Interviewed by Poppy

Poppy has asked me some questions. As I am bored and on maternity leave, I am agog to answer!

1. What made you decide to not learn the sex of your new baby in advance?
I always think that it's a bit like knowing your Christmas presents in advance. I also feel that it makes the whole nine month wait a bit more exciting, and gives other people (as well as yourself) opportunity to speculate ("well, you're carrying it at the front, seems like a boy to me"/"ooooh heartburn, that means a girl" etc) Having said that, if M had desperately wanted to know, then I'd've gone with it - but we probably wouldn't have told anyone else. It gives me much more shopping opportunities after birth - having exhausted the neutral stuff I can have some pink/blue quality time with my Visa card.

2. If I came to visit you, where's the first place you'd take me, and why?
I think I would take you to my favourite restaurant for a meal, as you are such a foodie, and we can have fabulous cocktails there - I think drink would have to be taken. Hopefully there would be a really good gig on that night that I would have miraculously have managed to get us two tickets to and then we could go to the gig, sing and dance, and generally have a great time.

3. How is having a baby now different than the last time you were pregnant, six years ago?
Well, I'm six years older, for a start. It's not been the main focus of my life like last time; I've got someone else to think about already, and worry about. I've not had the same paranoia about everything, you know, the twinges and everything, but worries about other things - how will A be, can I manage two, etc. I'm more aware of my choices and thoughts and opinions on childbirth. I have better and cuter maternity clothes. There are more friends who have kids now, so I feel like I can talk about it more without being the complete bore.

4. I miss your bouffant. Will you ever bring it back?
I think the bouffant is long gone. I's extremely high maintenance to have a bee hive hairdo and kids. Not to mention appalling for the condition of your hair. Only the name remains. And the attitude. Bouffants require attitude.

5. If you come to visit me, where's the first place you'd want me to take you?
Definitely the coffeehouse, then I'd like to go to Target and Trader Joe's.

Thanks Poppy.

Anyone want a questionnaire, let me know

Update

I've had my first day of doing more or less nothing today. I had a little wander around my local shops at lunchtime, but apart from that, not much else. I'm glad that most of my maternity leave days so far and planned for the rest of the week have a bit more structure! I'm sure I'l be desperate for a bit of "nothing" in a few weeks, so might as well take advantage of it now!

I saw the consultant last week and everything is fine with the baby - it's actually an average size, so they are letting me go for a natural delivery; unless I go past my EDD, in which case it will be an elective section. This suits me down to the ground, as I don't want another induction etc. I find it hard to believe that the baby will really be here so soon. I'm more or less ready, although there are some domestic jobs I want to do like defrosting the freezer etc, and stocking up on some home cooked meals. I've begun the Raspberry leaf today, and when I get to 38-9 weeks, think about arnica.

It's wierd dropping A off at school and collecting him everyday. I like it, but it's odd seeing the children in my class going in with the new teacher, and being on the other side of the classroom door. People have been very nice, which is mainly because I haven't kept myself separate from other parents, and have always had good relationships with the VAST majority. It's just odd. There can't be many people who go on Mat Leave and yet visit their place of work every day.

I'm definitely getting to the uncomfortable bit - I feel like the baby might pop out any minute, the pressure is so great "down below".

Monday morning

I met my midwife from A's birth yesterday in the park (she is local and a parent from school, and a breastfeeding expert, so we are hiring her to help me get feeding etc established as it isn't easy for me due to my mahoooooooosive norks, she was brill last time) and she immediately asked me if I was breech - my bump is huge at the top and tapers away at the bottom, she said the only other thing would be if I had an anterior placenta (is that the right word - at the front??) but that I wouldn't feel kicks then, which I do. I will ask mw at Wednesday appointment what she thinks. A woman at swimming ages ago told me that to move her ds from breech she had to climb the stairs on her hands and knees sideways, so that might be worth trying.

After being more or less set on names all the way through the pregnancy, M, A and I have spent the last three days in the park debating names for the baby - we are set on our boy's name, but have no middle names, and he needs 2, as ds has 2, and I am a believer in all being as equal as possible. We have middle names for our girl, but I have had a big wobble on the first name, so now we have a short list of 6, and if she is a girl, we will have to see what she looks like. It all stems from me choosing a beautiful name for ds, and then Eastenders bringing in a character of the same name a few months later, resulting in huge popularity for a name that I thought was lovely and original until then. My own first name is quite unusual, although more popular than it was when I was born, without being wierd or made up, and I wanted similar for my children. Plus, in teaching, you can often think of a reason NOT to call a child a name, rather than a reason TO call it them, IYSWIM.

I had a mini nest yesterday, pulled everything out of my wardrobes, had a bag for the bin, a bag for the charity shop and an ebay bag, and chucked a load of stuff out - I am a real hoarder, especially for shoes, there were shoes that are about 10 years old in there, and tatty boots that are at the end of thier life. All is sorted out now, and I am proud of the organised racks of stuff. Of course, a lot of it not wearable at the moment, but hopefully by summer and then next winter...

Nothing much planned for today except have warned dh and ds we are cleaning the house today, it's been a quiet weekend really, but quite nice really. M back to work tomorrow, so A and I will have to make our own entertainment, quite a bit planned, and then next week - a bit of time for me!!

I am trying to upload a new photo of A onto the blog, it's absolutely gorgeous, but I'm having some technical trouble. Might be back later...

Maternity Leave! Yay!!!!

Good morning and hurrah! for the end of work for me! I finished yesterday for the lovely Easter holidays, and on the 17th April when everyone goes back, I will be starting my maternity leave! Yay! Had a lovely lot of gorgeous presents - every child and their parents have spoilt me rotten - I had John Lewis vouchers, House of Fraser vouchers, a Clarins Mum to be box, a Clarins facial and makeover, loads of pregnancy smellies and lovely things for me for after the birth, teddies for the baby, chocolates, books, flowers, slippers, tea, and the most beautiful changing bag from my teaching assistant which is from Johnny LouLous, but looks exactly like an Orla Keily bag to me, and I would be delighted to carry as a handbag. I was really really chuffed, and everyone has been so nice. We had a leaving do at a lovely restaurant last night, and I stayed till midnight! DH let me have a nice lie in till 8.45, and I am now chilling in my pjs whilst ds watches telly in his (it's the first day of the holidays, so I'm letting him have a treat!)

I'm hoping to spend a bit more time nuturing this poor baby who has had much less attention than ds did when I was pregnant, so when ds goes back to school, I intend to really rest and look after the two of us. I think I am back to head down now, although I didn't know that there is a hands and feet by head type of breech, so the higher up kicks aren't necessarily a good indication. Also vaguely concerned that lost of people are commenting on me having a rather compact bump. With ds I was huge (but then so was he!) but I was a lot bigger to beging with (about 5 stone heavier). I also lost weight whilst pregnant as I have an endocrine imbalance that is redressed by pregnancy. So, I am telling myself that this is what is happening here again, and that I will give birth and lose all weight immediately, and all will be well. I have put on about 24 lbs so far, which seems within normal limits and all the movement etc is all fine. Perhaps I am simply carrying well, but combined with the nagging sense that I haven't really been looking after myself quite as well as I ought, it is making me a little worried. I have a mw appointment next week, so will ask then.

Still nesting nicely - managed to do some baby shopping at the weekend for things like nappies, wipes etc, and bought some lovely baskets from The Pier for the baby's room. We had a gorgeous weekend, a dinner party on Saturday night and then friends for Sunday lunch on Sunday, the weather has been lovely, and things seem to be going really well all round, which is so nice.