The sequel - Fab, Sparkly & often Moany 40 + : Preggie or New Mums - come say Hi!

[jeanjeannie]

We've now filled up the last thread - and the two before that! Seems that there are a lot of us old girls out there getting ourselves into trouble

So - if you've just found yourself to be with child or have a LO and you've hit (or about to hit - we'll let you sneak in just under the radar!)the big 4 0, then come say Hi!

There is always a spare comfy chair - plenty of cake and many old ladies to listen to your moans! Think of the lovely ladies knitting shreddies - only we're not sporting a blue rinse, but wearing cashmere and kitten heels

Hello regular ladies. I avoided putting FAT, F*cked or Knackered in the title - tempting as it was

lilibet wish I was as calm as you when I had my troubles. I'm taking my proverbial hat off to you dear girl.

I'd still go along for the scan and see what they say. At least you sound the pragmatic sort.

JJ sorry to hear that the 20 Rothmans a day habit has caught up with you. As you say, a perambulation into town may shift it

Wow - lilibet you do indeed have a cool head about it all. Can I ask.....? Have you got period type pains? Just that I bled so profusley that the restaurant I was in went to call for an ambulance but DP took me to A&E and although all was ok - it carried on for weeks! But I never had any aches - It sounds like that can sometimes be a hint as to wether it's just your body going bonkers. I did lose all my symptoms though. Well done you for hanging in till Friday - I'd be going nuts.

tee I met one of my mummy-friends through pregnancy yoga. She'd also been on meds since teenage years for depression and her doc said yoga may help - I think it did as she's still going and very bendy. Still on meds mind you

Yes...boobies is indeed quite a pleasing word!

Has everyone taken a vow of silence today?

I've had an unexpected visit from DS#2 who has made tea/dinner/supper for us. Lovely.

K only put on 3 ounces in a week at today's weigh in (10lb 9oz) but MW thinks this is because she's off the oxygen and using more calories. We're flying solo tonight - MW wants K off the oxygen completely. Have to set up new SATS monitor by her cot for the night.

MW also mentioned that K may not like her cot and to try her in her daytime (downstairs) crib for the night. Never entered my mind she might prefer the day bed....anyone had this problem?

She's been a little more awake today but still quite sleepy. Been poking her, jiggling her, singing etc but obviously she's knackered from being awake half the night

I see that Jo Brand's twin brother (seperated at birth), John Sargeant has quit. The BBC is quite scandal ridden at the mo.

I've been feeling a bit sombre about Lilibet, JW, and am also aware that I keep posting in a grumbly fashion about feeling sick as a dog so thought I should keep schtum for a while.

Hope the night without O2 goes well though - and that K sleeps! Mine didn't like the cot until they were a few months old - preferred to squash in a crib even when it was far too small for them. When they did eventually move into the cot we put bumpers both sides - those nice Boots ones with little pockets in which there are different squeaky/jingly/ rattly animals - and that seemed to make it cosy enough. They didn't like the openness of the bars at first, I reckon.

I knew J Sargeant reminded me of someone! he had J Brand both look like clowns, don't they?

Hahah - yes, Jo Brand - That's who he reminds me of!!

jw I think it's quite common for LOs not to like the , cot - it's the swaddling thing. Give the day bed a go - you never know especially if she sleeps well in it.

Excellent about the O2, mind you it'll probably take a while for her to settle in and crack it. Bit like us with the trying to get Verity back to sleep without feeding. Me thinks that jj and worf towers will be burning the midnight oil for a while!!

And DS2 made dinner - OOooo, well done you. first class training

Been feeling ruff, ruff, ruff. Went into town with Verity and have been lurking around the bedroom - clearing stuff away - interspered with trying to get some kip - but to no avail

ermintrude I know what you mean - but don't forget you're allowed to have a good winge about yourself - that comes with the pregnancy territory.

Off to feel sorry for myself and look for something scrummy to munch on

jj do so hope that you're feeling better soon. It's awful when that sickening for something feeling comes over you. And it's not as though you can take to your bed with a pile of OK!, Grazia, Heat, Benylin cocktails, tissues, large fruit and nut, Ealing comedy on the portable etc....sorry, got carried away with my 'way I'd like to spend everyday' scenario

ermintrude no need to apologise dear. If you can't winge here, where can you winge? And anyway, you're winging with winge professionals on here (speaking for myself, natch).

I see the Katona person has abandoned her come back singing career? Surely that was on it's arse whilst at the planning stage?

mrsb where are you dear? Missed you today. Do hope you're ok and the builders haven't stumbled on some more problems

Showed DSS a pic of Barack Obama and asked him if he knew who he was. After much hmmmmm-ing and scratching of head he came up with 'is it Sean Wright Philips?' Close. But no cigar

'ow do all

I have been out and about meeting my boss for chats. Have also been stuffing my face with caramel shortbread and spending hours searching the internet for housey things like velvet door curtains (not to be found) and wall mounted gas fires (to be found but v expensive) and sofa throws (also to be found but v boring). Have found some throws on ebay but am prevaricating over setting up my own paypal account because I imagine it to be a monumental faff but I have prevailed upon the good offices of OH's paypal for long enough now.

The Gas Pipe of Doom is no more and the heating is restored but now the plasterer has gone awol and the work won't continue until next week. We have an ugly great gouge the length of the living room wall, an unplastered kitchen and an unplastered middle bit where the joining wall came down. Still, the delay gives me more time to shop on the t'interweb highway for things that I cannot afford to put in the new room.

lilibet Still keeping fingers crossed for you - but you do right to stay calm - there is nothing you can do to change the outcome. That's what I used to tell myself when I had my bleeding episodes.

D seemed to get over his jabs ok and today has been feeding like a thing possessed all day - every two hours he is to be seen trying to insert his fist into his mouth

nowt on telly tonight - except the Devil's Whore - not sure if its meant to be any good anyone know?

I'm here jw

/waves

oh and jj poor you! my sympathies are with you - I am still recovering from it. But you are clearly made of sterner stuff than me - out in the fresh air - the lurgy was the excuse I needed not to leave the house for the best part of a week!

Thank you for your lovely welcome. Ok, a bit about me. I'm 19.5 weeks and have been told that my amnio was fine and we're expecting a boy.

Following the kitchen fire, the Rayburn was a write off. After very lengthy arguments with the Insurance Co. I managed to get the full cost of a replacement Rayburn and bought an oil fired boiler instead. I also argued with Aga that they should bear some responsibility as they had approved the rubbish engineering company who supposedly had serviced it - which caused the fire. In the end, they gave me a new electric Aga which is very nice. Sometimes, you just have to persist even though it was flippin' freezing that winter without the heating. However, I did re-discover the joys of electric blankets and lots of extra cuddles -from the cats as well.

I was originally from Notts and as I have been busy working quite long hours down here, I haven't really got around to organising a social life. Unfortunately, now I'm expecting, I'm finding it a bit lonely at home on my own and also a bit daunting. I'm quite a together person ordinarily but feel totally outside my comfort zone at the mo and my brain has left the building already!

I love reading your posts as you all seem to know so much useful stuff, have a great sense of humour and can spell properly, which is a bonus for me as I'm naff at text speak.

BOOBIES are the new black!

Poor you jj. I too woke up feeling pants this morning but had to struggle in to work as I'm having to take next wed am off work for a speech therapy assessment. Had had enough of 8 year olds by the afternoon and I'm afraid I had no patience with them at all.

Finally cooked Gordon's posh toad-in-the-hole and what a disappointment it was. You had to whisk the egg whites separately then fold them in to the batter but that was a waste of time. Usually my yorkshires rise nicely but this was as flat as a pancake. The onion and apple gravy was the only element that worked.

johnworf all my kids were in a Moses basket for so long it probably stunted their growth. Then I put the Moses basket in the cot for a couple of weeks to acclimatise them, which I suppose is a similar trick to keeping goldfish in the plastic bag so they get used to the bowl Hope you have a better night tonight and send big kisses to Katherine for her big night!

How's it going MrsB? Are you still chilly?

Have been in bed since 8 and am currently munching a Bounty.

Evening ladies.

Thanks for all the well wishes. Feeling somewhat better today. At least I'm not dealing with any horrible pregnancy symptoms on top of feeling like I'm in a black hole.

Really need to get my ass to work tomorrow, huge meeting on Friday which is prep for an even bigger meeting first week of December that I have to prep for all next week. I'll see how I feel in the morning. Right now I am trying to convince myself my career matters to me.

JW great about the O2! Big kisses to K for tonight!

MrsB totally sucks about the hole in the wall, but at least you have heat!

jj feel better soon!

and let's not forget...

BOOBIES!! ermintrude if you can't bitch to us, who can you bitch to?

Started typing that last post at 8.15 but had so many interruptions that I x-posted with you MrsB. Glad you're toasty now but sorry to hear about your ugly gouge. Ooh, ugly gouge makes me come over all double entendre!

Tee hope your fog lifts soon.

weechookies we must be almost in synch! My due date is April 14th, when's yours? Are you booked to do ante-natal classes? I think they're a good way to meet people due at the same time as you, I've still got really good friends from doing NCT classes the first time round 24 years ago! Yoga classes etc are also good.

Hi ladymac. My due date is 10th April. I'm about to send off my booking form for NCT classes. Read something about a 'Bounty pack' on the web but not had anything from the midwife. Is it worth having?

Hurrah that the 'gas pipe of doom' is no longer mrsB

I don't think I have the energy to watch The devil's Whore....or to be it come to that Sounds appealing though. "And what do you do?" "well, I'm the Devil's Whore, dontcha know..." Fabulous....

ladymac Sorry that Gordon and his toad were a disappointment....no wonder his wife took up cooking too Now Gordon is the same age as me but i always think he looks so much older....or perhaps I'm just kidding myself

jw you must know me so well, an Ealing Comedy is just the best thing on the box when you're feeling ruff and it's cold & dark outside.

weechookles afraid pregnancy really does adle the brain I know what you mean about the comfort zone thing - it really is uncharted water the first time round and leaves you feeling a bit up in the air. Like you - I was always organised, career-minded and knew what was what. Pah - pregnancy came along and it was like throwing a pack of cards in the air!

Off to bed now - as Verity is screaming

From what I remember it contains a few free samples and loads of advertising that I put straight in the recycling bin!

Just a quicky as K is grizzling but I'll be back in a bit (in the voice of Arnie).....

K seems to like being swaddled but she's in a swinging crib upstairs, not that big really..and nearly grown out of it.

Ealing is fab but I'd also watch Kind Hearts and Coronets. A superb film. Or anything with Will Hay or Alistair Simm who is my hero.

Glad you're ok mrsb

brb.

ohhhh I knew there was something else I forgot to say in my last post - (head like a feckin' sieve, me)

Good luck with O2 free night to you and Katherine jw just think - tomorrow it should be a thing of the past how's that for good progress!

welcome weechockles and congrats and how nice that we have someone due around the same time as you!

and, and forgot to say...

/clears throat

BOOBIES!

The old b&w comedy's are great but have any of you watched the scottish comedy 'Still Game'? I've just watched an old episode tonight and it still has me in stitches even thought I've seen all of them umpty um times.
Boobies and goodnight from him...

Ermintrude - you lovely woman!!! Please don't feel bad on my behalf, I feel for you being so poorly. Do keep complaining on here, otherwise your poor dh will suffer.

JW I hope that tonight K is ok, and I hope you manage to get some sleep! It msut be very nerve wracking for you.

Mrsb Glad about the heating, sorry about the gouge. It's good that D seems well after his jabs, I was talking to dd abouut the cervical cancer one tonight. It's all such a minefield.

I bought both boys nice clothes today at Debenhams with the 25% off, it's a struggle getting ds1, who is 15 to still shop in the boys section, they go up to 16 and are so much cheaper, but I think he regards it as uncool

Did anyone watch The Devil's Whore? Let me kow what it was like, I do have a bit of a soft spot for John Simm.

I found a job to apply for today, full time and a grade up, closing time is lunch on Friday, so I'm leaving it until after the scan and then typing it very hastily. Did ask my boss for a reference tho' - felt very sorry for her. Someone has today gone off unexpectedly on a 6 month career break, so she is 3 1/2 staff down and I'm trying to leave too!!

I hope all those of you with little ones have a restful night!

ps BOOBIES!!!

Boobies just waiting for Oliver to wake up again to give him his bottle, he woke up I brought him down stairs (so as not to disturb DH ... aren't I nice ) and the little monkey has fallen asleep again, yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

awwww hedgepig you are very good to your OH (and of course to little Oliver too )

Well, that interlude lasted a little bit longer than I planned. I was going to come to back to typing my post 15 minutes after I posted the quick version and then things went Pete Tong. K grizzled and griped her way to 10.45pm. This was partly a good sign as she was overtired so I thought we might have a chance of her sleeping. So, put her to bed, put the monitor strap on her foot and that set her off. No way Hosé! So then I did get it on and she kept setting off the alarms with her wriggling and of course that in turn woke her up good and proper. So, in the end I thought 'bugger this for a game of soliders'. Took the bloody alarm off, turned the light off and off she went to sleep! Huzzah! Result. And she woke up at 7am this morning. Phew.

Thanks for your good wishes re taking her off the O2. It seems we've arrived. Finally. And to those who know how far/long we've travelled to get here many thanks for putting up with constant progress reports, whining, nervous breakdowsn! etc.

lilibet any change today dear? So you're going for a change of job or is it the same thing but with better money?

weechookles the bounty pack is something that I think has survived from the ark! I think it's useful to have if you're a first timer but mine contained baby wipes (don't use them but fair enough lots of mums do), a load of junk leaflets, some Johnsons body wash, a pampers nappy and a packet of Persil and softener. Obviously many women take these into hospital with them (it was in my hospital essentials Bounty pack). Anyhoo, I'd take it if it's offered weechookles as anything free is worth a consideration.

Just looked on the M&S website at the 20% stuff. Nothing I can really see that takes my eye although going back to look properly at the furniture. Trying not to spend too much as I bought DS#2 a PS3 y'day with games and DH did raise an eyebrow as I've already got him stuff for xmas. Well......it's for the children (although this is wearing thing with DH as my son is 17 - always a little baby to me though!).

Didn't see the Devils Whore last night although wish I'd Virgin + it. I love John Simm as well. Splendid chappy. Instead I saw football all evening and by the time it'd finished and I'd made bottles it was time for bed.

Hey ho.

Morning all. Voice has completely gone and Iris is all bemused. Rubbish night sleep with both girls in the bed with us

JW Good Old Katherine - she knows sleep is good! Sounds like you have indeed 'arrived'

I have visions of your DHs bridge nights sort of set in Black and White Ealing comedy style, with Alistair Simms, Herbert Lom and of course Margaret Rutherford!!

weechookles Still Game is superb! Funny cos the old lady in it is in a Cbeebies programme and it makes me laugh everytime i see her!

lilibet I heard about the Debenhams sales being very popular - wish we had one here;fancy some new towels, ours are depressing me! Keep us posted on the job...and appointment tomorrow. Oooo, you're in that stressful wait and see limbo.

Iris is in a terrible twos mood today - joy!