FEB 2010 Longer out than in and first Christmases around the corner...we're 9 months on.

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Shiny new thread, as promised fellow FEBers!

Figured we would start another new one to mark first birthdays, bethlou, so I've held fire on referencing that landmark in this thread title - hope that's okay with y'all!

Anyway, welcome everybody, pull up a comfy chair, someone get the wine out and I'll open a huge box of chocolates for us all to share.

Massive computer problems here... if I don't get online again, here's wishing you all a warm cozy merry Christmas hopefully with your loved ones and good luck to those thinking of a September baby

At home with yet another chest infection. DS bum infection is getting better, still wheezy but the steroid are improving it. So good news for him.

We have 6 teeth here, 2 at the bottom and 4 at the top. DS is really speaking now but in his own language.

Abs hopefully you will find a solution and your DP will be able to join you.

Hope to be back on later but DS1 about to arrive home. DS2 has the vomiting bug too, since 1a.m. (and I have been awake since - thank God the child minder has had DS1! Oo, here they are.. hope to return.

Abs we had the same thing, had to pay to change our flight that will bring us back to the US. We also co-habited with a mouse for about 6 weeks, until it came out again and we trapped it.

Hope all the poorly babies and mummies get better soon.

Fingers crossed, Abs - you sound remarkably cheerful for all the hassle you're going through....

Oh, bethylou, rubbish, poor you and DS2. I hope it all clears up in time for The Big Day...

BG, hope the computer probs get sorted out - anyone else tried to get on other threads in MN Talk? Major problem with a supposed malware attack (which isn't actually happening, but loads of web-browsers, including mine, think Mumsnet is unsafe. Most annoying!!)

Glad to hear your DS is improving, GF - snap with regards to the teeth, exactly the same situation as with DD.

Have a fun time in Disneyland, PA

I've just been dashing around packing stuff, ready for our epic drive to my mum's tomorrow.

DD woke today at 05.45 , but obligingly took a couple of longish naps (in the buggy of course) to make up for it, so was cheery all day. In many respects, a repeat performance would be very useful tomorrow.... Not sure how DD will sleep in the car, though.

We had an upchuck moment in the bath tonight, which was a surprise, as DD isn't an upchucky baby in general. It wasn't a major vom, so I'm fairly certain it's not a bug, just one of those random regurgitations
At least I'd finished washing her and it was easy to clean up....

And on that festive note....!!

Merry Christmas to you all - I doubt I'll get another chance to post before the 25th, so here's hoping you and your LOs have a fab time, one way or another

Merry Christmas to you to IC and good luck with the drive tomorrow!!! The weather seems to have improved...

Good news, I have rebooked our flights for the 27th at no extra cost! The funny thing is that DP has been upgraded to business so DD and I will be waving to him from cattle class! Hooray DP is on his way home and getting into Heathrow at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning. Very exciting! This tour is over and he will be around for the next couple of months.... HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!

I should have taken a picture today... I bought a six foot tree and carried it in the pushchair! The trunk was in the basket under DD and I had the tree leaning into my arms as I pushed... hilarious! I moved furniture and put it up, it's nearly decorated so I'm feeling quite virtuous... thought I'd leave the rest to decorate with DP tomorrow.

Wishing you all a good night.. DD is awake so I must go......

Abs ace news?btw, am putting two and two together and making blur?

DH out getting hte christmas food shop, i've just spent two hours tidying the kitchen (how is it possible for a small galley kitchen to take two hours to tidy?????)

must go, DD awake and DS grumbling bah

Fab news Abs you should swap with your DP and go into business class and leave him and your LO in cattle class. You deserve to put your feet up.

IC have a good drive and a lovely Christmas.

DS slept better last night. I am still under the weather and need to be carefulas I'm near collapsing everytime I stand up. Bloody low blood pressure.

Merry nearly Christmas everyone!

Abs that is fantastic news, I am so pleased that you will spend Christmas with your DP. And I second GF, it should be YOU in business sipping the champers in a lovely reclining chair. At least take turns!

Oh and well done on carrying the tree - you are one determined lady!

GF take it easy, please... You don't want to be wiped out for Christmas.

IC have a good journey.

bethy hope DS2 is well now. Our vom bugs were only 24 hours thank goodness. (Did I mention that I lost 3lb?! )

I'm leaving my laptop at home, and we're setting off in a few hours (ouch still so much to do), so I will plant a big festive kiss on everyone's cheek and say HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS! I hope to pop back in before the New Year (we have a very, very hectic week ahead).

Merry Xmas to everyone.
Safe trip for those traveling!

DD2 is better, eats like a horse today.

She ditched the dummy herself, just pushed it away last week. I have hidden them since One less thing to do on my list for next year

Naps all over the place she is still undecided between the 2/3 naps a day and 1 in the middle. She even went 1 day without any .

And she slept through last night (19h30 till 5h30) no crying no shuffling no night walking.... [finger crossed emoticon]

good news Abs, I agree with swapping places too. Your DH must have missed your DD, it would be cruel to separate them so soon..

Happy Christmas to those of you who won't be back on before the big day and good luck with all the travels. So glad to hear that your DP will be with you Abs, and well done for making it through all the traumas.

Let's hope all the vom bugs clear in time. We're just waiting to see if DH and DS1 are going to succumb or not (and are under strict instructions form MIL that we must travel whether or not we are vomity (I think not...). She's back in 'driving me mad' mode.

Have 2 foot icicles here hanging from the roof and wondering whether one could claim on the accidental death life insurance if I made DH stand underneath them for long enough. What a festive thought!

Rhuematoid arthritis tests to be continued in the new year as currently inconclusive. Waiting for results of DS2's ECG that we had done on Tuesday.

So sorry I've missed all the individual replies-been a lot going on this week by the looks of it.

Special hugs to GF and make sure you stay sitting down!

My boys are currently emptying books form a shelf together and removing bits of the nativity set one by one into the dining room so I might go and rescue Mary and Joseph before they get posted somewhere irretreivable!!

Lots of love to you all. Enjoy the first Christmases with all our DC (and siblings/partners/great aunt Matildas etc..) Look forward to lots of festive pics of the LOs dressed as snowmen etc.. or is that just me who likes making them look silly in expensive novelty outfits?!!

dd2 needs watching so much more than dd1 ever did... Found out yesterday that she can open screw tops when she posted my dental floss and lip salve into a large tub of body lotion . Oh and she is also rather fond of the nativity set... She keeps putting the sheep on the roof and then crawls off with the shepherd....

Thankfully DS can't really reach our nativity set yet. He tries while standing on the tip of his toes

I've just ordered lots on the Next sales. Jeans, trousers, tops on size 12-18 months, 1.5-2y. Saving quite a few quids by doing so (I did the sale last years while pregnant and DS is wearing the clothes now).

Hello everyone!

Abs Some good news about DP to end all the chaos!

Watercress DD2 handclapping..so cute isn't it?! Can she wave yet?

IC Hope the drive to your mum's is ok. Bet she cannot wait to see you all. Am sure DD willl get the hang of napping in the car!

GF My sympathies with low BP. I have it too. Dr always check mine twice to be sure he gets it right! Apparently it is is v healthy (even though it makes you feel like shite! )Well done on the sales shopping!

Bethylou I hope you are all feeling better? Fingers crossed for you on all the test results.

Mamaloco Well done on ditching the dummy! Hope naps improve.

Stoof You delegated the food shop to DP God, if I did that we would end up with tubs of Haribo and lots of meat and crisps!! DP hates going alone as he panicks packing, pulls a hopeless face so that some member of staff takes pity on him and takes over! I hope he survived!

PA Disneyland!!! Wahey!! I hope you have a fabulous time and it is the tonic you need.

BG at what DD is getting up to! Hard to be cross when they are clearly having fun! DD has ruined my Estee Lauder compact and my living room carpet. My fault for concentrating on my mascara at the time rather than noticing her little hands had delved into my make up bag!

BC Hope you are having a lovely time in Norfolk with the in laws.

Mincepies Yay to your weightloss!! Every cloud and all that! All the best for your journey too!

Well did food shop last night and braved Bluewater today and did all present shopping. Had 12 children to buy for..skipping adults this year! DP is having a quiet Christmas drink with his mate and I have wrapped all presents. Phew.
DD has woken up twice already:(
She has been very funny the last two days, dancing (sitting rocking back and forth) and waving her hands to 90's dance music with her daddy and chattering away in in her own little language. She can say "bear" and attempts "bucket" when we read her little cardboard book with pictures of these in it.

Still chasing Ruby around. My poor cat she does not get much peace these days. Probably releived we went shopping today!

Her sleep is ok ish...waking at 4am, then I go in and she will wake about 5.15am.

Oh childminder was fab. So will have to toughen up with her sleep after Boxing Day!

Right, all that is left for me to say is Merry Christmas everyone! Remember take lots of pics! So we can show off our beautiful DCs!!

must get sleep?.

sleep?

explain again please

erm...don't know either.

I feel like I have been hit by a train this morning.

Ooooh we have tooth no.3 poking through!

I have slept but not my mum who's on night duties.

On the good news side, DS bum rash/infection is finally clearing!! How amazing what can be pleasing in a motherhood life!

Ahahahahaaaaa!

Made it back on after all!

Great news, Abs!

Look after yourself, GF, good to hear you had a night off, sounds like you needed it...!

at the nativity dismantlement, bethy, BG and GF

Ooh, kitchen cleaning, stoof...hard to know when to stop sometimes...!

The journey went amazingly well - took only ten hours and DD was brilliant. Napped twice for just over an hour each time and was otherwise perfectly happy to play with her various toys or eat her meals on the move or pull faces at me. She only got slightly grizzly when tired and once I'd tipped back her seat, snuggled her in and sung her a lullaby, she went off to sleep, no probs!

So here we are at my Mum's in SW France and there's thick snow everywhere (fell overnight). DD was a bit tough to settle in her cot at bedtime, then had a MAJOR resettle a couple of hours later. Separation anxiety (although we were in the same room), unfamiliar place and being a bit overtired were the culprits, I suspect. It took well over an hour. After that she woke and did a fairly fast resettle at about 04.00, then woke again just after 06.00. After a couple of attempts to get her back in the cot, I gave up and snuggled her in with us where, after being latched on for a while, she fell asleep until 07.45. So could have been worse!

DD's just had her first sling nap in ages - thankfully, as the snow is far too deep for the buggy. I'm pleased she can be flexible to some degree about her naps. Maybe my New Year Resolution will be to try her in the cot again.

I hope FC makes it through the snow (well, he's got Rudolph hasn't he?) to all your LOs tonight!!

HO HO HO!!

One of my best friends has texed me to say she is SW France and the bloody snow has followed her!! IC it is all her fault! :)

IC glad you made it!

dd1 is nearly exploding with excitement that the 'Christkind' is coming this afternoon! (Well, as soon as it gets dark, to accommodate dinner and bed time for dd2) DH has been surprisingly willing to go with German tradition of presents on Christmas Eve but I am keeping a few things behind so that dd1 gets an extra surprise tomorrow morning when she finds a stocking on her bed...

dd2 had an hilarious (to me) ten minutes at lunchtime trying to eat raisins with a spoon. Her concentration was incredibly and she was distracted enough for me to shovel her actual lunch into her mouth at the same time

Merry Christmas everyone

Happy Christmas everyone.

We had a lovely time in Norfolk with the in-laws. DS slept pretty well in his pram next to our bed. One night he decided to cry for an hour and a half .

Sleep at home has been pretty consistent - he goes to sleep fine and sleeps through but wakes up ridiculously early. It has been generally somewhere between 5 and 6. Today it was 4.30 but I managed to get him back to sleep from 6 until 7.15.

I left DS with DH and went up to London Bridge on the train to get a few bits from Borough Market today. Got stollen and mince pies and shrimp and crab pate.

Just watching "One born at Christmas" and it is making me cry in a good way. I remember watching One Born Every Minute when I was pregnant and in hospital after DS had arrived.

Glad that Abs got to be with DP and IC and family got to her mum's.

Lots of love to you all.

Merry Christmas all? am going to try and have a week without spending time on t'internet so i can concentrate on the DC's and DH? so i'll see you all next year!!

have a good week everyone - safe travelling, lots of sleep, etc etc

xx