some photos from holiday!

we all had a lovely time, fin had his first: go on a bouncy castle, dip in the sea, mouthful of sand, toast with butter.... mummy and daddy got time off on their own (with cocktails, which are fab!) and nana and grandad are stars for taking us........ THANK YOU!

fins first seaside dip!

the view from our hotel window

love this picture!

family jones

mummy and fin on the beach

christmas

part of me is a bit sad that we wont be around for the big festive build up. i dont mean having to listen to sodding noddy "its christmas" chap in every shop, but it might be nice to sit in the evening with just the fairy lights on and relax, i think it is the smell of the pine tree that makes it so special.

anyway, half way though putting up the tree we have come upon a hitch. the lights appear to be dead. and i have now spent david out three times to get new ones (long story) so hopefully it will be done soon and we can start packing. scary! i also wrote all our xmas cards last night, and so now i will finish my phd editing tonight, and then we can wrap pressies tomorrow night.

happy birthday david!

we had a fab day, took fin to see santa, went up the spinaker tower thing, ate in rosies wine bar, all great, no time to type nowm will elaborate later.

Your Christmas Song Is

Here Comes Santa Claus Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus Right down Santa Claus lane Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer Pullin' on the reins You don't get into the Christmas spirit too early But by Christmas Eve, you're psyched for the holidays

What Christmas Carol Are You?

so what have we been doing?

me: started knitting a teddy for fin. written half of my christmas cards, been buying decorations and things for holiday, editing a phd chapter, usual cleaning and that sort of thing. in theory tonight i am supposed to be going out with the gurls from mummy group for a pizza, but im not sure i can be bothered after the disaster that was mondyas attempted outing to see santa. (they told us to turn up at half 9, and the grotto didnt open till 12!) so, if any one fancies comming to see santa with me and the bean please let me know because i dont want to take him on my own, is more of a moment to share.

david: going to work, getting excited about the holiday, not doing any ironing, eating sandwitches i make him, and grumping a bit becuase the kntting is getting more attention than he is!

fin: growing teeth, eating new thingd (like fish and pasta!) discovering the joy of taking the magnets off the fridge, running over the cats in his trotter, chewing books, flirting with blond women, and growing out of his 6-9 month clothes.

i got fin weighed yesterday and he was 19 lbs 4.... i was quite supprised as i thought he would be at least 20 lbs by now. still, he is hardly starving. anyone got any tips for travelling with babies ona plane?

still, no camera lead but if i get my butt is gear i will go and get one today.

Fins Christening

We had Fin Bena's christening on Sunday and it was a lovely afternoon. He looked amazing in the gown which Janet had made him from my wedding dress (thank you janet!!), the service was lovely, all the god parents turned up and looked like they meant it, and i was so proud i was nearly in tears twice. the reception afwewards we really nice too, my mum and dad had had the top tear of our wedding cake re-iced, with a little scroll with his name and a blue teddy on! the food was ace too (not that i got to eate any, was recovering from food poisioning damn it!) and it was all gone in about half an hour as apparently non of our firends or family seemed to have eaten for a week before hand! Fin got loats of beautiful presents, silver money box, a tankered, a spoon, a cutlery set, some posh clothes, dosh(he is now officially richer than me!) bibles, a guardian angle, (or is that angel?) and all sorts. if you got him anything I am planning on sending letters with the xmas cards (cheep in stamps) but here is a big THANK YOU to everyone, not just for the pressies, but for comming and make us feel our little family is so well loved and supported. I think it is your firends and family that influence how you travel through life, and with this mob in tow, our boy is sorted!

I have broken the cable on my camera... so no pictures now, will get on it though!

fin bean is asleep

so time to show you what picyure we are going to use to make our christmas cards this year!

love my daddy

of course, i love mine, but fin is besotted with david! the last week he has had a stinking cold, and we have been a house of the plague. sleeping and eating have all gone blurgh, and fin hasnt always been his usual happy self. but now he is on the mend. i had a tuition with my phd supervisor today, and he wants me to have antoehr chpater finished by xmas! argh! but on the good side we are going for our first (extended) family holiday withdavids mum and dada to the canary islands in december.... woooohooo! will have to take enough stuff fo fin bean to sink a ship!

ahhhh..........

this is a picture from last weekend, when davids friends from london came down for the day, with their two boys callum and oli. we took them to the little animal park, and i spent all day with the fear becuase at some point fin will get that big!!

i am all excited because at the end of nov we are having him christened, in st marys at fratton, and he is wearing a chgristening gown made from my wedding dress made by the fab and talanted dr janet, who is super fantastic!! we have book a pub in old portsmouth and are so so squiahed for space we cant really invite everyone we want to, but it should be a lovely day. will get a picture of the gown on here when janet brings it round for the first fitting!

exciting!!

last night fin decided that being on his back was rubbish, and instead he would like to be on his front, so he flipped himself over and got on his knees as if to crawl!! how exciting. he then collapsed and ate carpet, but still it was eciting enough for me to run and get the camera!

"Oh my god!! What on earth is THAT?!"

daddy and fin bean go walkies.....

Me and the fin bean go walkies

awol blogger

thats me, sorry, i just dont seem to get round to turning the computer on much! god, life is odd, fin is fab and coming on in leaps and bounds but everything feels a bit uncertain at the moment. there wasnt enough hours offered to me teaching, so i cant go back to work at my old job and now i am going to have to find a new one. plus the whole phd is in limbo. i think i am going to have to be brave and try to think of a date to start it again, and maybe even a desired finish date or i can see the whole thing going down the swanny. argh! can someone give me some encouragement, i think my brain has gone to mush and no one will ever emply me, never mind give me a doctorate! dammit

weekend away

yes, david and i have just returned from our first weekend away from fin! i had to express more milk than they usually have on sale in tesco, but it was worth it. we drove to our posh hotel (room won on the net by dave, well done daddy!) and ate a lot of food, (about 100 quids worth) and i had wine. it runs out that if you dont drink for over a year, two glasses of wone is your limit if you intend to walk home! haha. then on saturday dave went and got fine and nana and grandad (daves parents) who had been baby sitting and we spent the day together, which was really nice. had a pub lunch and a mooch about. then dave took them back and i sat in the hot tub for a hr, got a bit dizy, had a shower and tarted myself up for the evening meal, where we ate another copious amount of food. then we had a walk on the worlds darkest windy beech and went to bed. up this morning and then more hot tub before breakfast, then drove home becaus ei was missing the boy. he was FINE, and is now eating baby mush! so far:

baby rice: loved it
carrot: loved it
pear: didnt touch the sides
parsnip: pulled a face to start with but then ate it all and smeared the rest all over his face and clothes.

thank you to davis mum and dad for looking after him!

Fathers Son

family jones at emmas wedding

my boys at emmas wedding....

hello!

As i type this i am atmy mother in laws in london, after the NIGHTMARE journey from hell to get here which took nearly 4 hours and totally messed up fins nap times, i am only hoping the way home isnt so bad.

anyway, things have been going ok. the health visitor thinks i am depressed as i once rang her up upset when fin was ill, she is now almost stalking me making sure that i am not going to drown fin in the bath! haha. (thats funny because im not) obviousley.

we have been just doing the usual thing really, going to cofe morning and the baby yoga class, which fin LOVES, it is especially funny when in the massage part, and you hold thier legs up and he doees massive farts/poos, very funny...... but also quite a lot of washing of towels, to try and get rid of the chicken korma staines. (bleurgh)

alwight, gotta go, keep watching this space as i will soon be putting up some pictures we got taken of fin at a proper photographer, they were so damn cute we were thinking of signing him up for baby modeling!

perfect baby

he sleep right through the night, eats on a perfect 3 hour schedual and does nothing in the daytime but smile and provide maternal gritification.

ok

so this isnt fin, but he isnt that far off, still waking up twice a night, but eating is now back to normal and i am planning to start weaning him at 14 weeks. shoould be fun! any tips for this? he was last weighed last week and was 14 lbs 1 oz, (MONSTER BABY) and i dont think that he will hold of chomping somthing a bit more substantial for that much longer.

we went to the nct bbq today and it was really nice, although fin refused point black to wake up and show everyone what a great bub he is...... david was just pleased everyone noticed he was a mini-me (mini dave that is, still looks nothinhg like me)

fin contemplates the meaning of life....

or maybe just thinks about why plastic tastes so good!

wedding nanas and grandads!

mixed week- but a great wedding!

fin has had a STINKER of a cold this week, which i got too, this has been so draining, mainly becasue he couldnt feed and then eventually forgot how to feed and had to be retrained into it, really not at all fun. but on the other hand last sunday we went to davids sisters wedding and it was fab, great dress, great food, nice people all really really romantic and pretty, was really quite an event, so congrats EMMA AND PHIL! wooohoo!

swimming fin!

yesterday david and i took fin for his first swim, and he LOVED IT! and i have to say, that he did just look so so so so so cute in his little wetsuit and rubber ring, i am totally turning into one of those parents who coo at every little thig he does. for example, i get really excited when he fits in the next size up clothes, and when he he started to make goooo and maaaa noises rather than just grunting! he is so great!

congratulations to emma

at last at 3 weeks over due had baby ava! well done girl!

fin and i have been very brave today, we went out in the car to see some nct friends, then went to a different town shopping and got daddy lunch for tomorrow and a wetsuit for fin for when i take him swimming. how clever are we being all mobile and all!

this is my dad with the fin bean, my dad isnt well at the mo, so get better soon!

smiles

just to prove he does them!

poor fin!

has has had a viral infection, and has not been at all happy. add to this the sub-tropical heat, and a visit to M and S where some woman called me a bad mother (apparently, him crying qualifies me for this post) and i think you can say this week has been a bit more difficult.

BUT davids car is finally fixed, so mummy and finbean are mobile again! watch out world, now if i can only work out how to get the damn car seat in...........

this is what we do at home all day!

not a lot! fin is grumpy as it is so hot, and i am trying to keep him from getting grumpy.

i did have a dysney embargo, but fin LOVES his play nest! Thank you uncle adam and aunty karen!

week 3

Fin is a total guzzler and is now 10lbs 10!! He is the kind of baby that could eat some of the ickly babies! (not that i condone eating of babies in any way) He is coming on now, and I see little new things that he can do every day, he is starting to look straight up when you put him on his back and is reaching out for lurid or jangely toys. (he oikes the ones that make the most annoying noise!)

So things are good, my mum was here last week and davids mama stayed monday to wednesday, so now i am going to be a proper growned-up and try on my own! am finding it slightly daunting, but i think now i have the basic skills, just need to work out how to try and do them as well as sort the house and and remember to wash my hair!

thank you to everyone who has sent us well wishes (or even pressies) they are all much appreciated, especially the clothes that are in bigger sizes, as he seems to want to grow out of things before he has even had the chancde to wear them! i am now not as chunky as i was, but the tummy area is NOT NICE. Q: how do people in magazines get so damn skinny after they have had babies? is it starvation or plastic surgery? These are not an option, (love cheese too much!) but if it is somthing elas i might have a go......

on another note, everyone send wishes to emma who is overdue and getting grumpy, xxxx

apologies for lask of typing

have been rushed off my feet by a small bald dictator! he has been feeding every hour as it is so hot, but last night he slept for 5 (YES 5!) hours in a row! So i am feeling almost human, yay fin!!

other than that we have been trying to keep the house in an ok state, changing nappies and generally doing babyh things, as well as being brave and leaving the house to go shopping and for walks, m y mum is here this week and she has been great, i am feeling a bit more confident now, but it is just good to have someone who can help out.

learning curve

has been quite sharp. to think, i once imagined that i would get better sleep from uncomfortable pregnancy when the bean was here! HA! I was so silly. and poo in nappies changes colour from sort of black tar like goo to yellow mustary stuff.

hummm. also no one tells you how much you can love your baby. i never thought anyone would mean as much to me as dave, but now i have two boys i would do anything for!

Finley Bean Christopher

Our son was born on the 20th, at 3.18pm, he weighed 8lbs 6oz, and is totally perfect in every way.

The birth didnt go as planned, but after 4 days of pre-labour and 15 hours of normal labour he was delivered via c-section as an emmergency.

We are at home now getting used to being a little familly, everything is perfect- he was worth the wait!

contractions

so, on wendesday night i starting having little ickly niggely pains, that turned into period pains, and have been returing every 20-5 mins, or every 5 mins, or ever 7 mins or when ever they feel like it. the pain is bareable, and so i think that this last 24 hours+ is ju7st the build up to some mega pain.......... anyway, at least somthing is happening.

yes still here

saw the midwife today for my 41 (!!!!) week appointment. this is the one based in portsmouth, they kept us waiting for 45 minutes and then said that i may be "a bit stressed" give the woman a medal, godness knows all that medical training has come in handy for making that diognosis!!


anyway, today is going to be spent reading new scientist magazines lent to me by ben to try and strop my brain rotting, cleaning the kitching floor on my hands and knees (someone told me it started thier mums labour) and probably watching football of some type. woopdie doo. i can just about remember the days when i went to work at 7, then went to tescos and then to yoga, i am sure i used to be able to do thingsz without wincing or it being painful. i suppose that all this is the kind of thing you forgot once the baby is here, if i seem in danger of forgetting, can someone please remind me?!

still here

yes, still here sat around. apparently my mother in law (hi terry!) thinks i am going nuts sat at home, david pointed out to me that there was a fine line between my normal mental state and nuts before! cheeky git.

i just got an email from my friend nicky, she had the perfect birth! no pain relief and was just an all out star. i dont know if i have told you my theory on this, but here we go: i think births are like a-levels, only so many good ones to go around, so if all my friends have perfect births, then there wont be any left and i will have to have a c-section. i know this makes no sense in the universal pattern of things, but it is an idea quite firmly rooted in my head. odd. maybe i am going a little bit funny sat at home after all.

come on bean!!! 6 days overdue now!

not my waters breaking

last night at 1am i thought my waters had broken.... there was watery stuff coming from me (uegh, no nicer way of saying that!) and so we rang the hospital who said to go in.... 6 hours later they decided it may have been either the hind waters or somthing else that you dont want to know about...

anyway, i got all excited and now i am back to sitting around. mind, i guess this means that things may be about to happen (?) please!!

congratulations to lou!

yes, another one has dropped..... lou had lilly grace, 8lbs 10 (ish) on Saturday. dammit!!!

i am now totally sick of people ringing and texting to ask if the baby is here yet, and then i get all sorts of useless advice about eating curries, driving over pot holes and hav ing sex. trust me, i have tried all of this and nothing has worked! so today is the 4th day over due, and i suppose on the bright side, i only have a week to go until the induction date. but i really REALLY^ dont want to me induced, as this rather tends to lead toward having cesarian births, and i really dont want that, not at all. so, today i am going to my nct class coffee morning, and then my mum is coming round this afternoon to stop me going spare.

i have run out of thing to clean, so i think organising little distracting jollies out is nows the way to go, that and spending time sitting in the beans room meeping and wondering if he ever plans to get here, or if being pregnant for this long is just an act of univerfsal karma for soming i did wrong!

funny fact: the bean likes music ok, but he realy likes football noise. we have been watching the world cup and he goes nuts when the crown makes a big noise! you can tell he is daves son, the other thing he likes is it you hold this baby einstein flashing toy next to my tummy, he tries to turn to the flashy lights!

congratulations to nicky!

my friend from yoga who had a 7lb girl on the 8th, called emily grace.

ok, so im half congratulating and half so jelous i have actually cried a bit. i think the bean has decided to stay put as he knows what a horrible mother i will be! it seems weird that the whole giving birth thing is such a natural process, and that i seem to suck at it! i mean, there are things i can accept being bad at, like maths, crosswords, countdown, making cakes, going on trains, admiting im wrong... but i just assumed that i would be ok at this becuase EVERYONE is, or at least everyone else seems to be. it doesnt help that now i have had my best name and my due date stolen!

Today...

so yesterday it was one day to go,..... today i am supposed to be avec bean. there is no bean here yet and no sign one one making an enterance either.

so today i am going back to hospital again to have somthing called a membrane sweep done. if you know what this is feel sorry for me, if you dont, then google it and be afraid.


anyway, everyone is at work so i am going on my own, which is fine, i am just hoping that this may be the kick start the little whatsit needs to get going.

at nct on tuesday there was a supprise visit from a baby born 6 weeks early to one of the couple in the class, they have (CANNOT BELIEVE THIS) given him the name that we had almost decided on. im not angry as such as it is first come first served butim not best pleased. hunph.

NOTICE TO DAVID

I hearby declare that if the cherry coke you took from the fridge is not replaced by this evening at 7pm I shall:

cease all housework, including hoovering, dusting, and washing up
refuse to iron anything of yours ever again
place all the bit of me you are partial too in a "david free" zone and will not be touchable.
Refrain from all sexual activity
refuse to have the bean so i get even more grumpy and hormonal
get a huge credit card and spent it all today on shoes that hurt and handbags that are over priced
tourment the cats so they attack you when you get in
refuse to let you have any bed or duvet EVER again
not make you the chocolate muffins i promised

you have been warned!!!!

3 days to go..

have had a nice weekend, went to the beach on saturday and sat around like a beached whale there is photogrpahic proof of this, but i cant work out how to lower the resolution of my images so they dont take an hr to load onto blogger! anyway, then we can back, watched the football (get some practice in at asking irritating questions, like "so, how come they dont get a penalty when the england players dive?") and then slept lots. woke up sunday is a really crappy mood, which was not helped by david decided to "fix" the stairs banister when in fact he ripped it off the wall.

quite a major huff ensued on my part, but it is now back on the wall with the hones mopr or less sorted. my dad put up shelves in the bathroom and now i am ready for the bean!!!! ]we couldnt have more food in the freezer just ready for defrosting, and to be honest, the highlight of today is going to the council to pick up the various benefit forms to which we become entitled once bean is here.... if youd have told me a few years ago that this would seem like a worthwhile and interesting trip i would have sneered a\t you!

may possibly also bake some muffins, at least then if i keep dave in a sugar induced coma he wont be so keen to take the house to pieces!

6 days to go

6 days to go....... i am getting impatient!!!!!!!!! very.

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have low conscientiousness. Impulsive and off the wall, you don't take life too seriously. Unfortunately, you sometimes end up regretting your snap decisions. Overall, you tend to lack focus, and it's difficult for you to get important things done. Agreeableness: You have low agreeableness. Your self interest comes first, and others come later, if at all. In general, you feel that people are not to be trusted. And you're skeptical that anyone else really feels differently. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is low. You're a pretty conservative person, and you favor what's socially acceptable. You think that change for novelty's sake is a very bad idea. While some may see this as boring, many see you as dependable and wise.

The Five Factor Personality Test

more midwife

so today is the last appointment FOR SURE and david has managed to blag the afternoon off to come with me!! yay. i seem to have a problem remembering what I am supposed to be asking, i think i must come across like a docile cow, sort of big eyes and massive... like what cows look like before they are milked. eeewwwwwww.

anyway, the last few days have been spent like this:

cook some food to freeze (very successful carrot, corriander and orange soup) go swimming, go to the library, huff a bit mostly at david becuase he is around and will take it, fend off texts from well meaning idiots asking if i have had him yet, and sit in the garden besiged by cats while i try and knit. actually, i thought i would be going nuts after a week, but am finding this doing not a lot quite tiring and so ifeel like i have been busy even when i havnt. this is perhaps keeping me from going stir crazy.

anyway, i have told me bean ANYTIME now is fine, except in supermarkets and maybe the pool! haha

midwife

we went out last night and ate all the italian food in all the world, seriously, there are hungry italians in italy now, going "mama mia! where hasa all the pizza gone!" or some other stereotype.

today is my last midwife appointment, and I dont want to go, she is MEAN and not interested in me and if the bean hasnt engaged yet I mazy well cry. not as much as i have been crying at hollyoakes, but enough to make a tit of myself.

Happy Wedding anniversay to us!

Yes, david and I have been married three years today, which is a total of five years he has been putting up with me! I was supprised with a lovely card and pressie, and I can say that the best thing that ever happened to me was meeting david. I am not always the easiest person to live with, but he makes every day a pleasure, and no matter what else happens, i get to look forward to waking up with him everyday, and watching him grow into an amazing father and an even more amazing husband.

congratulations to alice!!

Congratulations to alice, proud mumm y to Max Issac, born yesterday, weighing 6lbs and 7.

As a by line alice was due to same day as me, so if your istening bean, I dont mind you copying Max and turning up a bit early.....

nice week

this is the start of a nice week. first NO WORK!! wooohoooo. and now i can pop to all the things i like most, yoga, swimming, do some knitting, go to the library and cook. i am a free woman for the last time of my life, so some serious chilling out is going to happen.

plus, yesterday it was my baby shower. i booked it in a pub and the bloody football was on, really loud for the first hour, but wsupprisingly women with wine and cake can seem to manage football noise. i must remember to tell david this! davids mum and sister came down from london and crawley to see me, and there were about 20 people there is total. i have to admit to not seeing everyone as often as i should, so it was great just to catch up and have a chat with everyone, so THANK YOU all for coming!!

I will get pictures on here, but the uploader thing on this takes forever, is there a better way of uploading pictures?

wish list for the bean

ok, this is the wish list for the bean for the baby shower.... people kept asking us what we wanted so i made a list! you dont have to buy things off it, but it is just ideas.... to be honest i am more excited about seeing people on sunday!

Wish list for the bean.

Blooming Marvellous (nearest store Winchester, St Georges Street) www.bloomingmarvellous.co.uk 08454587400

Noah’s Ark wooden bookends. £14.99
Samsonite pop up travel cot £49.99 (also available from JKUK)
Bumboo Baby sitter £34.99 (also available from JKUK)
Teach your baby to sign DVD £17.99
Mind Shapes £19.99
Wheelie bugs £59.99 (also available at JKUK)
Wire mesh wardrobe hangers. £14.99

JoJo Maman Bebe www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk 08702410560. There is a 10% discount if you quote PRC61 on the phone or enter PCR61 in the promotional box online. Package and postage is free.

Solid Wooden ark £19
Wrist rattles £4
Bath toy bag £5
Sleeping bag. 0-6 months in Zebra pattern, High summer weight £25
Bean bad chair in blue stripe. £37
My first calendar £30
Caterpillar wall frieze £35

Mamas and Pappas (nearest store Southampton nr. West. However, JKUK in Fratton hold similar stock as they are a subsidiary company) www.mamasandpapas.com 08708307700

Lotty Ladybird Baby on Board sign (x2) £5
Roller sunshade (x2) £8
Millie and Boris Curtain Tie Backs £20
Barnaby Bear Laundry Bag £15
Stack n’ play multi-activity cubes £17
Dudley and Daisy pull along music toy £18
Dudley duck rocking animal £60

Mothercare (nearest store Commercial Road Portsmouth or nr. West Quays Southampton.) www.mothercare.com 08453304030

Twinkle twinkle cot light £9.99
6-piece starter set cot blankets in white. £29.99
Firsts needs towel set £19.99
Duck bath thermometer £3.99
Discover and play colour blocks £13
Baby Einstein Books and Interactive DVDs. Various from £3.99- £17.99
Jungle play-nest and gym. £40

No disney please! Thank you love ,rachel & david and bean xxxx

my belly button is popping out!!

arrgghhhhhh!!!!!!!!

someone tell me it will go back in, please, meep!

"women only" session at nct

last night i spent two and a half hours talking about cracked nipples and post partum bleeding. i watched people finger breast pads (all shapes and washable ones as well) and maternity towels, which look more comfy than some hotel matresses. god help me! i thought academics were the most insular and inwardly facing group of people, but apparently not....

one more week of work to go

THANK GOD! it is too hot and i am to hufty to have to deal with people who are obviously resisting the urge to pat me, or keep looking at the bump in horror!

today i am off shopping for yet more bean things with my mama, need a nursing bra which apparently you get TWO CUP SIZES bigger, which will make my boobs bigger than jordan! arrrgghhh. david is (supprise) quite pleased about this, as he has not yet worked out that soon the boobs will no longer be a go-zone for him. poor boy!

saw the midwife yesterday, she said the bean was "a very contented baby" but also still rather huge on the growth chart. still, the curve of growth seemed in proportion, so thats good news. i have been collecting people addressees so i can do the envelopes for the birth announcement cards before the bean is here, one less anal job to worry about when the main concern will be nappies etc. i thought this was organised, but i hear that apparently it is just odd.

hormones

i think i should revise the post about being abnormal- yesterday i spent about 2 hours crying becuase a friend of mine had an engaged baby and i dont know if mine is or not......... then i got upset because the midwifes in portsmouth are crap and i dont have one that isnt on long term sick, THEN i got upset becuase i couldnt get out of the bath. this is in addition to last week when i cried becuase i forgot somthing at work, and cried so much one of the full time memerbs of staff had to take me for a cheer up lunch and pep talk. i am a total hormone infested disaster area at the moment, maybe this is what sent all those cool women over the edge......

garden

we have done our garden!!! i say we, i mean, david and his amigos barn and ben have done our garden. where there was once mus there is now lawn and beds and patio!! it rocks!!

You Are 20% Abnormal

You are at low risk for being a psychopath. It is unlikely that you have no soul. You are at low risk for having a borderline personality. It is unlikely that you are a chaotic mess. You are at low risk for having a narcissistic personality. It is unlikely that you are in love with your own reflection. You are at low risk for having a social phobia. It is unlikely that you feel most comfortable in your mom's basement. You are at low risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. It is unlikely that you are addicted to hand sanitizer.

How Abnormal Are You?

ebay addiction

My name is rachel, and I am addicted to ebay. There I have taken the first step!!!!
but I bought some really cute birth announcement cards and am setting the premature bean outfit, which would even have fitted the baby at 33 weeks!!

I have an active birth class tonight, no doubt i will be rolling around on gym balls, grunting against walls and if last night was anything to go by (at NCT) listening to fog horns trying to pretend they are contractions. random. i think this is all a careful plot to rid you of your dignity now so you dont have any left for the birth! haha

Look what David emailed me!

LIST OF RULES
1. From 9 June to 9 July 2006, you should read the sports section of the newspaper so that you are aware of what is going on regarding the World Cup, and that way you will be able to join in the conversations. If you fail to do this, then you will be looked at in a bad way, or you will be totally ignored. DO NOT complain about not receiving any attention.
2. During the World Cup, the television is mine, at all times, without any exceptions. If you even take a glimpse of the remote control, you will lose it (your eye).
3. If you have to pass by in front of the TV during a game, I don't mind, as long as you do it crawling on the floor and without distracting me. If you decide to stand nude in front of the TV, make sure you put clothes on right after because if you catch a cold, I wont have time to take you to the doctor or look after you during the World Cup month.
4. During the games I will be blind, deaf and mute, unless I require a refill of my drink or something to eat. You are out of your mind if you expect me to listen to you, open the door, answer the telephone, or pick up the baby that just fell from the second floor....it wont happen.
5. It would be a good idea for you to keep at least 2 six packs in the fridge at all times, as well as plenty of things to nibble on, and please do not make any funny faces to my friends when they come over to watch the games. In return, you will be allowed to use the TV between 12am and 6am, unless they replay a good game that I missed during the day.
6. Please, please, please!! if you see me upset because one of my teams is losing, DO NOT say "get over it, its only a game", or "don't worry, they'll win next time". If you say these things, you will only make me angrier and I will love you less. Remember, you will never ever know more about football than me and your so called "words of encouragement" will only lead to a break up or divorce.
7. You are welcome to sit with me to watch one game and you can talk to me during halftime but only when the commercials are on, and only if the halftime score is pleasing me. In addition, please note I am saying "one"game, hence do not use the World Cup as a nice cheesy excuse to "spend time together".
8. The replays of the goals are very important. I don't care if I have seen them or I haven't seen them, I want to see them again. Many times.
9. Tell your friends NOT to have any babies, or any other child related parties or gatherings that requires my attendance because:
a) I will not go,
b) I will not go, and
c) I will not go.
10. But, if a friend of mine invites us to his house on a Sunday to watch a game and his television and sound system is better than mine, we will be there in a flash.
11. The daily World Cup highlights show on TV every night is just as important as the games themselves. Do not even think about saying "but you have already seen this...why don't you change the channel to something we can all watch??", the reply will be: "Refer to Rule #2 of this list".
12. And finally, please save your expressions such as "Thank God the World Cup is only every 4 years". I am immune to these words, because after this comes the Champions League, Italian League, Spanish League, Premier League, etc etc.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Regards,
Men of the World

blur

not the band no.

thi sweek has passed in a blur, it went like this:

teaching, phd, stress about money, nct classes, yoga, swimming, hospital, cleaning, marking.

my entire life revolves around the bean and it isnt even here yet!

monster bean

so we went for our scan on friday, and it was FINE the placenta is outta the way and all systems are go, the only thing a little alarming is that the bean already weighs about 5lbs, 2 oz, and they think he could be between 8.5 lbs and 10lbs! it makes the world of stitches seem a little nearer.

congrats to our friends jo and mick who got married on sat, was a lovely day and they made (still make) a beautiful couple.

scan tomorrow

we have another scan tomorrow, to check the placenta has moved out of the way for the birth (!) if not a c-section is on the cards.... will have to wait and see. but the up side of all this medical worrying is we get to see the bean again, and check once and for all that he is a boy! would be a major shock now if it was a girl after all..... will have to wait and see.

my friend with the MAHOOSIVE house is coming over today, so i have to find a way of making our house look twice as big in the next few house... is this possible? no? damn, well i suppose then she will just have to marvel at how the other (less well paid) half live. haha.

nct class

tonight we have our first nct class, i left it too late to book one in Portmsouth, so instead we are going to the much nicer emsworth, where do doubt everyone there will be rich and more organised than me.

it is a strange thing, i am looking forward to going and learning things, but it feels like the first day of school, and i am worried no one will talk to us or we wont fit in! how stupid is that?! Anyway to stop myself worrying i will be a rachel-no-mates (this never happends to dave due to the universal language of football) i am instead worrying about what to wear and that kind of thing. what an idiot!

but if anyone has any suggestions, other than "somthing comfortable" feel free to let me know.

Happy Easter

Today the bean got his first easter egg. You can tell it was for the bean (and not for me) because it had BEAN iced onto it, therefore, it is ok for me to eat chocolate, becuase really it is forthe bean and not for me.

my parents are coming round today, and somehow i have ended up cooking. this is the two things i hate most.

1- my dad coming round and moaning becuase we dont live in a show home
2- cooking and then they all never like it.

how come we cant just eat out like normal people? I am totally stressed and fed up and it isnt even 12 o clock yet.

would i survive a zombie attack?

Official Survivor Congratulations! You scored 81%!

Whether through ferocity or quickness, you made it out. You made the right choice most of the time, but you probably screwed up somewhere. Nobody's perfect, at least you're alive.

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: http://is1.okcupid.com/graphics/0.gif" border=0> http://www.okcupid.com/">%20alt="free%20online%20dating"%20src=" You scored higher than 51% on survivalpoints

Link: The Zombie Scenario Survivor Test written by ci8db4uok on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

stop work and look at this now!

http://www.stuffonmycat.com/

why is my neighbour drilling our shared wall at 8am??

why why why!!!?????


this has cheered me up, but done nothing to stop me (slightly) hoping he will fall off the ladder and get a minor injury enough to stop him drilling.

King Nebuchadnezzar You scored 75% Pride, 27% Envy, 52% Ambition, and 32% Deceitfulness!

You are King Nebuchadnezzar, the emperor of Babylon. You are part of a long tradition of Middle Eastern dictators. Like any good dictator, you possess the attributes of pride and ambition in good measure. Your ambitious nature drove you to conquer much of the Middle East, including the kingdom of Israel. You subsequently put the people of Israel into bondage. You also tend to be very direct with your friends and enemies alike. You prefer to tell people exactly what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it. Your position in society and your imperial army give you the ability to do this with impunity. Unlike many Middle Eastern despots, you are a very good ruler and you happen to treat your own people quite well. You might be a biblical villain, but I’m sure you’d make a good dictator in the 21st century, if given the chance.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 88% on Pride You scored higher than 19% on Envy You scored higher than 39% on Ambition You scored higher than 12% on Deceitfulness

Link: The Which Biblical Villain Are You Test written by MetalliScats on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Bean

week ahead

so, no work this week. so i am actually going to have to do some work..... yuck.

hen night

as a quick by-line, rasberry left tea tastes like horse poo! or at least what dried horse poo in hot water would taste like, i imagine....... yeh here i am drinking it as it is supposed to "tone" your uterus and make contractions more effective, and therefore encourage less tearing.... i am all about the less tearing.

i went to a hen night yesterday, and i was a nun. it was a vicars and tarts parts and it was quite fun....

spring cleaning

rahter than do any real work yesterday (managed 2 hours) i spent 9 hours cleaning my kitchen and bathroom. i am now a happy rahter with a floor so clean you could eat off it, really. i might as well take advantage of not having kids so they house can stay like it for a bit. i think though that the problem with cleaning is that it opens the dark side to being ever so slightly ocd about dirt, and i have enough to worry about at the mo!

fat

in hopsital they checked my bump size (32 cm) against a little chart and told me that i am, wait for it, FAT! or at least "bigger than the curve on the chart" is it possible to mispronounce fat, when in fact they meant "glowing".......?

hopsital visit again

so today i am going to hospital again, i think it would be easier if i just went and lived there. still, is important to go.

yesterday i went to a friend from pregnancy yogas house for a cup of tea, my god, this house was amazing! the front room was bigger than my whole house, really. i am now feeling a bit scummy and poor and too embarased to ask her back here.

was thinking of avoiding doing any phd tomorrow, by have a clean of the house, which although wont make it any less small, may make me like it a bit more. at the moment it is strewn with baby washing and the general mess of life. any one fancy helping?

productive day

things acomplished yesterday:

chat with phd supervisor who thought my last chapter was "interesting" yipppeee. there is light at the end of the university tunnel.

handed in pilt crapola

write letters about maternity leave to hr, fees and the pg office

bought a buggy and got a bit that makes it a pram too!!!! it is a primo viaggio. (or somthing like that) sort of grey and black, alough my mum liked the ones with cheques, but i told her it was chavvy and had to spend half an hour explaining what that means. now she is called then chevvys. (like the car) blesss....

weekend plans

today- clean carpets with the aid of my brother lovely girlfirend and her steam cleaner
meet up with old student for a coffee, or in my case, herbal tea
david dig up garden (yes more digging!)
take brother and girl friend to macro for domestic shopping prior to living together
go to adam and karens (said brother and lovely girlfriend) for dinner
collapse

tomorrow
car boot sale at moutbatten centre! looking for wool and bean things.....
take davids car to my dads for a service
do some making at some point.

as a side note, bean shopping yesterday went very well, i soent at leaste 140 quid on nappies et al! i wouldnt mind, but i know i will have to buy it all again about 24 hours after it is born!!

bean shopping

not for a bean, but for things for the bean..... my mum has paniced me by saying we dont have enought things, so today is the first day of my life that i sall go out and buy nappies. (gulp!) and baby lotion, and coton wool, and muslim squares, and baby power, and a thermometer.... it is weird!

yesterday i went to see a firends baby, he was two weeks late and only weighed 5ilb 1 onz, he was so small! ilke a little doll, one that gets a purple head just before it cries. i wonder if i could market that idea to matel?

teaching training

i hate writing pilt essays, yes i do.

buggy

some buggies (sorry travel systems) you actually need an engineering degree to fold up or down. i have managed to find one that even i can work!

mothers day

ok, i used to think it was a con, but i got my first ever mothers day card (and tulips) on sunday from the bean. my hear melted, david will now have to do this ever year until to bean can do it for himself.

a note though, the card didnt say, "happy mothers day sorry for kicking you all night and making you sick for 4 months"

i went to see debbies baby george eysterday, and he is soos sososossosoososos cute. he smiled at me a lot, and i felt very loved. ahhhh. and she gave us a ton of the things he has grown out of, which is great!

work

had a ncie day at work yesterday, all the seminars went well, and i was too exhausted by the end of the day. when david got home we went for a walk in emsworth. it is soooo nice there, it is just really depressing having to drive back to our house in fratton!

tests yesterday

they were great! i turned up for the pathology lab an hr and a half early so the lovely midewifes let me do the ante natal stuff first! the bump is "perfect" and davids mama cried when she heard the heart beat (ahhhhh) in fact she was great all day, supportive of anxious me and buyer of chocolate puddings.... yummm..


the blood tests say i shouldnt clot, so no more threat of daily injections and i am feeling much happier.

apart from i have "mislaid " my friends memory stick. oops.

silences

sory for the quiet again, i spent yesterday in a miserable state getting al twitchy and having to go to hipsital today on my own to get the results of my thrombophilia tests. my mother in law terry is coming now so I feel a lot better, was getting very anxious, it is amazing how if you think about somthing for long enough, you can make it worse than it really is.

i also had amgst brought on my pregnancy yoga. some of the women there are not very nice. they are marginalising and picking on one memebr of the session as she is a single parent, and being judgemental. They also are a bit older than me, and have more money free to spend on their beans, this, plus their comments on how you should have verything ready by 30 weeks send me into a panic. we couldnt buy anothing else for the bean this month, and i fel like a bad parent wvwn though he isnt here yet. anyway, all this culminated so i was in a foul mood and felt rotton. thank god for david cooking for me, and my mama giving me a pep talk and davids mama coming today!

field trip II

Only 6 turned up, so actually we were a rather civilised group.... wasnt that bad actually, they all seemed quite interested and i am very relieved!

the nursery was nice too, still cant quite believe i have to put our unborn childs name down!

R

field trip

those tow words can stike fear into the heart of any well meaning academic, i have today to supervise, or more like "supervise" 20-30 19 year olds in random military museums in winchester.

i expect them to
1-get bored in 10 minutes and wander off and get lost
2-forget the entrance fees
3-be late and leave me standing there like rachel no mates
4- not bring the handbook to work from.
5- knock over display
6- create general displays of teenage angst and disaffection


anyway, maybe they wont, i just expect the worst and then it can only get better! After that i am going to check the nursery at uni, apparently i have to put the beans name down now to stand any chace of getting a place! what am i suppose to write on the form, "bean jones" ?

pregnancy yoga

is like normal yoga with no actual yoga. you sit about a lot "pulling up" muscles.... then you "breath" and then you go on all fours a bit. not the kind of thing i am used too, but seems to be ok. and i get to meet people who are also growing outwards! in fact, i am still not used to seeing mass gatherings of pregnant women, it just seems a bit surreal!! haha

omen child!

alison has decided to tell me that all babies due around the beginning of june will have been told a due date that isnt the 6th...because that would make thier birthday the 6/6/06, and therefore make them an omen child with the name of damiene!!!!!!!

conference organising

If you know me, and you here me saying i want to irganise a conference again, then for gods sake dont let me! remind me of how petty the speakers can be, how you end up running around stressed, and how only a few people help when thousands offered. please please dont let me do this again at least for a few years!

running around....

we spent saturday looking at cars for david (post deer incident)

we saw:

a knackered and horrid fiat uno that looked like it was made in the soviet bloc.
a dodgy fiat punto (sold m=by even dodgier blokes)
a hiundia that sounded like it was running on broken glass
and a fiesta......

in the end it turns out my mama is getting a new car and so david is having hers! bloody typical.

then on sunday david did a fire walk for charity, he didnt even get a blister. (thought at least it might hurt a tidgy bit) but he is unscathed and is now planning a parachute jump with my mama!!!! my likef just got a little more surreal....

salt mines

why are they used as a metaphor for work, as in "down the salt mine" my work is not in the least salty.

bloody work

apparently my marks for a spesific course have been "mislaid" whn i know full well i gave them to the right person. this is now putting a lot of pressure on me, when i did the damn job to the best of my ability. it is suprising how easy it is for full time members of staff to blame the temporary tutors, when most of the time we are just as (if not more) effecient than they are, gggggrrrrr.

on the good side, free of nasty cold and back ache for a few days i went to yoga yesterday, and feel much better for it. today i am off to aqua natal, so so be really tired by tonight!

in the last two days i have made so really good progress on the museums chapter, although i have to admit that although i am proud of myself for getting it done, i am still a bit sick of it, still progress in this case is good.!

smittens

if you stop feeding your cats iams, and start feeding them mush their poo is just not nice and they are hungry all the time. it goes MIAWOOOOOOOOOOOOO over and over and over. thank god i am going to yoga in a bit! there is just no way they can still be hungry. no way. they are bad kittens, how am i supposed to get any typing done!!?

poor little car

today poor davids car is going to the scrap yard, i now feel bale to re-count what happened. david was driving home on wednesday night, and i got a call, the opening statement of which was "the car is F*****". it turns out that a small herd (is that the plural) ? of deer were boing through fleet outskirts and, whilst one managed to aviod the car, another did not. the car now has a HUGE massive dent on the front, and there is one les deer in the world.

it cost 300 quid to tow it, and it is a write off. someone is comming today to take it away.... for free. apparently this si good as they might normally charge. HUMPH is all i have to say to that.

news flash

david is thinking of taking me away for the weekend (pre baby) to a hotel with four poster beds, indoor swimming pools and lots of sexy food!!!! exciting!!!! this is to try and cheer me up as i have been a bag of grump this last week, so if you know me, i am sorry. i would blame the hormones, but i think between being ill and david writing off his car (i will elaborate when thinking about it doesnt make my teath grit) i am not ahappy bunny. four poster beds would go a long way towards fixing this.

dinner

my mama is comming for dinner tonight, what should i make? I am sick of what i normally make, and for once jamie oliver just isnt doing it for me.

hummm. today i am going to mosey on down to the library, pick up the cat flea stuff and a new collar, go to asda and then come homw and do phd. yesterday i got about 6 hours done, which i thought was very good, so i am hoping the roll continues today. all i am doing is rearranging a chapter but it is harder and takes longer than you would think. (longer that i think it ought too as well!)

the mittens are still fighting and now they are moulting too, so there is the occasional big lump of cat hair all over the place. eugh, so long as that doesnt get in my mamas food all is well

bit less blluggghtgh

now the evil cold from hell is just a normal cold. great! at least i have a few days with only minimal teaching, i am getting on (after i hoover) with arranging my chapter 1 museum stuff.. the chapter has become too big to do this on the screen without getting lost in the text. instead, i am going to print it out, chop it up and try re-arranging it that way, so i can get the gist before i try electronically moving it around.

teaching yesterady was funny, the class had to look at three authors, elias, durkheim and foucault. we were doing just fine till we got to foucault, and then they all did the puzzeled kitten face at me. (tilt head to one side and look blank and confused)

i *think* they got it, only time and their essays will tell! haha. i also had to go to the doctors about my ever huring back, my panic went like this:

rachel rings nhs direct to ask about how to get rid of hurting ouchy backs.
nhs direct say ouchy backs can be a sign of a low placenta and rachel should ring midwife.
widwife agrees with nhs direct and thinks rachel should ring gp.
rachel rings gp and is told to come in staright away.
rachel goes there like a whippet and sits for an hr and a half, before being told that he may "had strained it" and to have a "paracetamol."

sound medical advice there that i couldnt possible have come up with on my own.
rachel rings

blurggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

there has been no blogging as i have been DYING at home, yes i have had the worst cold ever and today is the first day i can sit up without feeling faint and not be all shivering and horrid.

i am blaming the students, they always bring germs, mingle them and make super germs!! today i am teaching, so i am so glad i am better, i couldnt have done it on friday, have been so wiped out.

reflections on valentines day

davids supprise was heart shapped buiscuits with wonky pink icing.... i am with the "thought that counts school" on this one....we had a lovely dinner. david made posh risotto, and i did my chocolate thing.... it seemed to be ok, and if it wasnt dave ate it anyway, so im happy!

i am trying to sort out a friendhsip of mind that has gone awry, i havnt been talking much to somone who upset me, but today we are in text contact, i think that we might be able to be friends again, but things will never be the way they were. shame.

today is the arghhh! dentists are bad and evil people who make me parinoid. bastards.

valentines day

ahhh... despite saying we wouldnt do pressies this year david got me a lovely bunch of yellow roses, and a rather odd cat with what looks like a cat on drugs on the front. but, despite being afraid of the card, it is rather nice of him to make the effort!

tonight we ar making dinner for each other. i am going for a jamie oliver chocolate pudding thing, and im not sure wheat david is doing, nothing with garlic in as i have the dentist tomorrow! haha. i think he liked the card i got him, it has lights inside to look like fireworks... and i still have te supprise for him tonigth.... no not that you dirty minded people!

smiling pudding

no not my new indian name, what i had to eat at tgi fridays on saturday! i went with david and my familiy on mass, and we sat and ate all the food! it was nice, but a but pricey, but just a novelty to get us all in one place for a change...

it is valentines day tomorrow, david and i arnt doing pressies (think he may get me an ickle one anyway) and I am going to make him a supprise.... and then we are making each other dinner.... ahhhh.

i met the students for one of the classes i am taking, they seem really nice, so thats good news, god know that 19 year olds can be bossy little whatsits at times!

pottering

we have spent all of today so far potterng like a proverbial married couple.... which i guesss we are.

this involves the watering of plats, housework, and dave doing smashing concerete things in the garden. it is time like this that i am glad i am pregnant. (not that i am not normally glad!) i think though it is a mich to ask his to do all the lugging, but it is quite hard to recruit people for a day of back breaking work!

the cats have been stood around outside watching him, as if to say "crazy human, stop digging and feed me" mind, that is also their face a lotof the time....

i have been cleaning, and imaging how wonderful the world willbe when the firelace is in and the garden no longer resmbels the somme. it is just amazing HOW MUCH concrete can be buried under soil.

we are going out for dinner tonight at tgi fridays with my parens and adama dn karen..... so at least its not chinese. ha ha (sorry adam) but it should be fun.

jollies

today i am off on a jolly to winchester museum, and then probably to yoga tonight. this is to make up for the fact that i have not done all the work i should do this week, and if i trry and keep busy i might forget.... i wonder if this is more effective than just doing the work?

ebay

how cool is this!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARCADIAN-CRESTED-SOUTHSEA-NAVAL-WAR-MEMORIAL-WW1_W0QQitemZ7387472540QQcategoryZ64958QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i want one!!

exciting

a friend of mine (who shall stay anon) has just told me she too is expecting a baby at the end of july! yay for her and partner!!! how exciting.

i am going to have a ncie relaxing day in the library and at home today. yesterday wasnt as horrible as i thought it might be, there was no vomiting. but i was sat in this horrible room with blood transfusion people for 5 hours... i was def not the illest person there. the injections didnt make me do anything untoward, so feeling ok now, just a bit sad for all the people iller than me. (or iller than i was, i not ill not of course!)

the chimney sweep is comming today, and then at last we can ORDER THE FIREPLACE!!! yippeee. about time. then we can spend the rest of feb bankrupt.

boys names

can anyone think of any, we only like elijah or ethan, and cant think of much else, we dont want chavvy names or anything too common......

help!

we rearragned the front room this weekend and then went swimming. nice. i have to go into hospital tomorrow for the vomiting thing, which i am quite nervous about. will let you know how it went.

cannelloni

i demand that you all go out right now and buy the new jamie oliver book. no, i dont not have shares in him, nbut your life will be 100% better if you made the cannelloni recipe yes it would. dont sit there looking at the computer! Go and buy it!

why does cat poo smell so bad?

is it because of the crap that they eat, or because the evil mitten does it on purpose. it is stinking!


anyway, here is the only clear picture from my birthday, this is the dave and my mama, eating all the italian food.

last night we went ot for dinner with ben and sarah as it was his birthday, again i ate a lot, but mostly veg so thats ok. nice evening was had my all, expecially those who arnt pregnant and could havce wine. meep.

i am being admitted to hopsital for one day next week to try and find a heperin based anti-coagulant that doesnt make me throw up. i apparently may not need the injections everday, but apparently i will need somthing in case of emmergencies. fair enough. had to know what to write though, in the ole diary, "Monday- vomiting appointment"

happy birthday to me (for yesterday)

Yes I am now 25, that is 1/4 of a century! *panic* I had a great day, here is what i did.

David got me breakfast of eggs and soldiers in bed and i got to open my pressies whilst trying to stop the kitten from eating it! Davuid got me a great print with red flowers, a cabinet of a sort of shaker style, a beautiful necklace, a girly thrown and cushion and a star thing that hangs on door nobs. plus i also had cake, ballons and flowers and lots of hugs. i had to pop into both places of work, and when i got back i found out my car is booked in to be fixed on thursday, RESULT! I also got smellies from sophie, and money from my grandma and lots of happy bday texts.

we then went to a pub in old portsmouth, and watched the sun set, before metting my friend ali for a qiick non-alcholic drink, she gave me a necklace..... my mum and brother and karen his girlfriend then arrived (while i was in the bath) and we did more pressies. (i am spolit) they got me snufty pink jumper, argos vouchers (am ddef getting old!) a gardening book (to help transform the somme esq garden) a jamie oliver book (pukka!) and a necklace. Oh, and a calander of the yummy man from angel. which will be scoffed at by the academics at work who are cleaver than me haha!

we then all went out for italian food overlooking a harbour and i ate LOTS, a whole three coursemeals. I then couldnt sleep all night because the bean was kicking or doing the cancan, and i kept having weird dreams about winning the lottery and zombies. no more tirimsu for me!

it was a fantastic day, i am so lucky to have such a great dave and family. thank you! camera batteries ran out, but pictures will follow

brrrrr

its damn chilly down here. i know im a wussy southerner, but damn it is cold

having a gerat weekend, dont no work but quite a lot of swijming yoga and buying things for the bean.....

gotta be quick as in theiry we are going to the planetarium this afternoon.

boring

all i have done the last few days is spend time on the phone to car insurance people, mark essays, worry im not doing enough phd and talk about dennis rodman. i think i need to get a hobby. or maybe a new job, either way.....

anyway the car is now getting sorted out. the mad bint who hit me has admited liability yet, but i have a cover on ,y policy which means the car can get fixed in the mean time. it is costing a GRAND!!!!!!! poor my little micra. i have also had a fall out with a close friend as she wouldnt be a wittness for me, saying that she felt the accident was not the other drivers fault. i have taken exception to this, and i am really quite hurt, decided to give this frienship a rest for a bit.

knitting is going well, i am making a debbie bliss ickle blue hoodie. v cute. phs not going so well, done nothing for 4 days now except worry.

evidence of uses for knitting

here is the new baby, george. all together, AHHHHHHHHH.

and he is wearing a hat which i made. which although is not as cute as him, I still think is rather funky.

yesterday was spent marking (for a change) and then went swimming and yoga in the evening. then fell into a come like sleep post pasta dinner. maybe that might have been too much in one day.

today is more marking, but tomorrow i get to leave the house and go to a thing the PG Forum have organised called "grill a grad" this is where i have pestered grad students to turn up and be pestered about what it is like to be a grad by masters or 3rd year undergrads. i bet there are more grads than questions askers, but you cant say i dont try! the apathy of the pg coommunity is depressing at times, but i guess a few more months and i am shot of it for a while. anyway, the baby is cute enough to cheer me up.

a mixed weekend

Friday was great, we went to the hospital and i am still nbot having to have blood thinning injections.... good for me, as i am not into the whole fill your body with every known chemical to man thing... and we had the 20 week scan. the bean has:
2 arms
2legs
a brain the right size
eyes and nose and mouth and ears
kidneys
a heart
a bladder
a stomach
ickl ickle feet
all the right bones

the bean is just the right size and everything is great. my placenta is lying a little low (like a criminal! haha) but we get another scan to make sure that has sorted itself out in 12 weeks. (when i will be massive)

the exciting news it that they *think* it is boy.... a BOY!! I made a boy!!!!! OHMIGOD! Now i am resiging myself to a life time of smelly socks and football. dave times two. (not that he smells.) mind you, i dont know if poor david deserved a girl, can you imagine 2 of me??! (apparntly i am hard to live with.)

This is so exciting. mind, they went 100% sure, so hold of on the blue knitting.

then on saturday a mad women drove intot he side of my car at a roundabout. no one was hurt but i cried for about 4 hours in total. it turns out i dont do well with shock. i had just about recovered (more than i can say for my car door) whn my brothers girlfriend asked if the seat belt has dug in on the impact. it had. i rang the midwife and had to go straigt to the labour ward to be checked out. it was the longest and most nervous drive ever. thankfully, the bean (who now needs suggestions for boys names) is fine and we heard the heartbeat.... am so relieved, dont think i would cope well if any thing was to happen to him now. as a side lide, i think david may have been somone who dealt with panic in his last life, as he stayed cool as the proverbial cuecumber. thank you david.

minor irritations

1-my fish keep on looking more and more ill. All i can summerise is that they are only happy when money is being spent on fish medicene which does no good at all.
2-the room booking people at uni are all on some sort of brain numbing drugs and have put me all over campus next semester. (i will be so much fun walking/running 20 mins) for each class when im 7 months gone!
3-the kitten peed on the chair AGAIN despite it being doused in the anti-cat stuff
4-due to my own brain deadnesss no ebay clothes have arrived, ergo i have nothing to wear.
5-the chap whose office i am squating in at work has come back before i was told he was due back. so i have to move all my stuff out. bloody typical
6- wool is still not free on the nhs.

good things:
1-debbie is so happy with her baby, and everything is ok.
2- i got my hair cut and it looks nice.
3-portsmouth have offered me "one or two" hours next semester a week. it turn out that the students felt i was "good at teaching" shock horror!
4-david put the dishes away before he went to work.
5- ultra sound on friday
6-i am still alive.

6 all.

picture is of fish before they all started to get the plague.

writing

used ot really like writing up my phd, i saw it as my chance to be creative in what can be quite a stilted and affacted world. I think i am honest in what i write (spelling is better in thesis honest) and on the whole i enjoyed working through my ideas and coming to a synthesis of thought and research.

not any more. now i am totally sick of it, i knew that editing for a whole year (or more now with the bean) was a bad idea, and i am getting the academic form of cabin fever. The only time i get to leave the house is to go the teach, yoga or to take the sodding rubbish outside! i know that this is to other people impressive that i can force myself to sit and work all day, but it doesnt means that my sanity is slowly slipping away. take yesterday for example, i spent 5 hours approx writing about a filom i have not yet seen. this isnt as bad as you might think, as i havent actually seen much of what i write about (as in the gulf war, friendly fire victims etc) but i really think that may have been a waste of time. okay, so i was only writing about plot devices, and meg ryan is horrid, but still! please no one tell my supervisor!

on a lighter note my friend debbie had her baby! after 16 hours of PUSH PUSH she had an emergency c-section, but everything is okay now. baby was a boy as expected, and instead of being called daniel is infact a george. well done debbie!

I am an idiot!!!!

I bought a load of bump firendly clothes on ebay and then got the lady to post them TO THE OLD HOUSE!! what the fuck is going on with my brain at the moment, it is llike 90% of it has decided not to work....!!!! How do I fix this? WIll the post office give me things that are addressed to somewhere else??!!

GGGRRRRR
me minus brain!