We are avidly wearing our spring/summer buys, whilst wisely wondering when autumn/winter will arrive....

[notyummy]

Use this thread instead! I mucked up the title of the other one

Sounds like it turned out really well oww

I'd like opinions on this coat in camel too please; am thinking classic style, on trend colour, wool so warm for school run. Or is it too dull for words?

bunny I love that red bag (and am also very excited about all your girls how lovely!!)

monkeysmama thank you for your words of wisdom, I know exactly what you mean and I am sorry you've had a tough relationship in the past. It is just like that, I can barely recall who I was before it all started I have been sapped of all 'me'

ON a brighter note I am doing some admin and plan to ship him out by October after various other things ahve been sorted

AND mm your DD sounds so adorable

allbuggiedout sorry about your friend's loss but it really will mean a lot to them that you remember, so often people are silent about a loss one year on and it hurts so let them know that you know, and that's all you need to do.

And re the coat I think it's lovely, really nice light camel shade which I prefer and also will last forever, very classic

choo that dress is just divine!

thanks for tips about a pin/brooch thing in the VWA silk dress by the way I haven't worn it again but it would stay put if I pinned instead of tied it inside

I am so bad I re-ordered the same VWA jersey dress that I linked to before.. yes, I now own two of them how greedy is that!? In my defence it is black and thus can be altered a lot with accessories and also I have a very grubby baby and a full time job when Im there so I figured 2 would be sensible (I know that's shameful reasoning, I just loved it so much!)

Currently lusting after this frightfully expensive pale camel-ish leather jacket but would prefer the same at sort of maybe half the price or less! If anyone sees one let me know..it is my obsession du jour

And I must admit I still do not own any weights so I still haven't started shredding my backside is expanding again after losing lots of weight this summer I have now gone into stress eating mode, am at home a lot meant to be working lots but instead of working I shop and eat lots, for example I consumed 6 choco liebniz biscuits for breakfast today.Shocking. Must improve!!!

Other current objects of desire are this boucle tweed jacket and a bag in this taupe shade (but somewhat less extravagant)

Not ready to think of coats yet, I can stretch to jackets but coats make me think christmas is almost here. Tragically someone invited me to Christmas part the other day- in August! madness

Right back to work...

fritzi - what a fab memory you have! I did get the grey coat, but want to ask DH's opinion (I am just about as big as I was when I had DD and have another 11 weeks of growing to go so not sure how coat will look).

Re the DH's who aren't throwing the praise around - "the tepid yes of a remarkable man is worth more than all the applause of the vulgar". Imagine those compliments are worth a great deal. My DH is v complimentary, but also v honest so I can also be sure its a genuine compliment, and they are precious!

happily - happy belated birthday, and sounds like a wonderful evening you had w your DH!

ABO - oh, your poor friend - how heartbreaking to lose her tiny girl. Imagine she treasures all comfort her friends can provide. How fab that your DS loved his party - well done!!!

Marsh - the torture of sleep deprivation - the broken nights really hurt and do change the parenting experience, don't they?! Hope little DS moves into a sound sleeping phase pronto.

OWW - can you drink lots of champagne to get you through the race day??

On previous page so can't remember (God help me!) who snuggled w their DD whilst chatting to a friend over a glass of wine last night, but sounds charming. Magic moments!

Our new nanny looked after DD yesterday afternoon for the first time (she isn't available mid-week till 29 Sept), so DH and I went out for late lunch. His choice (hungover) - Byron Hamburgers . But... we had a lovely chat about some of the nice family moments we can look forward to - camping /caravanning w the girls when they are older (bye bye international flights and hotels!!), snuggles on Christmas Eve on the couch watching Christmas movies, walks in the woods, feeding ducks etc etc. Will be lovely!! And v necessary as there is much grind also involved.

Oh, and Vin - that camel leather jacket is lush. V v nice!! Boucle jacket is gorgeous, and would look fab just as styled, or also open w faded, fitted jeans (a la Uma Thurman - saw her in this look s Chanel jacket, looked great). LOVE Chloe bags!

Who liked to jeans w crystals? I don't like the colour so "I'm out" (been watching Dragons Den w DH...)

ABO - love the M&S cashmere mix coat in the blonde (when I select camel it doesn't change the pic - but the tiny colour sample I can see looks lovely). Not dull, dahling, classic!!

Bunny I had this pram when I had a newborn and a toddler (2 seat version obv). The fab thing was you could turn the seats around to face each other, which was so cute. Ds1 could make funny faces to entertain the baby. You could have the twins facing each other, and dd at the front in pole position. It was heavy to push but I got back in shape pretty quickly with it

dilemma.. leather jacket or one of P's mortgages.. which would I rather spend my money on.. hmmm

Have never seen a pram like that verity but looks amazing!! Have spied lots of triple buggies near me but they are a bit monstertruck-esque I must say, I would say triple buggy or sling plus double buggy. then when DD1 old enough to walk a lot maybe a lightweight double.. the double maclarens are really slim now I think. Am SO I adore twins and babies in general, how cute will the bunnybabies be!? OK I am really going now to do some work.. honest..

Verity - wow, what a pram!! A bit scary to see 3 little seats all lined up in a row! Although preferable to side by side I think (wide load, wide load...).

Vin - ha ha, the bunnybabies!! I am a blondie and DH is toffee coloured so babies could look anywhere from blonde to toffee (DD somewhere in the middle). Like the use of the A/W palette to describe my children?? No brainer re jacket or mortgage - I know which one you will get some benefit out of...

ABO Love the M&S cashmere mix coat, it's not going to set the fashion world alight but good basic classic which is flattering to most figures. If the Zara dress is a great fit and colour on you I wouldn't worry about if it was too retro, however I am sure tunics are back in this season.

bunny love the red kew bag, only thing I would mention is it's not zip which could mean things fall out (saying that it's just gone on my wish list!) re: buggies a friend who is having twins in the next 3 weeks has bought this, apparently it should fit most doors and it has fabulous reviews

Thanks for the feedback on the coat - I've done the "e-mail when instock" thing, so fingers crossed...

bunny have you seen the ABC Everest Buggy? I had the side-by-side double which was a dream to push and went through pretty much every door I came across (maybe not internal house ones, but always OK getting around shops etc). It was slightly smaller and cheaper than a Mountain Buggy. And you can get a toddler seat for the handle. I'm pretty sure a buggy board would work too. (Chose my MN name when searching for these )

Bunnymother, my friend with twins has this: icandy - I wonder if you could put a buggy board on it?

Thanks for the buggy links! I actually do not want to buy another one so hoping to avoid but if need to will consider all of those.

Fatal flaw w red Kew bag! Showed DH - he pointed out that he needs to carry it too! Will just get another Boits bag then and buy smaller glossy lovely for myself (when I find it). Oh well.

You buy lovely red Kew bag. Your DH go on amazon and buy £10 black rucksack. This sounds superficial but having a NICE nappy bag is actually really important to me as it's something you use everyday, you want something that will make you smile when you pick (heave) it up!

Vin - jacket for you.

libra, that reminds me, when we were traipsing round S France, Dh turned to me and said, I don't know why I ever complained about this bag (the il tutto)! It has these clever loops to fit on the back of the buggy and so he has come to agree it was (health in pregnancy) money well spent!

vino - tweed jacket and chloé bag are gorgeous. très chic! You so deserve another VWA dress!

abo - That's terrible for your friend. I'm sure she appreciates you being around to share memories. Camel coat is timeless. Cut looks very flattering.

Love all the pram suggestions for the bunnybabies but can't add any advice as we only had classic Bugaboo then Maclaren for DD. Maclaren had fabric styled by Lulu Guiness so that's at least a remotely style related comment. Sorry I'm babbling .

ABO - very sad re your friend. Camel coat is being raved about all over the fashion press apparently - sure Mimi whatshername from the Mail on Sunday referred to its long awaited arrival the other week.
Bunny - I agree with Libra - you should get the lovely bag and I'm sure DH will just get used to having it! If you think about, men don't really 'do' bags anyway, so you just think 'there's a Dad with a red nappy bag' - and not 'look at the bloke with the red bag' - unless there is no baby in sight of course! I had a really boring grey M&P bag with DS1, partly cos of DH making comments in John Lewis in front of the Cath Kidson bags - should have just gone with the red one I liked at the time!!!!

Had a surprisingly nice time at the racetrack with DH and the boys - lovely weather helped and we got to go into the pits etc and see DH's friend's car and the mechanics work on it. Race was good to watch too - who knew?!

ollie, you sound like you have a great lifestyle. Am jealous! Good for you for surviving yesterday.

Hi all

Once again I have been away and am struggling to keep up! I will be back in the swing by tomorrow, I promise. Sorry to those I have missed:

ABO - so sorry about your friend. A good friend of mine lost her daughter at 3 days old in Dec 2002 (after a previous series of late miscarriages.) I think about little Jenifer every December. My friend is a very strong lady and now has two beautiful boys, so there is a happier note to the story. On the 1st anniversary of Jenifers death my friend cooked 4 of her female friends (inc me) a beautiful dinner and invited us all round to remember her and to say thank you for all our support. It was an incredibly moving gesture - and actually a fun, memorable evening; not maudlin at all. What a lady.

Sorry, I am of no help at all with prams and nappy bags. I used the free one I got from Boots and had a one bog standard Mamas and Papas travel system!

Right, utterly shattered following fab weekend in Scotland. Weather was gorgeous! DH away at new course, so I headed up on Thursday night after work and went out in Glasgow on Friday night with two close friends. Her DH babysat the 4 kids (aged 2 to 6...) for us - and then took them out on the Saturday morning to allow us 'recovery time' - what a guy!. We sat in the sunshine in her back garden eating pizza and drinking champagne before heading off to the bright lights. Visited 4 fab hostelries and drank cocktails until ....umm, pretty late! We all wore dresses - I wore a grey embellished maxi I got a couple of months ago from Warehouse, which is lovely - but out of stock so I can't link. Friends also looked amazing - they aren't on this thread, but they are A & W in spirit.... Such a great time!

And, even better - despite a weekend falling off the Dukan wagon big time from 7pm Friday night onwards(as the champagne and pizza ref may have made you realise...) I am now 6lbs down on my holiday weight! Have decided to stop the Dukaning for the moment and go back to mainly Low GI, and exercise as usual and see how it goes.

Right. Off to read the thread properly.

Oh, I think Cake is due back from holiday.

Hope you had a fab time!

Back from hols .
Not had a chance to catch up properly on the thread (yet).
Hols were great, MM - Porto Sani is great for kids but beware, if like me you love mediterranean food, there are some great restaurants at the marina and I have come back feeling very fat
So am on a diet as saw dvd footage of self in bikini and it wasn't nice . I do not understand how at 5'3" I can feel and look so chubby of tummy/hips/bum/thigh when I currently weigh 8 stone 3lbs, I mean it's hardly obese is it but I weigh 10lbs more than I did at Easter this year and none of my jeans fit so I will have to deal with it.
I don't think I can do a hardcore dukan so am trying to just eat less and no crap although I was maybe thinking of a protein only lunch in an Atkins/Dukan vein - how much ham or tuna would you normally eat as a lunchtime portion if that was all you were having?

Still, am looking forward to meet-up and am going to use the date as my goal to be back at 7 stone 7lbs by then . I am thinking that is quite doable no?

DD1 back to school tomorrow but dd2 not back at nursery for another 2 weeks so still not likely to be around much. Normal service resumes 20th September

No shopping to report, I did think of maybe not allowing myself any purchases until I had lost the weight but no sense in being totally miserable aswell as fat so am going to try to allow myself a few treats but nothing that would fit now but be too big later or viceversa, so no jeans/trousers etc.
TBH I don't really need that much for A/W.
I have 3 pairs of flat knee high boots from last year, already have 2 vaguely military style coats (1 short navy, 1 long choc brown).
Also a bit cross with self as had a £20 off ASOS code which I stupidly didn't realise expired whilst I was away. I was going to get some wedge ankle boots with it - anyone got any ASOS codes at the mo?

ABO your poor friend

I'm not convinced by the camel coat but thats because I generally find m&S a bit disappointing.

Esher - glad you had a good holiday! I too feel fat and am trying to lose some weight.

Am inspired by NY and dukan but think thats too hardcore for me and am still bf a bit.

DH has gone off to the pyrenees until saturday - hope he has fun.

DS1 back to school on wednesday so we're doing uniform shopping tomorrow.

Good to have you back esher and notyummy. Fab weightloss too notyummy.

Oh Blossoming - I wish! Just realised that I sounded really grand re race track visit - DH's friend races Catherham cars as a hobby and has these race days at various tracks - this was the nearest to us! It wasn't glam at all - just lots of middle aged men pretending to me formula one drivers! Rest of my life is v pretty mundane - SAHM, member of an expat Mums group and a book club and thats about it! I am often envious of the lifestyles of the ladies on this thread - esp when they involve shopping on NAP!