To ask what's the loveliest thing someone has done for you?

[Antsinpants]

To end a shitty week with a warm fuzzy thread. Mine is when dd1 was a few weeks old and I was totally knackered, struggling to bf and using formula, my lovely SIL - who had also just had a baby - washed and sterilised all my bottles so I didn't have to. Such a small thing, but it meant everything to me at the time and she's still easily my favourite person in the world. Share the love!

Oh yeah can definitely add to brilliant midwifery - they are of course strangers and 'just doing their job' but the one who was extra kind (I'm thinking morphine, bed bath and helping me brush my teeth when bed bound after EMCS) has definitely stuck with me!

When I was about 20 years old a business man paid my train fare when I got caught dodging it by a ticket inspector - he wasn't annoyed, just sympathetic (and sticking it to the man haha!)

Two things:
When I was heavily pregnant with dc2 and feeling faint (it was a hot day) - a total stranger saw I was in distress and asked me what they could do to help.
I called in at work after a meeting with my solicitor while going through a nasty divorce. I didn't know what to do with myself. A close colleague asked me if I needed a cuddle - I did, and had a good cry in her shoulder too.
I'll never forget either.

Last year I had an episode of what felt like a breakdown. My parents were utterly fantastic. As I hadn't heeded mothering in that sense for many years I had forgotten what it felt like and made me remember how truly loved I am. I'll never forget that they were when I most needed them.

Oh I'd forgotten the best one.

We had the same social worker overseeing our kids from when we adopted them right up until they were about 10. Just before they started high school, we learned she had terminal cancer and we had a new social worker. We kept in touch with the first one and just before she died, she wrote lovely letters to DC praising them on their behaviour, how well they'd done so far and how proud of them she was. It really touched me and when she died a few weeks later, the funeral was absolutely jam packed to the rafters, unsurprisingly.

That woman was a saint and left behind such an amazing legacy. There are entire families who will never forget the lovely things she did for them and we were all left feeling empty after she passed.

My house phone rang one evening about 6pm it was winter so it was dark. A mans voice said 'is that Latika? I have your son xxxx here'

My blood ran cold. My 13 year old son was at a friends house as far as I was aware. He'd fallen off his scooter on the way home and this man had picked him up, got my house number from my son and called me to let me know he was hurt. I have never driven anywhere so fast. When I got there my son said -' I know he's a stranger but he has a dog and the dog loves him mam so I knew he was ok to talk to'. I didn't know whether to kiss him or kill him. This man had stayed with him until I got there

Thanked the man profusely but so regret that I never got his name or address to drop him in wine or chics to say thank you

We're literally on our way home from butlins. Our stay was amazing and that's because a lovely lady at check in upgraded us to the Wave Hotel. She didn't have to. I've never stayed in such a lovely hotel and it made our stay so special. Thank you!!

Mine is tiny compared to all of these. When I was pregnant the time before I had my youngest dc, I went to the doctor at 12 weeks because I was spotting, it was a doctor I'd never seen before as I just took the available appointment. He was kind of useless, it was the end of the day and as I had my scan coming up on Monday he said there was no point referring me sooner and there was nothing more he could do. Come Monday, I found out I had definitely miscarried. It was a long time to get everything resolved and the original sonographer and hospital doctor had been less than kind, and I was basically sent home to wait and see.

I then had a (somewhat awkward) phone call from that doctor I'd seen at my surgery, he'd just received my notes from the hospital and wanted to say how sorry he was. It was so thoughtful and unexpected, especially compared to how the hospital staff had treated me.

Abbout three years ago a terrible time for me...My neighbours' young daughter visted me, brought a bag of shopping filled with healthy soups, teas, all sorts of lovely things to make you feel better. This girl is an absolute one in a million, she was so young but so incredily thoughtful.
That I shall never forget.

Oh my god i shouldn't read this while pregnant and hormonal!

And the time my 3 yo DD got seperated from us in a strange town. She was missing for about 90 seconds and I was completely terrified. She reappeared being walked along by such a kind woman who was saying to her in the calmest, gentlest voice 'Don't you worry my wee pet, we'll find your mammy'. She handed her over to me and all I could do was mouth "thank you' to her over DDs head. She smiled and walked away. I am crying and crying just remembering it.

My lovely friend made me Jamie Oliver's lasagna, after I gave birth to my daughter. It's my favourite dish and if you've ever made it you will know how laborious time consuming it is. She did this despite having a large family of her own.

Such a wonderful gesture for a new mum.

Also, my kind and generous mum who constantly sends presents for her grandchildren, despite living across the world from us. She took unpaid leave to come and help me for two months after my son was born and did everything for us: cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing, shopping, looking after children, changing nappies, holding the baby and playing with the toddler so that I could sleep. She's just so brilliant and I wish we lived closer to each other.

Lovely thread, making me remember all sorts of lovely things that have happened - the world really is a wonderful place! Two stand out for me.

Transatlantic flight to be with dying DF, watching movie after dinner and broke down, sobbing. It was already lights out, and did not think anyone could hear me. After a little while I became aware of someone gently patting my hand. One of the cabin crew had sat down quietly beside me, and just sat there, quietly, patting my hand. Once I was a bit calmer, she slid a big beautiful box of very posh chocolates along to me, saying "nothing makes you feel better like first class chocolates." she was right.

Next one was just a few weeks ago. Best friend died just 4 weeks before her only DS's wedding. Could not imagine how to get through it, but everyone soldiered on. Her DD's asked me to take her place for hair and makeup on the day. Still tear up thinking about that one and how very special, and blessed, it made me feel.

I was playing with my little dog and his big dog friend off the lead on a little patch of grass. Then a brass band came and scared the living daylights out of him and he bolted! I was terrified running after him (he's much faster than me!) and calling him, panicking about what if he got hurt or stolen. Found him a couple of hundred yards away in someone's arms, who handed him over safe and sound, I was so relieved! (And never made the mistake of thinking he could go off lead there again!)

Also the dog, walking along by the water, one minute he's pottering along next to me, the next he's somehow fallen over the side and is dangling by his harness and lead! Thankfully he hadn't even got wet feet and I could easily lift him up (thank god his lead was on fixed not retractable!) but a family was passing and were concerned for him and the teenage daughter said she'd have jumped in to save him

I was at a scout camp last year volunteering and was taken ill (threw up on the grass outside my team "office") on the first day. I was mortified, crying with embarrassment, but everyone was SO kind to me and looked after me, my team leader came to check on me and reassure me nobody minded and I just cried more. They were even good enough not to mention it again apart from asking if I was better the following day (I was and managed the rest of the week without incident!)

A really tiny one but that's stuck with me, I have scars on my arm from self harming. I only worry about covering up any fresh wounds, so the scars are on show most of the time and hardly anyone notices (or if they do they don't mention it!). I was only 21, working in a shop and a little old lady asked me what I'd done to my arm. As usual I said "nothing", and she just said "it's ok dear" I'm a voice that to me at least sounded like she knew the truth, was kind enough not to mention it, and was reassuring me that things would be ok. Now I don't know whether that's true or not but it felt like it and I've never forgotten her voice saying it.

I've got 2
It was DDs 21st birthday and I went in to a local jeweller who I have used before and asked them to make me a set of 3 silver bangles (many years before they had made me 2 gold ones out of some scrap gold which had sentimental value)
I wanted one to be different so engraved or with a few semi precious stones.....
The jeweller when she found out what it was for said how about 21 diamonds? I really hadn't planned on spending that much and as a lone parent couldn't afford it then she said ' I will give her the diamonds....!'
They are not even chips and it is a stunning piece of jewellery
Thanks Hazel
2nd one years ago after surgery that went wrong I was very poorly - couldn't cope with visitors or anything I was in so much pain
DP came every night for weeks stayed for hours and just held me and silently stroked my face and head till I fell asleep
Then on my birthday still in hospital he brought DC with cake n presents I was too ill to eat or open but he normalised it for them as they were all frightened I was going to die

Having a bit of a shitty time at work and not sleeping well. Fell asleep on the sofa this afternoon and when I woke up my DP had come round, left me sleeping and put a bouquet of red roses next to me.

This morning my daughter left me a box of three walnut whips outside my bedroom door (she works nights). Love them both

Neon I'm not pregnant and hormonal and I have something in my eye.

Some truly lovely people in the world.

When I was about 20, I had an accident at work and thought I'd broken my foot. My employer took me to A&E but was awful about it, making comments about how I'd do anything to avoid work, dumped me in the waiting room and stormed off, but then kept calling A&E to check I was still there and wasn't faking or slipping off home.

After about the third call, still hadn't been seen but was in a lot of pain, the receptionist snapped at employer that they weren't there to spy on his employees and told him to stop calling. I burst into tears and the receptionist came over and gave me a cuddle. At the same time, a 17 year old trainee chef who'd hurt his leg and was in a wheelchair asked his mum to push him over to me and get me a hot chocolate. They looked after me for the rest of the day and his mum even waited an extra 20 mins after her son was treated to take me home.

A few years ago, before I met DH, I'd got myself into a bit of a pickle with money and was completely skint. I was crying to my mum, who offered to lend me some but I refused as I felt guilty, given she hardly had much herself.

A few days later, she phoned and asked if I was going to be in between 5 and 7 that night because she'd done something naughty. 5.30, a Tesco van turned up and unloaded the most obscene amount of food shopping, ordered by my mum from 300 miles away. She said she couldn't rest unless she knew I had food. It still makes me smile now when I think about it.

When my STBXH was very ill a few years ago (depression; bipolar disorder) I had been caring for him round the clock, encouraging him to eat, wash and interact. Basically I was doing what I could to keep him alive, while also working and looking after our then 3yo DD.

One day I received a text from a friend saying "be in the house between 5 and 6pm". At 5.45pm a Waitrose van pulled up outside and delivered bags of beautiful food, flowers, wine and even toys for DD. All our friends had clubbed together to surprise us. I cried solidly for an hour at how amazingly lucky I am to have such incredible friends.

Ahhh, cross-posted with Alice :)

Dh, virtually every night for the past 3 years has talked to me every night when I cry, he lets me talk he hugs me, he tries to tell me how it'll all be ok in the end

Sometimes I can see how exhausted he is but he never falters and never tries to stop me he just lets me get it all out and go over the same things

When my DS was 3 months old and still hadn't slept more than 2 hours at a stretch, my best friend turned up on a Sunday morning with coffees, pastries and a paper. And she took DS out for a 3 hour walk.

I've never been so grateful to anyone in my life.

When DS2 was a week or so old I had him in a pram,DS1(3) was having a monumental tantrum on the floor. A elderly lady was walking up, she stopped, put her hand on my arm and said 'we have all been there dear' I had lost my nan about 6weeks previously and they would have been exactly the words she would have used. I was so touched.

When I was in my early 20s I was a sales rep. My car was a clapped out Metro that was a bit tempremental. The fucker broke down one day in the middle of December on a tiny little country lane in the middle of nowhere. It was just getting dark and was foggy and pretty scary. I had no mobile phone reception and was miles from anywhere.

I remembered seeing a few buildings a couple of miles back and managed to free wheel it down the hill and found a farm. Asked the scary looking bloke who I found in a workshop type place if I could borrow his phone to call the AA.

He had a look at my car, sussed out the problem (blown expansion tank which is where you put water in to get to the radiator), got his wife to make me a cup of tea and managed to patch it up!

He then followed me about 20 miles until I got to civilisation and to make sure his repair was going to hold.

He was a bloody hero in a boiler suit and I always felt by I didn't take a note of his address so I could send a card and some flowers or something.

My mate had a baby for me 👶 😘