***Lion Cub Mommies-Back In Action!***

[Shiv]

Oh Cleck, I am sorry you are so down, all your reasons are valid, and all piled together i can see why you would feel a bit crappy. HOWEVER, you must be down to less that 2 weeks until Corey back, and that will be SOOO amazing. Maybe you just need this funk to make his return even better. As for everyone being pregnant around you, just remember that they may will be pregnant, but they will never ever have a child as brilliant as Emma
So on to your weight gain - quite frankly 3lbs is nothing compared to how much you have lost, you deserved to have some treats while your friend was here, but now I am afraid it is time to snap out of your funk and get back on that exercise bike. Did you buy that lovley top in the end, just think how good you will look when Corey gets back if you can just lose that 3lbs again. Also I think you will haev more chance of keeping the weight off when corey is back if you get back into the exercise now. You can go for long family walks etc. Ok lecture over, you have come far too far to just slump into a rut
Just think you can start making plans about returning home to your friends and family, look forward, you will get pregnant again, I bet you had a short luteal phase all along and still conceived with Emma. And until that day comes thank yoru stars that you aren't doing night feeds anymore
I know you can snap out of this, get yourself back on the bike and it will be hard for a couple of days but the exercise will start releasing endorphins and you will soon feel better And please don't ban the internet, I really missed your chatter the last few days

Spidey - I can't help with the making mummy friends, I sometimes manage a few words to random people at the park etc, but I always feel that they think i am a weirdo (perhaps they are right). I have no idea how to make friends anymore, it is so much easier when you are little. Cleck's idea of organised events where there is an activity is a good idea as then you can pick and choose who you talk to. We have something here (although i don't know if they have one in my new town) called play gym, which is basically a big room set up with trampolines, and trikes and bouncy castles and soft play etc where you go and just let the kids run about (a bit like a soft play area but a much bigger room that is not always a soft play area, often a gymnastics club for example) - Sophia used to love it.

I need to try to make new mummy friends as well, I had some where I used ot live because i paid to do some antenatal classes prior to having Sophia with the NCT (national childbirth trust) which is basically where 8 couples form the same area who are expecting their first child, go to some classes together to learn about childbirth, but basically everyone just signs up to make friends. I don't think I can do that this time because I am not a first time mum.

So David starts work tomorrow, I am nervous, my plans for exploring have been put on hold as it is school holiday here so all soft play areas are rammed and all organised classes are off for the week. We did go to the local park today (we can see it from our window) and Sophia was a fan so I guess we will just go there again tomorrow while david is at work.

 

[cleckner04]

Thanks shiv. You are right. I need to just get myself out of this funk. I am doing myfitnesspal again today and tonight I'm going to try to force myself to exercise. And I got up and vacuumed the house which always makes me feel better.

About half an hour ago Emma went upstairs which is normal for her but I just continued watching an episode of ally mcbeal. (I know I'm so neglectful) But than she came downstairs and I watched her sit in the middle of the floor with a book in her hand and a crayon in the other hand. I shot off the couch so fast and scrambled to her to get the crayon away. She must've found it upstairs I am always really careful about crayons being put up but this was a little broken piece of a crayon. As I went to put the crayon up in the cupboard, that's when I noticed it all. She scribbled on the following things: The front of the white cupboards, a dining room chair, the front of my glass fish aquarium, the wall beside the fish aquarium, her toy box. This is when I started walking upstairs to see the damage. She also scribbled on the stairway wall, and my mirror in my bedroom. The whole time I'm looking around Emma is saying 'oh no! Oh no!'.


Edit to add: The crayons are washable so they wiped right off with water and a towel.

 

[Shiv]

oh no oh no oh no...................hahahahahahahaha bless her! They are little monkies! I am terrified in our rented house, there are new cream carpets throughout (what person puts new creamcarpets in a house they are going to rent!)!

 

[cleckner04]

Our apartment has cream carpets too. And Emma spilled strawberry applesauce today on it. I plan on renting a rug doctor as soon as DH gets back.

 

[jelr]

Aww Cleck - I'm sorry you feel so crappy, but I bet it is mainly to do with having your friend around and now she is gone. I get like that when I have things to look forward to and then they are over. it is a horrible feeling though I know as that is exactly how I felt the week before last, I didn't want to see anyone or talk to them or do anything and I felt so tired and sick that I felt I wasn't interacting with DH or Natasha properly. I even had a bit of a falling out with one of my closest friends - we are friends about 18 years and have not had words since we were back in school and it basically was a total miscommunicaiton as both of us were in bad places that week. In the end I gave myself a kick in the ass and said right you are feeling sorry for yourself for feeling crappy but if you actually got up and started being positive you wouldn't feel s crappy and so far it seems to have worked - next week or even tomorrow could be a different story - I do agree with Shiv though that you may have always had a short lutual phase and still got pregnant with Emma - I think I said that to you before so please please put that out of your head because I honestly do think that if you have it in your head that you wont get pregnant, you wont. On my first pregnancy and on Natasha I became pregnant the month before starting clomid and I'm convinced it had a lot to do with not worrying as I was convinced it was going to happen straight away with the clomid so once my mind relaxed my body did too if that makes sense. Just put all the worry's of not becoming pregnant out of your mind and concentrate on DH coming home and you three spending loads of quality time together and planning for moving home and hopefully with all that you are going to be having without a doubt after not seeing each other, the pregnancy will just happen by itself. :thumpup: So go and buy some ridiculous sexy underwear that is a tiny bit tight and tell yourself you are gonna fit into it before your hubby comes home and that will motivate you to get back on that bike.

Shiv: That is a pain about school holiday tomorrow, I definitely think you should go to the park and didn't you say that the town was near, so maybe have a walk around it and see where everything is, it can be like a little adventure for you and Sophia.

Spidey: Wouldn't it be great if we could send some of our rain to you and you send some of your sun to us so we would have perfect balance I'm also not good for meeting people either. I would talk for Ireland once I do know people but find getting to know people really hard and am really shy for starting conversation. I also think it because all of my closest friends have been around for years - my oldest friend and I are friends since we were 4 and 5 and the shortest is a friend I made through Jim so that is 10 years. So I kind of feel that I dont get enough time with my own friends that I have for years so I wouldn't try and make more if that makes sense, although I do understand the need for mommy friends as I do see more distance between my friends and I since I had Natasha as I dont seem to have a minute between work and then at the weekends just want to spend as much time as possible with Natasha and DH so maybe if they all had children we could do more stuff together and I could kill two birds with the one stone as now I feel I dont like calling to them as much as it wouldn't be fair to arrive with a toddler with me and she would get bored if I was just chatting to my friend. My oldest friend has a child, but he is going on 12 in July and one of my other friends had 3 children but it is harder for her to cart three of them off to do something with us. One of the others girls is pregnant at the moment but they moved about 3.5 hours away last year so we only see each other a few times a year now. But then I love them all so much I dont want to lose any of them either so I know I still wouldn't make anymore friends even if they were mothers as I would feel I should be making more of an effort with the ones I already have. but then I'm a bit nuts I think

I definitely think the idea that Cleck had about the story reading or something like that would be a good idea and maybe try the playgroup and see how it goes. Hopefully they are not all meanies like poor cleck got.

 

[cleckner04]

Thanks jelr. You are totally right about me needing to just relax too. That's how I got pregnant with Emma and the first time. I didn't stress or anything because we had all the time in the world to have a baby. I think this time around it's just stressful because if I don't get pregnant soon, we won't have health insurance anymore to have a baby. And I will probably have a c-section again so that is $18k or more without insurance. That's one reason I think I might step away from the internet a bit once DH is back. That way I won't stress myself out by reading other peoples good news. I feel so bad for being so bitter. And I feel guilty for being obsessive some days because it makes it seem like I don't love Emma and just want to replace her with a new baby. I worry too much right?

You actually just made me remember that I forgot to tell you guys the juiciest gossip from DH. One of the mean girls in that group. Well her husband is on my husbands ship. And he has been having an affair with a girl from my DH's shop the entire time they've been out to sea. The wife was pregnant with his second child too and just had him like a month or two ago while this guy is deployed with my DH. My DH went up to the girl in his shop and told her 'you realize he is married with kids right?'. The woman acted like she didn't know. Well a week later they were still seen together so apparently she doesn't care that the guy is married. And now Dh has heard that the guy is telling everyone that his wife's kids aren't his. I feel SO bad for her even though she was part of the mean girl playgroup. She is completely unaware of all of this. I've also heard that her husband plans on leaving her once he gets back home. DH's ship is going to hawaii for the next port and I guess the girl from his shop and the husband are going to have a little vacation together. And DH said they have been getting off together at every port too for this entire deployment. I feel so bad for the wife. I kind of wish I could warn her but it's not my place at all. So I just sit back and get the email updates about it all.

 

[cleckner04]

Thanks jelr. You are totally right about me needing to just relax too. That's how I got pregnant with Emma and the first time. I didn't stress or anything because we had all the time in the world to have a baby. I think this time around it's just stressful because if I don't get pregnant soon, we won't have health insurance anymore to have a baby. And I will probably have a c-section again so that is $18k or more without insurance. That's one reason I think I might step away from the internet a bit once DH is back. That way I won't stress myself out by reading other peoples good news. I feel so bad for being so bitter. And I feel guilty for being obsessive some days because it makes it seem like I don't love Emma and just want to replace her with a new baby. I worry too much right?

You actually just made me remember that I forgot to tell you guys the juiciest gossip from DH. One of the mean girls in that group. Well her husband is on my husbands ship. And he has been having an affair with a girl from my DH's shop the entire time they've been out to sea. The wife was pregnant with his second child too and just had him like a month or two ago while this guy is deployed with my DH. My DH went up to the girl in his shop and told her 'you realize he is married with kids right?'. The woman acted like she didn't know. Well a week later they were still seen together so apparently she doesn't care that the guy is married. And now Dh has heard that the guy is telling everyone that his wife's kids aren't his. I feel SO bad for her even though she was part of the mean girl playgroup. She is completely unaware of all of this. I've also heard that her husband plans on leaving her once he gets back home. DH's ship is going to hawaii for the next port and I guess the girl from his shop and the husband are going to have a little vacation together. And DH said they have been getting off together at every port too for this entire deployment. I feel so bad for the wife. I kind of wish I could warn her but it's not my place at all. So I just sit back and get the email updates about it all.

 

[jelr]

Yep you do worry too much - but that is what part of being a mommy is we worry about everything - I know exactly where you are coming from too. Some of our family said when we had the mc that well at least you have Natasha and they were so right because the last time I didn't think we would have any children and we have been blessed. But in some senses it made it harder because I knew the love I was losing and how precious and felt my heart would never skip a beat the way it does with Natasha for this baby or I would never hear it laugh or see it smile where as I had never felt the earth shattering love for a child on the first mc. But then when I would think of that I would feel guilty because everyone was saying that I should be so gratful and why was I not and I felt like a terrible mother for feeling such grieve and so bitter for a baby I had never met when I should have been just grateful for the precious one I had and then I actually realised that it is all human nature to have all these feelings and it is human nature that you want another baby because you do love Emma so much and know how precious that love is because of her and want company for her too, so stop beating yourself up it as for becoming obsessive I think all women become obsessive about ttc at some point again I think it is human nature because it is something we can't control and make happen when we want to and I think us woman like to be in control - Well I do anyway but then I'm a control freak

We will miss you if you are not here, but do what is best for you and if you think stepping away for a while will help do that (athough make sure it is not too long)

Just relax and it will all work out - FX your Dh will get another job with insurance and you wont need to worry about that either, but I honestly do think the more you think positive, the more likely hood it is to happen. Well that is my reckoning on it at this moment in time anyway. I'm having one of those weeks where I'm not letting the world beat me. I AM going to lose these last 8lbs. I AM going to work my ass off and get all my work done as quickly as possible in the next few weeks before my holidays. I IS going to be a glorious summer. DH job IS going to work out. I AM going to quit smoking over the summe and AM going to have another healthy baby. I have been worrying about all this stuff lately and it has really gotten me down and my health has suffered because of the worry and I figure that even if it all doesn't work out we will deal with that too, but me worrying myself into sickness and depression is not going to change it and is only going to make us all suffer the more.

Well I will get off my soap box now - wait till you see I will probably be crying over spilled milk or something random tomorrow

OMG about that womans husband - although I remember saying that to you at the time, that I reckon to be that bitter you have to have some crap going on in your life, so see I am actually right about some things so you have to listen to me now

You will get through this Cleck and I remember you saying before that the last few weeks before Corey comes home you get very fed up because it seems so near, but not near enough so you are just having a bad few weeks, he will be home soon and all this stuff will hopefully be washed away - You are a great mom and have achieved so much with your weight loss and are so strong being away from family and friends with your DH being away and a small baby so give yourself credit woman - after all that you can acheive anything.

You too Spidey and Shiv - you are going to be fine tomorrow Shiv, you have been so strong with all this move and will do great when David goes back to work and you will find loads of new mommy friends Spidey.

Okay now I'm actually freaking myself out. I'm so hyper today and was so down the past few weeks maybe I'm actually bipolar or something and this is my high

Night girls. xx

 

[jelr]

Oh Shiv do I remember AuntyE going to a class when she was pregnant with Teddy and meeting some parents that were on a second pregnancy or is that just in my head. Maybe check into it and it would be a great way to meet other mothers in the area.

 

[Shiv]

I want some of whatever jelr has been having

 

[Mary Jo]

hey ladies - sorry I've been silent, not very much to say really. (still cross about our flat sale falling through, we haven't found another buyer yet, though there is someone who's interested, so fingers crossed...)

but I do have some good news - 20 week scan today and baby is a boy, and doing perfectly. we're really happy that Adam is getting a little brother. I had to go to the scan by myself because Chris woke up and felt ill, and had the runs for the hour before we were due to go. probably for the best as we didn't have to deal with Adam taking the scan room apart.

anyway, here he is... (baby not Adam)

https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a189/ariel3112/e3330456.jpg

https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a189/ariel3112/aa7e6f20.jpg

https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a189/ariel3112/86c32ac0.jpg

 

[spidey]

awwww, congrats MJ- he looks perfect. Are you showing much? Soon your boss might notice your growing bump!

Cleck, vacuuming always makes me feel good too Corey will be here soon and then you'll be super busy and going new places. And who knows, you might get pregnant too, but if you don't then you'll know it's not meant to be your time. You have plenty of years to have another baby (or 3 or 4!) and having them spaced apart more than 2 years might be a good thing. You'll have a super hot body and make all the sleep deprived frazzled moms with a toddler and newborn at the play ground super jealous! (sorry Shiv and MJ, LOL!)

Make sure you get private insurance right after your Navy insurance stops since insurance companies can be weird about having a gap in coverage. Private insurance isn't that much money overall and they will cover most of a c-section if you need one, so don't let that depress you. My friend at work who is 27 (I think) is paying $30 a month for private insurance. I have no idea what that covers, but I can ask her more questions if you like. If you know you're going to get pregnant, get a plan with a low deductible so you'll only have to pay 3,000 or 1,500 max. My parents and me (up until 2006) always had to buy private insurance and it covers things just as well as some company paid insurance. Plus give yourself a chance to have a vbac! My birth center birth only cost 3,000 total from my 1st pre-natal appointment to my final post-natal appointment. I ended up as a hospital transfer and by the time Kira was out of the NICU the total cost was 30,000! But insurance covered it all thank god.

So my plan this month is to prove the luteal phase theory wrong and get pregnant! I have given up hope of my bfp anytime soon, but I can still be hopeful, right?

Thanks for the suggestions on making mommy friends. The lady with the twins at the park told me what time they're usually there, so I might see them again today since I'll be going to the park for our new weekly picnic. If I see her again I'll get brave and say hi and maybe I'll ask if she stays home with the kids. If so, she might be looking for some mommy friends too. We're starting a weekly tradition of having a Wednesday picnic at the park. I get all the food ready during the day and when DH gets home we load up the car and head to the park.

This morning I decided to be a weirdo and me and Kira are dressed almost the same We're both wearing blue plaid shorts and a blue tank top... maybe I'm subconsciously trying to scare away any possible new mommy friends

 

[jelr]

Shiv I also want some of what I was on the other night - it was short lived because I have a very cranky girl today who doesn't want to eat or do anything really she just wants to scream at me and doesn't know what she wants - so the happy me went out the window. I just hope she is not coming down with something because it really is not like her to go off her food and this is the second day this week - Sunday was the same. I just wish when she was like this she could tell me what is wrong or if there is something wrong and she is not just having todder tantrums - Although even though I did think it was just tantrums this morning - I honestly think she is either in awful pain or is coming down with something because I brought her into the soft play area this afternoon and she did perk up but was extremely wishy washy looking and was .running a very slight temp (only just very slight at 37.2 which could be from the heat as it was very warm and sticky here today) but she also woke tonight and we ended up taking her up as she was so upset and she just lay for a half hour cuddled into me before falling asleep which is very out of character for her. Dont get me wrong, I loved the cuddling, but much as I would love those cuddles all the time, I don't want her to be sick or in pain to get them the poor love.

MJ: Congrats on the scan and another little baby boy, that is great news that everything went well. You got great pictures. I see on fb too that you have a new buyer - fingers crossed it goes through this time.

Spidey: I hope the lady was at the park today and I'm sure you looked very cute in your matching outfits and now a weirdo

Shiv: Well how did you get on with David back to work, he was back today wasn't he or did I dream that? I hope it went well and you were okay.

Cleck: if you are reading I hope you are feeling better.

 

[spidey]

jelr- how is Natasha today? Do you think she has some teeth coming in? I hope whatever it is, it was a one day thing and she's back to her normal happy self today.

We went to the park and we had a really fun picnic, but I didn't see Kira's twin friends or their mom. Our heat wave ended so it was a perfect day and Kira was in a great mood. I told DH my plan and he was keeping an eye on the parking lot for their car We are such stalkers

Kira is just starting to attempt to communicate with words. It's so cute! Instead of banging on the closet for me to get out the playdough, she says "dou" and she says "dee dee" when she wants her pacifier. Yesterday she said "egg" because she saw her plastic toy egg and wanted me to make her a real egg to eat. Of course I have no idea what she's saying, but she's being patient with me so I can figure most of it out. And the cutest thing is she shouts "DAAA" when DH is home but she doesn't know where he is. She still doesn't say Mama so DH is feeling extra special

 

[cleckner04]

spidey- at stalking for that woman. I was the same way after I told this one couple that I'm there the same time every day. I kept watching to see if they'd show up and it was such a disappointment when they didn't. Yay for Kira voicing her wants more!!

jelr- Hope Natasha is back to normal now. It's awful when they don't feel well. The cuddles must've been pretty nice though. I feel like my mama bear instincts come out more when Emma isn't feeling well. Like I want to do anything I can to make her feel better and I cater to her every whim no matter how random.

MJ- He is gorgeous! He has the most perfect little nose. I wonder if he'll look like Adam.



I'm feeling a bit better now these past few days. I still don't really feel like leaving the house though. Emma keeps going to the door with her little purse and sippy cup saying 'walk! walk!' but I just don't feel like getting around. I'm the type of person that I have to have makeup and hair done and nice clothes on to go outside so that's part of my problem. I wish I could just be relaxed enough to go out in pajamas. But I've been cleaning and Emma and I have been playing a lot the past few days. She loves horsey rides on my back and I crawl around on all fours. We do it forever and I'll buck her off and she goes flying and she laughs and laughs. She's really a rough child. She loves wrestling too. But anyways...I'm also back on track with my weight I think. I haven't really exercised but I've been really careful with the eating and I'm down to 193.6 now!!! This morning was the 'official' weigh in. So I met my second goal before DH gets back!! I've now completely changed my goal to July 16th which is when we fly to go back home. I hope to be down to 185 by than.

 

[Shiv]

My god if i had to have make-up, nice clothes and hair done to go out I'd leave the hosue about twice a year

Glad you are feeling a bit better Cleck, you don't have to go out to have fun with Emma, i am lucky in that Sophia loves just messing around at home. She also loves riding David like a horse, she sings whilst she is doing it "horsey horsey don't you stop, just let your hooves go clippety clop" - well words to that effect and to that tune anyhow! very cute, I need to try to get a video of her singing as she sings lots of songs now!

Well done on your weight loss, your new target sounds achievable and assuming you don't put on loads when you are home (cut yourself some slack and allow yourself a few lbs though ) you will only have a few pounds left to lose. So i knwo your original goal was back to pre-preg with Emma weight, is your final goal back to the weight you were before you got pregnant the first time? I am sure you said we could have another photo when you got to 195lbs

Spidey - that is cool that Kira is starting to express herself with words, she'll be chattering away soon enough.

jelr - it sounds like teething to me, I hope Natasha is feeling better soon, those days are so hard

As for us, well we haven't done anything very exciting over the last few days whilst David has been at work but Sophia has been enjoying herself. We have been to the park right behind our house a few times, there are these two wooden cars there, they don't move (stuck to the groud) and apart from a steering wheel that turns they don't do anything, but Sophia LOVES them and wakes up most days saying, "go play on cars". We have to walk past the park to get to the town or shop, so I have to go everyday or face a meltdown as we walk past!

It is SO hot here, it seems you sent some of your sunshine this was after all SPidey! We have to keep our cat in for a while so can't open the windows and i am melting!

Any plans for the weekend anyone? Looking at facebook jean you have a fun month ahead of you!

 

[jelr]

Spidey: Ah its a pity they weren't there, I hope the next day you are there, you meet them again. yay for Kira saying loads of words, she will start now and not stop I bet. Natasha said daddy long before mammy too, you will find though that you will understand her. Natasha says a lot of things that only DH and I understand and nobody else can, mind you she also says a lot that we dont either You definitely must have sent the sunshine this way as it is roasting here today too, which has been lovely.

Cleck: I'm so glad you are feeling a bit better, I am the very same, I dont leave the house without make up and maybe not always nice clothes but half decent ones and not the scuffy old tracksuits that I wear around the house, except if I'm running over to my mams which is two minutes away and I even keep my head down then in case I meet anyone . I reckon the postman gets an awful fright when he calls to the door because he is local and is used to seeing me out with a full face of make up and when he calls with a package and I'm at home. - I'm as while as a ghost and always in an old tracksuit. Although I know you dont feel like going out at the moment, sometimes I find if I'm down putting on my mask (face full of crap ) and going out helps to snap me out of being fed up. I was thinking of you today actually and I really think you are brilliant and I'm not surprised you are down, with living so far from family and friends and not having DH around that has to be tough not having somebody to talk to all the time, DH had to work late tonight and wasn't home until 8 and I really missed him not being here to chat to during dinner. I know I had Natasha here and love spending time with her but it is not like we were having any big conversations (well we did but in toddler conversations ) - Yep you definitely are overdue a picture now. What is your overall goal? Yep I took full advantage and loved the cuddles and then felt guilty that I was getting pleasure when she wasn't well - I'm the same when Natasha isn't well, I just down tools and dont care what has to be done around the house and just spend the day doing what she wants. Good job she is never sick or I would live in a tip

Shiv: Urgh on the having to keep the windows closed in this heat and being pregnant, no wonder you are melting. Isn't the singing so cute, Natasha loves to sing too, she spent one night during the week holding her two hands together and turning around singing ring a ring a rosey, mind you the only words you can hear is posey and tissue tissue lol - It was such a relief that she has found this way of playing it as it makes a change from me playing it with her about 500 times a day I know you haven't done much the last few days but how have you found being in a new area with DH back to work? Did you find it easier or harder than you thought it would be?

Well thankfully she is back to herself today and temp is back to normal. Not sure if it is teeth as she only has the 2nd molars left and I managed to get my finger in yesterday with some bongela on it and there is definitely nothing there, although they could be moving up in the gums I guess

I think she may also be hitting the fussy eating stage that some toddlers go through, anybody else's LO's doing this. Up until now she has been the best litte eater and eats everyhing - all types of fruit, veg, meat and she loves fish especially salmon or tuna and even sardines. The only thing she has ever refused is lettuce and avocados. But today at lunch I had made her a pitta bread with tuna and in it and some cherry tomatoes and she kept saying no tuna, no sandwich and point blank refused it so I thought it was just because she was still off and not hungry and said okay do you want some brown bread instead so she proceded to eat a brown bap, a slice of ham and 2 satsumas, so it wasn't that she wasn't hungry and yesterday her lunch was homemade veg soup and I did think that maybe she just didn't like the soup as it was the first time I had made it for her but she had some tonight on her potatoes - She did refuse her dinner this evening but I just left it there and pottered around the kitchen and said okay if you dont want it don't eat it and after a while she did eat about half of it so I dont know

Yep we sure do have loads on this month Shiv, it will be very very busy, we are off to a family fun day out in town tomorrow as it is a bank holiday weekend here and next weekend I'm going shopping on Saturday with my mam and sister for clothes for the wedding, the weekend after we have DH's Nan's 90th birthday, fathers day and our anniversary is a few days after and then the weekend after is my birthday. We are going out for something to eat with friends and some family for my birthday and I moved it to the weekend after my birthday as I didn't want to be leaving Natasha in my mams 2 weekends in a row becasue we have DH's Nans 90th birthday the week before and I will hopefully be completely finished work so can relax, but DH is now insisting that we go for a meal for our anniversay that weekend that we have in between because he says it is not often we do go out and that we need to also make time for us after the year we have had so I have agreed. I do feel guilty that she will be in my mams so much which I know she really loves and it is only to sleep as we wont be going out until she is in bed and we will put her down to bed over there, but still feel bad. It is always the same, we dont go out for months and then everything is on together. We have only been out for three nights I think since Christmas and now we have 3 nights in a row

I'm a bit mad over DH's Nan's 90th birthday though as DH's family had all being discussing it and we had agreed that we would go for an early meal around 5 so that all the children could come and we were going to even be there at 4 to get some pictures, as she even has great great gran children. But DH's 2 aunts went ahead and booked it for 8 and have decided that no children under 10 can go and they dont even live over here, they are both in the UK and only see her maybe once in the year. We were saying we felt like saying we couldn't go as we wouldn't have a babysitter, but we decided that wouldn't be fair as it would hurt his nan and it is not her fault.

Well I have lost another 2lbs so I have only 7 left to go, I'm being very bold though and doing it through lipotrim which is total food replacement and only 3 shakes a day. but it was actually the hospital recommended it years ago when I put on loads of weight and tried everything to shift it and didn't success with the pcos. It is monitored by the pharmacy and I do have to say I always have loads of energy on it (hense my hyper and better mood these days ) - I wish I had your motivation and stamina Cleck, but I have no patience and I think it is because when it comes to me losing weight I have no faith in any diet because of trying them all years ago. This one is a quick fix, but for some reason it seems to work for me and I always follow ww to maintain it then bar pregnancy of course. I did it 5 years ago first of all and kept the weight off until I became pregnant and then I did it again after I had Natasha and shifted the bulk of my pregnancy weight and and continued to lose the rest slowly on the low carbs until I became pregnant again this time. I'm only doing it for 3 weeks and then you have a week refeed. I just hope I dont put half of it back on on with all these occasions so I will just have to be extra good during the week.

My perfect 28 cycle didn't happen this month either as AF was due yesterday and is a now show - back to normal I guess I dont mind so much though as I'm still going to keep positive that we will still conceive quickly. I dont know whether it is from losing some weight or having more energy or knowing my holidays are coming or just because I hit rock bottom two weeks ago, but I really do feel like I have turned a corner and feel back to myself for the first time since the MC. I really hope it is that I have turned a corner and that it is not short lived.

I know you are suffering in this weather Shiv, but I'm am really enjoying it - DH has our haouse so insulated though that the heat doesn't get in when it is hot so it is nice and cool inside and being beside the sea we always have a slight breeze and myself and Natasha had such a lovely day, we went to the playground and then walked to the top of the bank to look at the beach and then we spent the afternoon ou in the garden playing with her toys and on her own swings and slide.

Well I think I have waffled on enough now - I'm just making up for probably not having a minute between finishing up work and everything else this month

Have a great weekend everyone. Xx

 

[spidey]

My nips started tingling and feeling a bit sore today so I peed on an opk and sure enough I got a positive! DH isn't home tonight, but we dtd Thursday night and we should have a chance to go at it again Saturday, so I think that'll give my egg a chance at fertilization. I had to go back and take 2 days off all my luteal phase calculations since I was doing it totally wrong. So the practical side of me says there is no way I can get pregnant right now, but I still have hope that this will be my month!! It would be a February baby if it was

Cleck, I'm glad you're starting to feel better. Congrats on the weight loss I don't think we get to see a picture until 190 though, right?

jelr- I'm glad Natasha is feeling better. She might be having a picky day because she may not feel 100% yet. Kira got sooooo picky with her food during the week that she reacted to the antibiotic. I think the first thing that goes is her appetite when she doesn't feel well. Kira can be difficult with her eating since some days she eats like a pig and on others she barely touches her food. I give her plenty of choices and let her decide whether or not to eat since I can't force her.

Shiv- thats super cute about Sophia and the wooden cars. I would love to see a video of her singing and talking. I think it's the cutest thing when a little toddler can talk.

I'm glad jelr and Shiv are enjoying the hot weather that I sent It has cooled off here to normal temps and this weekend should be perfect for being outside!

 

[cleckner04]

Shiv- Aww Sophia sounds so cute! Emma doesn't sing like that. Although, I never sing to her so she wouldn't know words to anything anyways. Yes, my end goal is the weight I was before my first pregnancy. 180. Which is huge to some of you ladies but I looked quite nice at that size. If I meet that goal, I'll still keep going if I don't get pregnant though. I see no reason to stop. A healthy weight for me is 164 according to the BMI charts. Which on me is really thin. But I'll still try to get as close to that as I can before getting pregnant again. I honestly never thought I'd even get to 200 before getting pregnant again so this is all so great.

jelr- Well done with the 2 lb loss!! I'd go mad only drinking shakes though. I know with PCOS it's really hard to lose the weight from what I've read. So as long as you are being safe and monitored. I definitely think I'm losing my motivation and stamina lately though. I keep saying I'll get back on track and than I end up lazy. I always get like this when I know DH is close. It's depressing in a way because I know he is so close yet still so far away. I told him once he gets back I want to walk like crazy. Even hike around some of the mountains around here while we are still here to enjoy them. I'm glad you are starting to feel like your old self again.

spidey- I'm gonna ask for nipples like yours for christmas. Yeah I'll post my next body picture at 190. Which might be a while from now because I just had a giant plate of cheese and crackers. Cheese is my biggest weakness. But it was SOO good.


Okay. Next I'm gonna post a crazy update/question type of post about a house we think we might buy back home. Spidey you'll be intrigued I'm sure. I gotta upload the photos to photobucket first though. It's gonna be a long one.

 

[cleckner04]

Okay. So this might sound like a completely stupid idea which is part of the reason I'm posting to get more opinions. There is a foreclosed house in my DH's hometown for sale for $9,900. It is shitty. I mean, completely tore up on the inside. BUT, I could pay for it with cash right now and than when I move back home in November I'm going to be getting that extra 1800 a month that would've been put on rent for living here in California. So I was thinking that 1800 a month could go towards fixing up each room of this place one by one. The kitchen being the most expensive obviously but we could do it all slowly. It has pretty much everything we were wanting in a house except that it's a 2 story and we only wanted a 1 story. But I can live with it because the master bedroom is on the main floor. There is a basement and dining room and although there isn't a garage, there is a brand new cement slab in the back yard where the previous owners looked like they were going to build one. Big enough for a two car garage to be built on. My parents went to see this place(just the outside) and they took extra pictures for me and inspected the place over. And my MIL is going to make an appointment with a realtor hopefully tomorrow(Monday) to go in and see it. She is also going to bring my uncle who is a contractor to inspect the place over for termite damage and things like that.

My reasoning for this house is that we will NEVER have to pay a mortgage. No matter what this place will be ours even if DH can't find a job right away. Plus, Dh's family is huge and there is someone that knows how to do pretty much everything in that house. Like his parents redid their bathroom themselves so they know how to remodel a bathroom. His cousin does amazing flooring work. My brother went to school for electrical engineering so he knows how to rewire the house. And the list goes on. I am more than willing to learn how to do some of these things as well. And I am under no illusion that this will be easy to do. SO...here are the pictures. And the information that I culled together from several different listings online.

Realtor's pictures

Spoiler

This is the front of the house, the kitchen, a bedroom I'm assuming, and a laundry room which is on the back of the house.
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/Screenshot2011-06-04at113332AM-1.png

This is a bedroom, a half bath that looks like it is attached to a bedroom, a full bath, and the living room(I think).
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/Screenshot2011-06-04at113333AM-1.png

This is an upstairs bedroom, and the dining room.
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/Screenshot2011-06-04at113333AM-2.png

And since the realtors pictures are pretty blurry and not all that good, I asked my mom to take as many pictures as she could while visiting. They didn't go inside so they are just pictures from her peaking in the windows. And going onto the front porch.

Spoiler

Outer front porch, front windows, angeled shot, and the inner front porch. There's another door to actually get into the house.
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/P6040049-1.jpg

The front "landscaping"(I use that word loosely because it will be totally redone if we buy it. , the back of the house, back angle of the house, the cement slab in the back yard for a future garage.
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/P6040053-1.jpg

2 more angles of the back, more of their beautiful landscaping I think they mustve ripped out sidewalk or another cement slab and just left the pieces behind but it's an easy cleanup job, and closer picture of the windows. That's my dad in the pictures. He was on the phone with me describing it all to me.
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/P6040061-1.jpg

Kitchen & dining room(I think this picture is taken from the inner front porch.), stairway and you can see where they started to build a closet, living room.
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/P6040056-1.jpg

And here's the descriptions I could find on it.

2 bedroom 1.5 bath home with endless possibilities. This home has potential for a 3rd bedroom and the loft can be used for play area or bedroom. The half bath is plumbed so a shower can be added. The backyard has plenty of room for barbeques and entertaining. There is a slab of concrete you can park on or you can build a garage. Dont miss this buy!

Basic Features:
Acres: 0.175
Area: Steuben County
City Name: Angola
County Name: Steuben
Neighborhood:
Schools: Other, Angola
State: INDIANA
Sub Area:
Subdivision:
Type: Single Family
Zip: 46703
Bathrooms: 1
Bedrooms: 2
Partial Baths:
Square Ft.: 1519
Additional Features:
Dining Room Level: First
Dining Room Size: 13'2x10'6
Living/Great Room Level: First
Living/Great Room Size: 15'1x13'3
Entry/Foyer Level: First
Entry/Foyer Size: 13'1x7
Kitchen Level: First
Kitchen Size: 13'8x11'5
Laundry Level: First
Laundry Size: 8'3x7'4
Bedroom 2nd Level: First
Bedroom 2nd Size: 13'3x13'9
Master Bed Level: First
Master Bed Size: 13'9x17'6
Bath Level: First
Bedroom Size: 5'5x5'10
Master Bath Level: First
Master Bath Size: 3'10x8'6
Cooling: None
Taxes: 983
Auction Price: None
Auction: No
Class: Residential
Directions: From mound, go west on 20 to west street, go north, property up 4 blocks on east side of street.
Days on Market: 23
Electric: Nipsco
Exemption Homestead Credit: No
Exemption Mortgage: No
Exterior Features: Porch Covered,Porch Enclosed
Exterior Finish: Vinyl
Extra Room 1 Description: Loft
Extra Room 1 Level: Second
Extra Room 1 Size: 13'5x9'8
Fireplace: None
Foreclosure: Yes
Foundation: Basement & Crawl
Garage Capacity: None
Garage: None
Gas: Natural Gas
Heating: Gas Natural Fa
Lake Access: None
Lake Name: NONE
Lake Type: None
Legal: W & J LOT 24
Level: 1 1/2
Location: City/Town
Lot Dimensions: 60x127
Occupancy: Vacant
Other Exemptions: No
Possession: Day Of Final Cl
Status: Active
Rental Property: No
Rooms/Bedrooms/Full Baths/Half Baths: 8/2/1/1
For Sale or Rent: For Sale
School District: M S D Steuben County
Section: 26
Sewer: City
Softener Owned: No
SqFt Above Grade Finished: 1134
SqFt Above Grade Total: 1134
SqFt Below Grade Finished: 385
SqFt Below Grade Total: 385
SqFt Main Level: 770
SqFt Upper Level: 364
Street Type: City
Total SqFt Finished: 1134
Total SqFt Unfinished: 385
Township: Pleasant
Water: City
Water Heater Type: Gas
Year Built: 1921
Tax Year: 10/11
Zoning: Residential



Thoughts? Are we completely crazy to even consider doing this? Do you see the potential like I do? DH is TOTALLY excited. He thinks it's an amazing idea. Especially the part about never having a mortgage. The best part is this is in his hometown and we will have so many family and friends within a 10 mile radius. Both of our sets of parents live out in the country but still not too far away. And my brother lives in a town away only about a 6 minute drive though. So give me the opinions girls!! Spidey- your DH is smart about this kind of stuff, see what he thinks too.