looks like dh wont be spending christmas with us.

[kerryk]

at least he might be getting a suntan

i am totally gutted. christmas is such a huge thing in our house and he might not be here, the very year that both dd's are old enough to understand all the magic of it.

to make things worse my parents have (for the first time ever) booked to go away at christmas.

yes i have other family and friends who will not see dd's and i on our own but it wont be the same.

i want my husband to be here.

it wont even be the first christmas he has spent away from us, the last time though i was pregnant with dd2 and by staying away over christmas it was giving him a longer paternity leave.

this time it is just a big fat pain in the arse.

oh bugger, thats horrible. Second LL about having an early one if you can. I know it wont be the same, but might make it abit easier for you all.

Its the one of the things i dread having them away over christmas.

we did the whole early christmas thing the last time he was away so it is a option.

not the same though.

feel like stamping my feet and shouting that this is the worst day of my life

dont blame you, i'd feel like the doing the same!

We had this last year. I had a 7 week old baby and the girls were just old enough to understand the excitement- it is hard. I kept thinking about the NEXT Christmas, tbh. But we also did the early Christmas dinner, and then just had some lovely fillet steaks on Christmas Day itself. It IS really horrible, but it is just a day (as I kept telling myself!) and the bigger picture is that you will be back together next year (hopefully!)

Know how it feels to stamp and shout, though!! DH has missed so much- dd2's Christening, endless birthday parties, Christmasses...it really isn't fair, is it?

Luckily dh hasn't been away at Christmas since ds was born, but one year they got bounced and sailed at 1900 Christmas Eve, and we weren't told when they would be back. I just kept the tree and everything up and did another Christmas dinner for just the two of us when he was back.

You have my sympathies...I was gutted when he was bounced and that was before ds, so it must be worse for you (I also had the inlaws to contend with that year as well!).

Message withdrawn

i am so gutted about this, even more now that it has sunk in.

we have been living apart for 15 months now and were looking forward to the christmas hoidays so much.

Hi Kerry, just wanted to sympathise we have had the past 3 without my OH, I really havent got any suggestions apart from will it be near R and R time or too soon into the tour? Big Hugs

Hey me too! Yet another Christmas without Daddy! It is absolute PANTS! He's been away for 6 weeks now and not back until February, so no chance of an early or late Christmas dinner! I know it comes with the territory but just for once.....

This will be my first christmas without dh too . He is going away on 3rd November and will be back around 8th Jan. So we plan to do the big christmas dinner when he gets back.

He will also miss the 20 week scan of our 4th and most likely last baby.

The only conciliation I have is that his notice is in and he is due out of the navy shortly after the baby is due (april). So this is likely to be his last trip.

Still it's rubbish right on christmas, isn't it?

has got his date.

will be leaving on dd's birthday in november.

very small chance that he may be sent back just before xmas to start a course on the 5th of jan (but not looking good)