dec 2008- the one where they all turn 2...probably.

[VagolaJahooli]

Sorry bit boring I know but I didn't want to make any reference to spot as I don't want to jinx her and have her baby come early, then it would be my fault. Also didn't want the mad rush at the end of the thread. This way we've had plenty of time.

Oh nad ds's SS has arrived and is safely under the tree. Thanks!

Our SS also arrived safely, many thanks. Without giving any games away, I wonder if I have the same SS giver I had last year??? Haven't opened yet but the beautiful wrapping gave me a clue .

Lady am sorry to hear about your ma, that's no good and another thing for you to worry about. . Good luck Christmas shopping today, you might actually bag some bargains!

Am off to the swimming pool in a bit to try and get some baby turning action going on, then DP and I are going to have lunch in a pub while T is at nursery. I was soooo convinced the baby would be here by now (39 weeks today!!) that going off on our own like this feels like a real treat.

Rubes I am sorry to hear you are still poorly, that is a hell of a lingering cold (and not much of a promotion for the olive leaf extract) but glad DS is better. And thank you for the card!

T is also better, though has the consumptive cough as well. He's proving a little bugger challenging to put down in the evenings but he knows something's up and I think it's all a bit weird and scary. Plus he's moved into the toddler room at nursery and I think it's a harsher environment than the baby room and will take a bit of getting used to.

Anyhoo, will come back on here with any festive announcements (if he comes tomorrow do we have to call him Noel??) but otherwise MERRY CHRISTMAS you lovely people. .

Oh and Vag how was the solstice?

Spot: I wonder if there's something in the air? DS2 has been a nightmare the last few nights, screaming at bedtime, waking up screaming, screaming generally...

Well done on getting to 39 weeks :). Have a lovely lunch today.

Xmas names: Gabriel shurely? Or Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar (though they'd technically be names for an epiphany baby).

HappyChristmas Eve everybody!

I have wrapped all our pressies. Made a trifle. Braised some red cabbage and apple as Delia instructs. I've just got to finish the cranberry sauce and then I have fufilled MiL's list of tasks. Off to a Christingles service at 3.30pm then a friend is doing champagne and kids dinner at 5pm. Will scatter reindeer food on the walk home before trying to persuade the over excited ones to sleep. If I succeed I get to go to the pub with friends for an hour or two at 8pm. All sounds lovely but I'm exhausted already and I have a horrible feeling that a cold (hopefully not flu) virus is taking hold.

Anyway, I might not get on again today or tomorrow so I just wanted to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas.

And good luck turning young Gabriel, Spot. Do you want him to come now or would you prefer to go overdue to get Christmas done? Good luck either way.

I would SO love a baby Gabriel on the thread. Just saying...

Am impressed at trifle action Avo. I was thinking vaguely about making one but realised I would have to go shopping again. DH is at home making cassoulet and lemon tart - mmmmmm :).

I tried to post this from my phone but no joy. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of a Gabriel, but my favourite name (other than Matthew and Edward (which I wasn't allowed)) is Peter. Can't wait to hear your news, Spot.

Hope all are well. Am going to have a little rest then off to church.

Scatter reindeer food Avo? Righto, steady on, parent of the year.....!

Just spent the last 4 hours picking up a few last mminute things! Easily tolerable without the littles! Gosh kids teach you patients don't they. 2 years ago I'd have slashed my wrists in that Sainsbury's queue! Even managed an eyebrow threading, picked up some firewood and bought myself some earings in the madness! Result.

Lady I meant to say, so sorry to hear about your Mum. if she see's the doc and you have any unanswered questions feel free to text for dh's opinion. Hope she gets it sorted.

You're welcome Spot

I have a clue about my SS's origin too! (mainly the postmark!)

Right must go and get a little cheerful festiveness into me

Happy Christmas, Happy Christmas !
and safe travels to you all :)

Been sledging today, was fantastic, it brings out my inner child. I do miss my family at Xmas, (all my brothers and my Dad and sister are elsewhere) but really looking forward to it though.

Hope you all have a lovely day, good luck, Spot. Glad you managed to get out for supplies, Lady.

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY BEAUTIFUL DEC 08 LADIES!!!

lady Hope the shopping went okay! How is your mum's arm? I hope its not as serious as you thought that sounds so painful.

Just had a wonderful service at church for the kiddies. Now time to put out Santa's mince pies and Rudolph's carrots
. Then some Baileys and an early night otherwise Santa won't visit

Oh and spot I do like Gabriel...and Caspar!

Have a wonderful time everyone xx

hello
lady how is your mum? Hope her arm heals quickly. So glad you managed to get out of your snowzonehome. I keep feeling like I want to get out to escape the children for some fresh air, then after about 3 mihnutes I'm so freezing I want to go home again!
And for those with screamy, not settling to sleep babies toddlers, can I join the club? P is getting harder and harder to settle, 'demanding' stories and cuddles, so we're getting into a bit of a rituals that are taking longer and longer to get through, at the end of which she refuses to lie down in her cot and stands screaming "dadaddadada", so he goes in and she lies down and goes to sleep.
P's poorly at the moment too She's been coughing for weeks and been full of snot, but been fine in herself, so i've not had her checked out. This week she's been more out of sorts and yesterday and today her temp is 38, so now I'm wishing I'd taken her to the docs. Hopefully she'll pick up again - it's probably viral anyway.
L has been so emotional today - hyper excited then distraught and crying over the most minor thing. She got her PJs on at 5 as she was so excited about Santa coming! We've done the whole reindeer food on the lawn thing, carrot and milk for Rudolph (Hmm, another potential name for minispot?), cocoa (?!) and mince pie for Santa, and now she's in bed but complaining about every 14 seconds that she can't get to sleep!
ANyway I must go.
I'm away at in-laws tomorrow then my parents' on Boxing day, so won't be around for a few days.
Hope you all have a wonderful peaceful Christmas xxx

Just finished wrapping pressies, so time to say happy Christmas everyone and all your lovely children, and

[in a completely different voice]

Happy birthday to Eddie and Rosie have a fabby day you two

And Spot, looking forwards to your update... One of the ladies in my AN refresher course is now 8 days overdue, has a houseful of guests and plans for an HB as she was expecting to be early as with her first two. Yikes!

trace - that sounds very familiar, dd has taken to getting in her cot then a couple of minutes later crying for cuddles, and only lying down after another 5 mins of mummy/daddy time. But y'know, at least it's cuddles :) DD chose today to be her day without a nap [sigh] - we were at her Godfather's xmas party last night and she was up til 9.30, didn't wake this morning til 9 but as a result wasn't tired til about 4, and that would have been barmy so went through to an early bedtime and was v fragile. Hoping for a fairly early start tomorrow (I know, what am I saying?!) as we have to get out of the house by 8.15 to get a seat at the family Christmas mass...

big hugs to you all ladies, have fantastic Christmases one and all :)

Fabulous girls (and you are all every fabulous indeed, may I say)

A very merry Christmas to you all! Only just managed to sit down after a very hectic day so just a super quickie -

Oooh, LOVE Gabriel....Caspar is so good as well... Take care Spot!

Got all the Christmas shopping done. Phew. Took hours!

That is very kind of you about picking your DH's brain about Mum's arm, Rubes. (You got your eyebrows threaded? So organised. Next year I am doing that AND reindeer food Anyway, I never like to bother him but it would be good to have his thoughts. I will text at a more suitable hour. She couldn't see the doc today and saw a nurse practitioner. Not dissing her, my sister is one but she just said she thought it was something to do with the tendon and gave her a stack of Voltarol. The pills are good but the diagnosis is unacceptably vague and she is in so much pain.

Anyway...had the Baileys, the carols from Kings and now have chestnuts, champagne and Peep Show. The girls were in fairy outfits that I picked up in Sainsbos on a whim More tomorrow but in the meantime, wishing you all joy, peace and love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Happy birthday to Eddie and Rosie for tomorrow, and happy christmas to everyone.

Deids I hope your Nan is still fighting and getting stronger, she is an amazing lady

Jam I am so sad to hear your friends news, I can't even begin to imagine how heartbreaking it must be for her. Give her an extra hug from me when you see her

Sorry to not do more personals, I'm just brewing up a nice dose of flu, so I'm being brief today. DD has a lovely birthday on Wednesday, as did I, it was such a treat for us to spend the whole day playing with her new toys and not rushing off anywhere. Her godparents came over in the afternoon and we had fish and chips and cake for tea, bliss.

Oh, and many congratulations to pixsix, a great day for a birthday IMO

Have a lovely day tomorrow everyone xx

Happy Christmas everyone. Hope it is a good one for you all. Lots of love to all mums, dads, babies and siblings.

XXXX

Right so I think that's settled then, if everyone is in agreement, Spots next offspring will be names Gabriel.

Just a quickie as I don't want to be too unsocial to our friends.

Westfields was mental, I'm sure its a great shopping center but I really should have stuck with my original plan of going to CW. Got stuck in traffic coming down to a friends we were staying with for just one night and took 3 hours to get there.

The boys are good though, DS2 has a nasty cold and has not appreciated staying in.several different places the last week. Otherwise they have enjoyed seeing old friends and DS1 as always loves being back in London.

Solstice was great Spot, as well as the experience of touching and being amongst the stones, a snow ball fight broke out shortly after dawn and the Veggieboys all avid snow ball fighters got right into the thick of it. DS2 is a specialist at point blank range.

Well pressies are wrapped, baileys in the glass, watching the big boys play on the Wii. Merry Christmas all my lovely ladies

I win the prize for being up first! Happy Christmas everyone. Lots of love to you all XXX

Have now iced Christmas cake, done Tilly's hair and inspected Christmas trifle.

I am wondering if I should invoke Christmas day rules and have a sherry. I don't really fancy one, but it's Christmas day and normal drinking laws are suspended of course. I'll have more tea and then see how I feel.

Happy Christmas! Sys, can I play some serious one upmanship and say I've been up since two (as I have???). I think Mr Ear Infection may be playing another visit. let's all hit the sherry asap! After you m'dear...

Sadly Gabriel won't make the cut as it's the name of one of DP's ex girlfriends, so will have to gift that one to someone else!

Merry Christmas one and all! Oh no, Spot, I am crossing everything that T doesn't have another ear infection. Please no!

Trace, you are away now I know but hoping wee P is turning a corner, poor pet.

Sybs, you are a shining example. I mean with the organisation, not the sherry I am lying in bed with both girls sleeping soundly, and we normally open stockings in bed with a spot of something nice, and DP has chilled the Krug, but a surfeit of cheerfulness yesterday has slightly checked my desire

Apart from that though I have an enormous sense of peace and well being. I am worried about Mum's arm but at least she is off to my sis's today, who can have a look and also insist she doesn't lift a finger.

I am just enjoying the girls so much at the moment (still). And O is at the age to adore the little things of Christmas, like crackers and lights and the angel on the tree and pictures of Father Christmas.

ZJ, I hope you are feeling better. And I missed Eloise's birthday earlier in the week so a big hug to her. And kisses to Rosie and Eddie for today! And isn't it Bisou's Josh today too? I feel like I have missed lots of the birthdays - sorry!

Rubes, I saw some lovely chargers yesterday, in a very handsome purple. I might get some next year. Hope your day is a big success!

DB, how is your Nan, lovey? (Bet you've been up a while with your excited DD!)

Vag - are you still here 1 Jan? I am coming into London that weekend and free all day/night on Sat 1st. I know it's a funny day but anyone up for anything? Rubes? London ladies?

NJAN, sorry you aren't with your wider family but hope your boys bring you some well deserved cheer today.

Remember girls, everyone is near in thoughts at Christmas, even if they are physically far.

Right, last few mins of reading before DD1 wakes up...

Merry Christmas everyone!

Many thanks to my Secret Santa for the yummy chocs, I shall be tucking into those later.

Must go as we are supposed to be leaving for my sister in law's in half an hour and no one is dressed yet!

Huge thanks to my SS for the wonderful mirror. It adorns my new handbag perfectly and I love it.

I have a poorly boy with a temperature. Fell asleep opening presents. Now on my knee with Calpol and about to have a wee lie down.

Hope everyone is having fun.

A very merry Christmas to all - may you have a cosy snuggly day with your lovely children and not too many arguments over favourite toys .

Merry Christmas ladies, having a lovely one here, been for a walk to the park and popped into the pub for a pint on the way home. Now about to sit down to a lovely chrissie dinner with our lovely friends. All good though DS2 still a little poorly and wanting milk all the time.

Lady sorry about your mum but your morning sounded lovely.

Oh champs being popped gotta go.