Hang onto your hats; we're on the home straight, sprinting to the finish line! It's the Countdown to Christmas, thread 10!

[NoWordForFluffy]

Evening all! I'm not sure if this will be the last or the penultimate thread, but here goes!

Nero, O2 appears to be working now (conveniently now I'm home and don't need mobile data!).

It is a savage time to wake up! Both of them had trouble getting to sleep last night as well, and DS2 stirred when DD went to bed, but I think he was cold. He'd thrown his duvet off and then couldn't find it, then covered himself with a thin blanket, so I covered him up properly with the duvet.

Paid DD's trip money. Her teacher's holding a meeting this afternoon to tell us when to bring them to school and what they need to take.

Just had halloumi, eggs, a flat mushroom, a tomato, beans, a hash brown and toast, a banana and a hot chocolate. 😋🍳🍌🍫

My DC are still at the stage of wanting a proper dinner in the evening. DS2 always leaves about half, DD eats it all but rarely wants a pudding, especially fruit (not a fruit fan)!

Jesus wept biddy, I’m exhausted just reading that! I hope things calm down for you soon.

Finally finished work, did 6 and a half hours today as quite a few people are off sick. In absolute agony with my back again. 2 hours 23 minutes until I get to see my wee angel, paddy is as excited as I am

More pics to follow perfect but she is the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen! I cried, paddy cried 😂

More pics of my perfect Addie 💕

Also got this bauble with her pics on and this teddy which plays her heartbeat

Pics didn’t upload! Im so in love 😍

Wheels I'm going to look up animal jam, sounds interesting. Yay for your fireplace arriving soon! I'm sorry they moved your appointment :( I hope your GI appointment goes/went well today, let us know how it goes. Send me your address and I'll get it sent out tomorrow hopefully :)

fluffy I hope you have a restful evening, trying to function when your body is running on empty is hard work. Maybe a nice bath will help with the aches? I hope you've got people at home looking after you.

Acey - your cake sounds delicious! I love apple strudel! I would recommend seeing a chiropractor/physio to sort your back out, pregnancy takes its toll on your back and you can't even take much for the pain. Very cute scan photos, the teddy and bauble are very cute!

wooly hooray for a full night's sleep! I started wrapping yesterday, still have loads to do as I'm a slow poke.

cheerful Welcome to the group, Lovely christmas tree

mrsmad I hope the doctors/app blood test with your dad went okay today, I hope the kidney function tests come back good. It sounds promising on the social worker front, I hope they put something in place very soon.

Biddy - That's giving me hypertension just reading! I don't know how you do it all but please make time for yourself to just breathe and relax, and I don't mean that in a patronsing way but it does sometimes seem like you're burning the candle at both ends. .

Philomena I'm sorry you were up at a silly o clock again :(

She's drinking today and eating tiny amounts thankfully, but still very lethargic so I'm seeing what the doctor says tomorrow. I'm very upset and teary this evening, pretty sure hormones aren't helping! Horrible bus driver yelled at me because I was taking too long looking for change - I was 20p short at the time but he just yelled at me to get off his bus. Other bus was cancelled so I was standing at the stop for an hour, DD was running a fever and crying and the other two were freezing. I called up to complain but I know nothing will get done.

Is that a bear with her heart beat Acey? Amazing.

My mind is blown by the advances in technology even in just over a decade since I was pregnant with DS. My oldest niece is not much younger than me and my sister didn't have an ultrasound during her pregnancy and my mum had an X-ray to confirm she was carrying twins.

I have written all my cards and wrapped DS's presents, his stocking presents and all the presents for the extended family so I am winning today.

Seafood that is utterly outrageous of the bus driver. Poor you. I hope your complaint gets followed through.

I’m on a Addie high I just can’t believe how lucky I am 💕
Paddy and I have made raspberry muffins and we are having chicken Kiev and mash for dinner.

Sea - you aren’t having much luck with bus drivers are you, bless your heart I think you are right about the physio / chiropractor because I can’t go on like this! I can deal with the aching, but the constant locking up is agony! I’m glad your Dd is drinking at least, hopefully the gp will sort her out tomorrow the teddy and bauble were only an extra €15 so I couldn’t resist!

Wooly - aye it certainly is, you press the bears tummy and it plays Addie’s heartbeat! It’s amazing what they can do these days isn’t it. I can’t believe how much more developed she is since the 20 week scan, it’s fascinating and mind blowing!

Acey How lovely!, I’ve never had anything done like that for D.C, didn’t even know you could

Just been to see Algy’s Christmas play, he was angel Gabriel. I couldn’t stop crying!. Clem and Ike’s is tomorrow, Clem is Joseph and Ike is a star!

Welcome CheerfulYank I recognise your name 👋
Your 🎄 is gorgeous

Biddy poor you and MrBiddy, you both sound exhausted. Be careful, you don't want to burn out / get ill at Christmas.

How old is your DD? Old enough to arrange a simple tea for the family (I'm thinking literally pasta & sauce or something)? It was a job we got once we were in comprehensive which made me feel a bit too grown up to want to moan about it suddenly realising my mum is a bit of a genius

MrsMad It's hard when you love your family but don't like them particularly isn't it? We have a few on mine and DHs side which are similar.
I don't think it's up to your sis to remove fb friends or complain about money being given as a gift though!
I have my fingers crossed for the test results 🤞

Congrats Acey she's perfect 👶🏼

Seafood that's awful. Can you complain via social media? Somehow companies seem to care a lot more when twitter / Facebook followers are made aware of how rubbish they are.

Woolly Wow you've been productive! I took a whole afternoon to write my cards and will take a full day off work wrapping presents!

I went back into work today.
It was actually ok - some urgent bits took my entire morning but the afternoon was productive and my team missed me which was nice (I can tell because they made me tea )

Will be spending this evening desperately trying to finish a scarf which I've neglected but is now needed urgently 🙄

Evening!

You've all been so chatty again. Sorry if I miss anyone in my round up!

Mrs, your sister has some bloody nerve. I don't think I could bite my tongue to be honest! I hope your dad is OK.

Seafood, I hope your complaint is taken seriously. It sounds awful.

Acey, adorable teddy and bauble. I'm glad you enjoyed your scan! And your strudel!

Woolly, hurrah for sleep. You must've needed it. And congrats on the productivity. I'm going to do some more wrapping next week. No time before then what with being away on Friday night for the Santa train on Sat.

Crazy, I'm glad work was better than you anticipated. Mine was too; I was surprisingly productive and caught up a bit today! Despite having a one hour conference with a Barrister and client at lunch time. Lovely barrister; very helpful!

Frange, nativity season = sobbing season! 😂

Biddy, you need to slow down before you make yourself ill. Is there anything you can drop from your life?

I'm feeling a touch better today, thankfully. I did start to flag towards the end though. Two (male) clients have commented on my cold so far. I must sound worse than I think I do! Nice to get some sympathy, however!

DS had breakfast with Santa at school today and was so excited. It's his party tomorrow so he's in his own clothes! More excitement! DD has her breakfast on Thurs and party on Tuesday, I think. We've not been told yet though!

Oh and Welcome CheerfulYank!

I save my Nectar points all year and buy goodies for Christmas and an extra present each. Today I bought DH's (pants, his choice ) and mine (a hot chocolate set). The DC don't know what they want yet.

Went to a meeting about DD's residential trip, picked DS2 up from basketball, had beef stew and dumplings, DS2 was in bed by 7.20, DD will go at 8. 🏀😋😴

I save mine too, PSB, but start spending in October when I buy the ingredients for the mincemeat with them. I've spent about £200.00 so far on what feels like not much, with another £90.00 to go!

Wouldn't you do better by buying the extra presents during double up though, so spending half what you do now?

Seafood WHAT the hell is wrong with the bus driver? Who pissed in his wheat a bix!? That makes me so mad for you. But I'm sending good thoughts your your little one who's still icky :(

I think you would like Animal Jam. It's totally cute.

Acey OMG Addie is adorable and I lover her to pieces. Look at her little nose! omg

Those muffins look great too. I think I might make some blueberry muffins for dinner actually now lol.

Fluffy breakfast with Santa sounds like a lot of fun! My kids would have adored that.

Good luck finishing your scarf woolly

Frange Awwww I would have cried too!!

Psb That sounds delicious. I wish I could come to your house to eat.

Biddy You are so welcome to whine. Reading that made me exhausted and stressed!

Acey I would love an Xmas card. I'm also totally going to buy Addie some 6-9 month clothes. That way you have them and she can grow into them!

Mrs How are you so sweet and amazing and your sister is so....ick....it's always crazy when siblings are so different!

My appointment went well! The doctor ordered a ton of blood work and tests. He also put me on liquid phenergan for my tummy. I'm also supposed to see the dietitian. So we'll see how all my bloods come back and what the dietitian says when I see her. No idea when I'll see her yet though.

Our fireplace is here! DH is at work though so no building until he gets home in about 6 hours lol. My carer is here and helping me clean up the house a bit and get things organized

Thanks for the welcome all, and congratulations Acey. I'm so broody these days!

I've bought a special Santa mailbox for the town and DH has just finished making a stand for it. We're going to put it outside the newspaper office downtown and they're going to publish some of the children's letters :) I'll get a pic of it when I have a minute. I meant to have to them right after Thanksgiving (end of November here) but one thing after another happened and I didn't. Ah well, it makes me feel all warm and Christmassy anyway. :)

I should do that really Fluffy, I bet I'll forget next year.

I'm excited for you fireplace WheelchairWoes! Ours doesn't work but I put twinkle lights in it and it makes me happy regardless.

I'd say you're welcome anytime Wheelie, but our flat's in the basement, so not wheelchair friendly. We also have a flood step to get over, as we're about 10 doors up from the Thames.

CheerfulYank The mailbox is a wonderful idea!!! I can't wait to see it!

I think anything with twinkle lights on it are so happy lol even if it's a dead fireplace lol

PSB lol it's ok. I'll dream of your lovely cooking. I still think you should be posting photos lol

Frange - thank you! I never knew they did 4d until my Midwife mentioned it! Bless you, I’m not sunrises you were emotional through it all!

Crazy - thank you! She certainly is perfect and ever so precious ❤️
Glad you had an okay day at work, and that people made you tea

Fluffy - thank you, it was a wonderful experience! I’m glad you’re starting to feel a wee bit better.

Wheelie - thank you lovely! Her nose is just the cutest button nose ever! I love her so much already, she’s so beautiful!
The muffins are really tasty 😁 oooo blueberry muffins sound so good! I’m craving apple cinnamon!
I will definitely get a Christmas card sent to you
I’m glad your appointment went well, hopefully your bloods come back good and you get an appointment with your dietician soon.
Yay for the fireplace, although booo that you have to wait 6 hours for hubby lol!

Cheerful - thank you! I love your tree, it’s wonderful and makes me feel all festive!