We are Avidly snapping up Primarni brogues, whilst Wisely swapping (for charidee!) our unwanted clothes...

[notyummy]

This way ladies....

I know it doesn't fit my stated brief but I like this coat a lot. Hot pink lining, yes please!!!

You sold them cake?? How much did you get?

Am holding a minute's silence for the maternity choos.

I also feel weirdly sad

Love the blog LTEC.

Fritzi - Love that skirt.

Well, I am just back from a meeting. Wearing this skirt, plain grey top, wedge boots and this trench...although hopefully not looking as gormless as the girl in the picture! Seemed a bit drab, so I added a purple patterned silk scarf...given to me by the Chinese delegation I presented to a while back, (ably assisted by Roma!)

On the way back I nipped into Gap and bought these, after being told they were good for the bigger bottom! Used my 25% off voucher from Grazia. PLeased with the trousers, but the shop was a tip - looked like Primark! Then went to H & M that was much batter presented and more orderly. Bought a couple of scarves and a stripey sweater dress. Was it Hells looking for sweater dresses? Don't know how much you wanted to spend and if you wanted natural fibres only (in which case this probably won't be suitable...) but H and H had LOADS of sweater dresses, most of which looked good to me.

LTEC - LOVE the coat!

Batter presented??

better presented...in H and M.

Hello!

Carciofi - I am at Queen Charlotte's and am v happy - nice, small hospital and they specialise in multiple births and complicated pregnancies. Naturally, though, my hospital bag will contain many nice snacks - doubt the boutique feel extends to good food.

Roma - sorry work has been bothering you, but glad you found the solution - being the boss!

notyummy - you really are taking the closure news well - ever witty, delightful and optimistic.

Fritzi (? its back a few pages!!) - congratulations on getting a great part time job! Well done!!

Now, meet-up-ladies - I am going to try and order afternoon tea, even though we are there for lunch. I have the most powerful scone and cake and cookie and and and cravings when pregnant, and am too big to mess with these days. So am sure waiters will oblige me (probably terrified I will cry or have the babies on the spot)

Went to Primark yesterday and bought all the nasty essentials - hospital slippers, horrible practical big pants for post C-section etc. AND (are you all ears Carciofi) lots of their 3 pound stretchy long sleeve tops. They come in good colours and are long in the body. I am full-term size already so if they work for me, perhaps worth thinking about for you?

Nah, who cares about previewing notyummy - we all know what you are trying to say. I can spell and write properly, but if I make a typo, never bother going back to correct myself, unless it renders my message nonsensical. They usually are anyway, so prob makes little difference

BTW this thread still runs like a seam of sunshine through my tiring day. Will v much rely on you all once had DCs (assuming I can get to the internet) to keep me focused on losing baby weight, while also keeping both good humour and sense of style intact!

Roma and Choo I am not as glam as you two - and I have decided to embrace my scruffy mediocrity with good grace.

Now, what do you think of the coat?

thanks NY!!

bunny lots of my friends have had babies in QC, have heard only good things. Glad you are feeling so on form.

Thanks cake, I feel fine, just prone to tears every time I see the Chilean miners on tv. My grandad was a miner in south Wales.
Re your coat hunt. I've also been looking at coats and even the really pricey ones on nap are made of blends!
Will have a look at your links now.

I think the pregnancy grant has been abolished ltec, Cameron must have been lurking and saw what we spent it on!

Good shopping there notyummy.

Hope the charity bake goes well ollie.

Nice Mulberry carciofi.

Well my daughter should have been born a year ago today. I was admitted on the 12th and started off, then on morning of 13th they tried to break my waters but failed! I read Jackie Collins all afternoon then at 6.30 they did break my waters and baby was born 1.30 am. Pleased it was then 14th and the 13th was also Margaret Thatcher's and Edwina Curry's birthdays!
I've found lovely wafer daisies to decorate her slightly boring looking, but nice tasting cake.

Oh Bloss I COMPLETELY forgot to actually wish you a happy birthday for the other day - sorry!! (despite getting it wrong TWICE, I then thought on the actual day "must wish Bloss..." and promptly forgot). Sounds like you had a great time.

Cake - coat is great! Looks classic, but then the lining and the v fine bright checks make it far more interesting and cheerful (but not in cringey Boden way).

Just back from the charity cake sale/coffee morning and we have made a whopping 1,700 euros. Amazing effort by everyone. I have never so many cakes in one place - could easily have spent the whole morning scoffing them! (Think I have hit on something re putting shortcake hearts in a glass jar and decorating with gingham ribbon and a felt heart - they sold out v quickly which was nice to see! Will use the idea again!

Will read posts from the last 2 days later - now off to get DS1's passports photos done - have been practicing him not smiling for them and results have been v funny - in a cute way!!!

Just watched some footage of the miners in Chile being rescued and blubbed like a baby. Such a happy ending.

Oh Cake...lo capisco! ...and yes, our 'biggies' are 4 and almost 3 months......awwwwwwwww

Love that coat btw...and farewell to the Choos

Bunny...I so loved getting my essentials for the hospital bag, and wanted to look as glam as poss (sadly deluded in retropsect), but at least I felt nice...so bought lots of white company smellies and their pull ons, which are fab with a bump...just bought my normal size as they stretch....I also took tons of magazines and books to read whilst feeding baby...plus make up...bronzer, mascara and lip balm a must I thought! I never bought disposable knickers either....just tons of mothercare cheapy maternity briefs which were useful.....

Carciofi - go for the International...I had a neat little quilted Hobbs jacket which I threw on when out and about after having baby and looked very up together, and more importantly felt up together....

Barnes is lovely Carciofi!

Thumbs up on the coat front too ltec. Why is it so reduced?
Thankyou bunny!

Carciofi...love that Mulberry bag ! I still haven't got around to getting a cross body bag...would be very useful, but is cool too...

Dolce - no no no, trying to look glam is important!! I was livid at DH for sending out the photo he did of DD and I - I had virtually no make up on and was exhausted. FGS, at least pass me the lip gloss first! I am not an animal, after all... Been meaning to thank you for the Agent Prov. corset tip - will that work after a C-section do you think? WC smellies being toiletries? I want/will but one of their special edition candles - 'tis luxe and I am stroppy deserving. I bought Primark pull on PJ pants, as I don't normally wear them so don't want to spend. Although am loving the WC velour robe, which is great for being snug whilst dealing w DD's night wakings. I have def packed mascara, concealer (heavy duty), lip glosses/sticks, nude eyeshadow, perfume (Guerlain's Champs Elysee - light and lovely). And will def pack some mags. Plus trusty iPhone - although beware Carciofi - QC has little internet/phone reception

Right, DD is awake...

morning all,

Fritzi - feeling very inspired by your gorgeous outfit I went and got a similar skirt from gap - now if I could only figure out how to get brogues to suit me!

NY thanks for the H&M tip off - I shall check it out.

Katy - fab purchases & EIE looks like a good haul.

Cake - Coat potentially looks amazing...but I always find it hard to tell with the outnet (as patterns seem to photograph differently with them). Certainly worth a risk. I have ordered the trousers. Fingers crossed.

Outnet update:

love these fab black/dark grey cords - they do clever things to my fat flat bottom.

This - grey jacket - terrible fit on me is going back.

Weirdly metallic but a good shape skirt - can?t decide - it may go back.

- beautiful quality dress alas?the ruffles give the appearance of a very saggy bosom. Going back

My new Zara coat - as modelled on this blog is staying. It's an odd one. Looks pretty darn good but feels cheap. Also it's a bit tight across the shoulders but would be too loose if I sized up. Ughh. But it does look good (I hope) and the colour is a lovely red.

oh bunny - love love love the glamour plans!

Does anyone have the Grazia code for Gap please????? Not in the Dutch version - typical!

oh meant to say - a few years back DH bought a limited edition banksy print to put up in DS's nursery. I was very cross as we were totally broke and it cost £60. Also it was of horrid war helicopters and I deemed it inappropriate for my PFB's line of vision. So it was banned from being hung.

Fast forward and DH's just found out from a friend that bought one too that it's worth £2,500 now! Now we just have to find where we stashed it.

LTEC, lovely coat.

Well, I now have two lovely dresses thanks to the very kind Blossoming.

Ollie, that is a great amount!

Cool, I think I will go with QC. A few of my friends had bad experiences at Chelsea & Westminster so it has put me off greatly. Though there is a Carluccio's opposite!

I went into Primark to buy hospital clothes before DD was born, left within a minute and have never been back. The tops sound good value though.

The Health in Pregnancy grant stops on 1st Jan. Shame as it was going to fund a Mulberry wallet!

Hells - Am of the banksy windfall!

OWW - Alas, the Gap/Grazia thing is paper based - i.e you have to cut out of the mag and then take it into the shop. No online code.

Bunny - Giggling at your grumpiness with DH and baby pics....I am so with you on this. The first lady who had her baby in the NCT group was about 3 weeks ahead of me. Her proud DH circulated a pic of her lying in recovery with her DD after a CS (following a loonnngg labour.) She is smiling (just about), but looks like the living dead (unsurprisingly!) I threatened DH with all sots of pain if he circulated that kind of shot of me We did take pics just after delivery, but the one that was circulated was taken the next morning after a hairbrush and shower. Frankly, I still look pretty scary, but its an improvement. Please don't think I am shallow ladies - but just after the delivery I was yellow/white after a haemorrage (long story involving a forceps delivery with no pain relief - EEK!) so would have scared small children in the pics.

Lovely photo, EIE.