words before but not time in the digested read)

rogue how are you feeling now resident mamma to be? gutted for you about the facebook announcement thing. that's bad. sorry family not very interested.

do i have another? can't imagine not -having- -a- -girl- could me and DP withstand the pressures if we do? if we don't? tres tricky spesh since broodiness has kicked back in along with amazing amounts of ewcm. soooo boak i know but where else can i share such things? (that actually wasn't in the elegant post. haha!

G can be seriously hard work sometimes. fantasise about flotation tanks on those days. today he was a peach and we are feeling very loved up with each other.
so lucky to be working only 3 days a week. my stars must be aligned.

well there you go. quick and dirrrrty. none of the panache of the original and sure I left out some very insightful comments and pertinent questions but I couldn't have spent the whole evening posting and then NOT posted at all and i couldn't have waited for another opportunity

ooo before I forget sunny i am delighted to hear of your new appointment. I have always thought your articles were great but your predecssor at the T - so annoying. so smuggy pants. not talented like what you are :D

ooooo and head tell me how to access that secret BBC page PLEASE

Hi Ladies

So glad you are all back on here - as you say FB is handy but I'm too nosy it's nice to be able to flesh out the news a little. I'm afraid though this may be a me me me post

Still pregnant - this one is flying along though I am 18 plus 4 today. Had my doc appt last week and heard the little heartbeat going strong so that's always nice. Have had to break out the maternity jeans though (a lot earlier than last time )

We were told yesterday that my Dad has stomach cancer - this is the third time he's had cancer in the last 5 years. Except this one is terminal. They can't do anything for him at the mo because he has a really bad infection but even if he could have chemo it would only manage the symptoms and so it's up to him what he wants to do.

They haven't given us a timeline - they don't really know. He's on morphine and they have said it could be weeks/months/ that people have been known to be on morphie for a year after this diagnosis.
I'm so upset, you always know in the back of your mind that something like this will happen eventually but nothing prepares you for it.

oh rogue that is horrendous news I am so sorry. My best friend is going though the almost exact same scenario at the moment. it's just hideous.
[hugs]

Hi chumlies

Lovely to hear from tout le monde

Benj is napping, Isaac learning his 3 r's at school so have some time...

Rogue - that's such news about your Dad, I'm sure you and your family will rally round and give him many happy memories from now until its his time xx Wow! Nearly 20 weeks, that's like almost half way there! I would have been beyond pissed off if someonehad announced my pg on FB. In fact Ben's birth was announced via a loose friend of mine congraulating me on my wall - I was as it was my news to tell. Serves me right for having an ancient phone that didn't allow me to upload the milli second he was born.

Bella - I'm three days too and feel its the right balance between ball breaking career (yours not mine ) and Cath Kidtson family time . I am still secretely longing for a girl, two of my friends have had two boys then a girl and aaargh! it is toying with me... DH was supposed to have had the snip back in April but we cancelled as it clashed with our hols! A sign ?? Feel I am being disrespecful to my boys even thinking it and love that they are each others brother as its such a lovely dynamic but I just want a wee mini me .

It's crazy, I'm 40 ffs, DH and me have just got our lives back, I've just had a varicose vein removed post-last pregnancy... We're doing our room up next Spring... My cons list is miles long my pros list is "might be a girl"

There, I said it, better out than in.

Head - loving you tapping your nose, I bet you have a nuclear bunker and everything at the Beeb . Benj's words are coming thick and fast too, so unlike his brother at his age. It constantly amazes and amuses DH and me as he seems so old beyond his age vocab wise. We have the same school 'debacle' up here with placing requests and percevied 'best schools'. Both my boys are gong to their local, 5 mins walk from our house school. Great HMI report, small class sizes but shunned by some as it allows council estate children in. Don't get me started

wasabi - loved your monster cake I loved 'The Hour' and am overdosing on Dominic West as still ploughing through The Wire.. Might dabble with Downtown Abbey but we struggle to fit everything in in our 2.5 hours evening window! How's Fred enjouing reception? We do it differently up here, they don't start school until they are five, as in this years intake has been those born between 1 March 2006 and 28 Feb 2007. They have two years pre-school too normally at the school they will attend although Isaac did his ante-pre school yearat playgroup as it was smaller numbers. I'm so with your on over posting on FB - its a constant bain of my life and feel I have to filter folk out my news feed. FB is such a ying and yang place, when its great its great but the sensless musings - aargh.

eek, Ben's woken, better go.

Love to all and thanks for listening

xxx

I know I know I am like the 49 bus

blue sharing your socialist roots and am constantly and at the snobbery re schools round here. Where i am is tres posh and all the primary schools are outstandingly outstanding however there is one in particular that is the most popular. If people don't get their kids in there loads of them send them privately and moan about how terrible it is that the can't get their kids into their local school when in fact the one they did get to is only minutes down the road and excellent but contains some children whose parents aren't like you and I dahling. It is my soap box topic (lucky yous!) as these same poshy pushy parents who do get their kids in to that school more often take them out at 7 for prep school thereby decimating the class.
I could go on but I won't - I will however continue on waving my rouge flag for sa long as it takes!!
good on Benji with the chat. it must be fun actually being able to have a bit of a convo.
Yes the pesky pink broody thing - I have the sameish list of pros and cons. But wanting a mini me seems like such a big appealing shiny one. It's hard knowing that you will always be niggled if you don't but could seriously upset your apple cart if you do. If I had another one as active and climby and curious as mr g I would collapse from nervous exhaustion!

oh and yes I liked the Hour too despite its failings. Mr WEst shines in teh wire the wire though. I love him and bunk getting pissed by the tracks...
right on with the fish pie whilst dadda puts the little one to bed

adios chicas x

Oh ladies, it's been a while, sorry all

Firstly rogue I am so so sorry to hear about your Dad. How did he take the news? How is your Mum? Very hard for you all :( Sending big unMN-like hugs, and hoping the pain relief is working for him.
Glad all is well with little bean no.2- can't believe how fast the pregnancy is flying in! Also re. other peoples reactions, though similar experiences here with no.2 and no.3- somehow never get quite the same with no.1. How are you feeling now? Hope you're finding the energy to keep up with Aoife, work and all your gorgeous pets (and your DH of course)!

Bella and Blue- so with you on the schools rant. Over here things are very different, other issues of the protestant catholic variety- and usually we're lucky enough that most schools can accommodate all applicants so rarely long waiting lists, though think that's changing... But there is still always a degree of snobbery wrt to the socio-economic class of the children and parents. Makes me VERY cross! My family don't seem to fit in anywhere particularly naturally as we're blow-ins in a very settled area, but people have been very kind and welcoming overall.

Head , Blue and Bella- I don't think broodiness ever goes away, and can see especially for those with DCs of only one sex it's only natural to want to try for the other. Was holding a friend's 3 month old the other day and this deep yearning came over me. Had to give myself a big pinch and remember all the sleepless nights, cracked nipples, endless juggling. And in my case the fact that (a) shouldn't ever risk another pregnancy due to pre-eclampsia etc, (b) risk of cystic fibrosis and (c) my mental health and financial wellbeing of the family!! DH hasn't had the snip though I'd like him to! (I have the mirena in). But it really isn't an option to have another, and I know I'm blessed to have 3. I would say contrary to some that I have found the jump from 2 to 3 DCs quite tough- more so in fact since Ffion became a toddler. Just need more eyes and arms!! :)

wasabi and head - how are your gorgeous boys settling into preschool? Such lovely photos on FB :)

blue how is Isaac liking "big" school? Love his uniform, so smart- very cute too! Your boys are so scrumptious I could eat them!!

Life here is its usual madness, moreso since my work increased to 20 hours a week. DH's work re-located to Belfast so he's now commuting much more and hence out of the house longer :( Finding the juggling pretty tricky since DS and DD1 went back to school, just seems to be no time for anything any more and constant rushing. Ffion has finally settled into creche for the 2.5 days a week I'm working- big relief as it was heartbreaking for a few weeks (even though apparently she always settled quickly after I left...). The new job is interesting but a bit higher pressure than my last posts, and beginning to find making some of the meetings in Belfast hard to juggle with school/childcare pick ups, afterschool activities etc. Plus we're getting two lots of homework each eve now, which takes all my patience and inevitably involves Ffion throwing pens all over the floor and accidentally drawing on school reading books the moment I look away . DH's father is in hospital too at mo - he had emergency surgery for a bleed on the brain in August and was doing really well but an infection has now set in. Looking a bit more positive today but been a hard few days, especially for my MIL. It's so hard watching parents get older and the inevitable health set backs.

On the positive side Ffion is a delight, talking endlessly in sentences already (thanks to intensive tuition from DD1!), definitely the clown of the family and manages to make me smile even when I'm v stressed. We had double glazing installed finally a few weeks ago- quite a palaver and involved having to move out for over 2 weeks- so still recovering and DH in DIY overdrive, but the difference is fantastic and think it'll be worthwhile this winter. Ffion has been helping DH with the painting. She has him wrapped round her little finger! :) Also my sister got married a couple of weeks ago, so had a lovely weekend back nr home and kids had a ball as flower girls and ring bearer. Hope to have some pics soon, as they looked just gorgeous even if I do say so myself! My sister though definitely and quite rightly stole the show- she is stunning anyhow but she really looked beautiful. Lovely, lovely day.
Right, I'm supposed to be writing a presentation for my boss by 2pm so better get cracking!!

Love to all xxx