to open a mulled gin and rinsed mince pie bar?

[MaryzBoychildCheeszuzCrizpz]

To carry on the complaining and to drown Liney.

I've opened it in AIBU to piss off Trills etc and to see if mnhq leave it here

I checked Norad earlier and FidGirl (11) was unimpressed. Ingrate.

Frohe Weihnachten Pacific

I have had a message that FidBoy2 is fine, not sure what it'll mean for the future but for now, I'm happy he's at least had contact with his dad. Was a long 3 years for him.

Too true, TEE.

Too bad that the poonami (bizarre, but befitting MN word) has not subsided - here's hoping for tomorrow.

We had a side of salmon with apple and cranberry in a honey glaze and persimmon risotto with pomegranate seeds - yum! If I never see a turkey this Christmas, I'd still be happy

It's quite simple, really. You need to stay sober enough to be capable of noticing an illness worthy of calling an ambulance, and to be capable of
A) realising you should call the ambulance, and
B) actually pressing those tiny little numbers.

When the paramedics have collected you, it is also helpful if you are sober enough not to attack the staff in A&E for triaging, and thus prioritising some car accident victims over your child.

Surely?

Yes, sober enough to call 999 - that'll do.
And anyway DH is stone-cold sober.
So, no need for me to be.
Cheers!!

Hello Mumsnets.

I just wanted to say Merry Christmas. I've not been around much in recent months, but I do miss you. Well, some of you

:)

Hi, Nagoo, merry Christmas.

See, you are perfect example of what I was saying earlier: I'd be lying if I said I'd been aware that you were away, but I recognise your name and you as somebody I find myself nodding along to.

I too am waiting for Big Boys to go to bed to un-hide presents. In the meantime there is Happy Feet and .

Hi Nagoo.

Merry Christmas.

I've got to wrap two bikes when it's safe. GooBoy decided today he really wanted Skylanders Swapforce. I'm not nervous about tomorrow at all now.

Hi Nagoo.

I'm not allowed to watch HF. dd says watching me drool is embarrassing. So we are watching Percy Jackson.

Exactly Jessie I haven't had enough yet by your measurements

And ds2 wants to put carrots, Guinness and mince pies out as was tradition here. He is 15 ffs. AIBU to think he wants to actually sneak back in for the Guinness.

Aww, I remember with horror fondly those days of waiting for them to fall asleep --and dreading the early morning.

Oh, wrapping bikes - there's a challenge.
I think we just artfully drapes them in blankets. CBA

I did wrap a guitar yesterday - with great difficulty and sticky tape all over my person and the room.

How did yesterday's date go, MaryZ?

Bikes go well in duvet covers [helpful]

What was yesterdays date? ds2's trip to the ballet went down a storm - gf was very tearful apparently and judging by her Facebook Status likes (whatever that means) ds2 did well

She responded with an Abercrombie top for him . He's never had anything Abercrombie and may well wear it for the rest of his life.

Oh, and I have some incredible news.

ds1 staggered in at 2.30 this morning and made a hell of a noise. I was a bit cross until I got up and realised he has parcelled up a humungous pile of presents, including one huge one for me with a label saying "to Mum, Happy Christmas lots of love from ds1

I nearly fell over --and might have been a bit weepy.

He's out again. I really hope he makes it home tonight.

Ah young love. ::sigh::

Just watching the 'Dammit Indy, where doesn't it hurt?' scene. I was 13 the first time I saw it. ::sigh:: The ultimate love...

Oh god, that was...too fucking long ago.

Ooooh, she 'like' it - wow, he's a keeper
You may need to take the top off him when he's asleep to wash it and make sure it's dry when he wakes up like used to do with DS3's favourite soft toy

Oh, MaryZ, that almost made me well up and I don't know the half of it
Do you think he's growing up ?

awwww that's lovely maryz :)

I have to try and wrap them. It's complicated, I have to wrap them and try to make them stay wrapped until STBXMrGoo gets here in the morning. Do I just hide them? Crapping hell. I told him I'll delay the DC with stocking shite and exciting breakfast.

I did keep them up a bit late, to try and slow them down. It's a tricky old year this year.

Oh Maryz how lovely I'd have been more than a bit weepy.

And yes, Nagoo that is tricky. My 3 were older when we split up - God knows what contortions we'd have had.

Hide them, I'd say, you can always invent a reason why. Don't envy you though

Oh crap im too pissed to go in loft

The advantage of a Jewish mother and father whose second married was to a Catholic.

Mom got Thanksgiving, Dad got Christmas.

No conflict.

And I still remember the year I got a bike. I was about 12.

Fiderer, I have not followed your story but it sounds hard all round, particularly when children are clearly affected. I really hope they have a nice time at their dad's and you get some happy children back tomorrow.

Nogoo, I am not sure how old your kids are? We have a rule that we only open presents when everybody is up AND has had breakfast. It works really well because they all accept it (even the 3 year old - well, he did last year, we'll see tomorrow...).

bish, get up earlier than the kids early - it'll be fine

Right, I'm going in the shed!

Tee it's all a bit new. I like to think I am a good enough person to make it through one day to make it nice for the children. Everyone I know who is separated thinks I am a loon.

Well, my parents never could have done it Nagoo, but my dad left my mom for my step mom, so not exactly a good thing. Not that I knew that for, literally, decades.

But she's now been my step mom for nearly 40 years. So I'm used to her.

Good luck.