The one with the brief glimpse of summer. It’s countdown to Christmas thread 3!

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Here it is!

What were we at 247?

My 2 are off to my aunt's in Milton Keynes until Friday. 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

I have to work from home for a couple of hours, as DD has a school dentist appointment. She's "bored" (I could threaten to send her to school for an hour!) but I've retreated to the office at home to MN in peace with my coffee, and have a quick look at something work-ish.

Another glorious day outside - so I may take a short stroll en route to the train to work later, as I am almost never outdoors in the daytime midweek......

Sorry I have been AWOL all,
Have made some big life changes, not sure what my last update was...

Hope everyone is well!

Sounds exciting Hairspray. All good I hope?

Yes! New job is amazing and I am super busy with it all over the country running events meeting people etc.

Moved in with my new partner - yes fast but I had known him for over a decade as friends. I think I mentioned this last time, not sure I lost track!

Been together three months now, on Saturday I met his Daughter, she is 6 and an absolute doll. He doesn't have lots of contact as her mother lives over an hour away. But calls her a few times a week and sees her every other Saturday for a few hours. He is really sweet with her and she absolutely adores him, plus she said I am pretty so I am a big fan!

DP is only a few years older than me, so his daughter was a bit of a shock to both him and his ex but they have made it work as well as they can - they split when she was tiny. She seems reasonable enough and has another daughter with her current long term partner so no drama there.

It will be nice to have a little one to consider at Christmas time now though as she is still a firm believer in Father Christmas!! And while I am aware that it is early days for the sake of ease I will just refer to her as DSD when I mention her rather than my new partners daughter!

Sounds amazing, Hairspray! Like everything has just clicked. 😁

So pleased for you hairspray!

She sounds adorable Hairspray! Although, thank goodness DD's got over the obsession with pink and glitter! Will you have an Elf on the Shelf?

Had a cheese sandwich, crisps and Mountain Dew for lunch. 😋

Oh Hairspray what an exciting time for you. Six year olds are fab

6-year-old boys are knackering. Girls are easier! 😂

I'm not quite the owner of a 6 year old yet, so I'll reserve judgment until next year! 😂

Good luck Fluffy! 🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀😂

I have an almost 8yo dd and 5.5yo ds. So far dd has proved to be the most difficult!

Lovely to hear from you Hairspray and what wonderful news . So glad about the job and the BF and his DD, things sound just great for you my dear yay!!

I had a pulled pork burrito, an orchard fruit tart and a chocolate brownie torte for supper. I might need the other chocolate brownie torte. 😋🍎🍏🍐🍑🍫

My dd is being a pita going to bed. She's still awake, had turned the light on (shares a room with ds) and was reading my hurrah for gin book ffs. I'm so cross with her.

If DD can't sleep she comes into my room to do something quiet until she's sleepy. She's only ever put their light on by accident, luckily, DS2's such a sound sleeper that he never wakes up.

Yes ds is still zonked out luckily. I'm more cross that when I asked her where my book was she repeatedly said she didn't know until I shouted at her then she admitted she had it. I would say 80% of the time she struggles to sleep but I don't know what to do about it

How old is she and how many hours does she get?

She's 7, 8 next month. Well she always wakes between 5:30/6 no matter what time she goes to sleep I suppose the norm is about 8:30 but she's still awake now.

I'd expect an 8 year old to need around 10 hours, but that's an average. Sometimes when they're overtired they can get an adrenaline rush? What are her sleep cues? DS2 has Bear and his thumb. DD doesn't know what her sleep cues are, which causes problems when she can't sleep.

In bed now. 😴

Do they still have sleep cues past being a baby? I thought they were the signs you spot in a baby to know when to put them down?

Ours are just tired by 6.30-7.00, unless they've had a late nap due to not enough sleep the night before (I'm looking at you, DS!), so that's when they go to bed, have a story / stories and a little chat, then sleep. Unless we are away and it's all a bit too exciting, that works, 99/100, I'd say.

Some kids do need less sleep than others. What's her behaviour / concentration like? NHS says 10 hours 15 mins for an 8 year old. Do you have a bedtime routine / wind down before bed? Difficult to know what to suggest without knowing her as every child is different!

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Going into work early today as I'm so busy. Cracking day yesterday as I settled 4 claims, which is going great guns! Knowing my luck, that'll be it for weeks now! 😂

Morning!

Everyone has sleep cues. Brushing your teeth, having a bath, putting pj's on, turning the light out. Things we always do before we drop off. 😴

Getting up now. 😆