Dec 08 Ladies - We're fat, we're thin, we're nearly 3 years in!!

[DeidreBarlow]

Sorry for the shocking title - couldn't think of anything else and our babies little people will be 3 in the next few months!

Oh Deids darling, so sorry. Lots and lots of hugs for you, of course you'll be crying for her. I hope DS can bring some happiness for you even if it's bittersweet. Will light a candle for her at church today.

Oh no so sorry Deids first chance to log on in a few days, and haven't read back but will be back later today when I get time for a longer one, but am thinking of you Deids xxxxxx

I'm really sorry Deids. Lots of love to you and your family xxx

Oh Deids - I'm so so sorry. You poor poor lamb. Of course you're crying. I am too. I'm thinking of you so much. Give your little Bear the biggest cuddle you can. Am sending my own hugs at you.

Big big love.
xxxxxxxxx

So sorry Deids, much love to you and your family xx

Oh Dieds I am so so sorry. Thinking of you xxx

Oh Deids, that is so sad, and she is far away. Thinking of you and your family. How are the LOs, are you going to tell them today or wait until after Hs birthday?
Will the consulate help with supporting your mum & translation.

On another subject DS2 is obsessed with Spinosauruses, when he and DS1 play dinosaurs he is a Spinosaurus.

JB those boosterpacs are amazing, thanks a million for telling me. Have bought one each for the boys from amazon. I'm being cheeky & giving them to them as a Sintaklaas present, its on the 5th December so the day before we leave. I just hope they arrive in time.

Still sick with this lurgy ick.

Beans how are you this morning?

Trace that is exciting about the 2nd viewing.

Deids again thinking of you, all my love sweet lady. Your nan enjoyed a life with a loving family. She was very lucky.

So so sorry DB. But like I said yesterday - if you can think that she's safe now, it can help. Thinking of you and your family.

Oh and just wanted to say to ZJ - bummer about the SPD. Hoping for a mild case only for you.

deids I'm so sorry to hear about your nan. She is now pain free and with your grandad. Praying for you and your family xxx

Hello everyone,

I do hope this doesn't seem disrespectful to discuss this today, but if we are going to do a secret santa this year we do need to get a move on.

I hope no one minds but I have taken the bull by the horns and have set up an email address:

jinglebells d e c [email protected] (without spaces of course!)

Can everyone who is interested email me asap. Max £10 to spend. Is that right?
Shall we give a deadline of one week or so? I'll then get DH to draw names from hats. Don't forget to include on your email your name (real and MN!), full postal address and whether you want something for you or your DC(s).

Hope all that is ok .

Deids so sorry to hear about your Nan.

LadyT will be thinking about you tomorrow. I'm sure your dad will have the lovely send off he deserves.

Beans awful for you and your family.

trace fingers crossed for your uncle.

Not much good news around at the moment eh? Except for the lovely littlies being lovely and little of course. Massive birthday smackers to BigBoyBarlow and BigLittleLady.

Sorry to all I've missed - and hello!

Dieds so sorry for you and your family.

LadyT - will think of you tomorrow. I hope it will be a fitting celebration of him.

Beans - love and strength for you too.

Trace - hope things improving for your uncle

Will catch up properly over the weekend. Not been too cheery a november here either. Went to the funeral of a family friend last week; DH's parents not in great form either, so much family crisis. Yes, lets wipe Nov 2011 off the slate!

LadyT thinking of you today. I hope it goes as well as it can do. Happy Birthday to O. Xxxx

Thinking if you today ladyt.

Thank you so much for all your support and kind words, you ladies are a wonderful bunch. Truly. Nan's funeral & cremation is later today in Lanzarote. They will bring her ashes home and we are having a Memorial service/wake next weekend.

So sorry to hear about your nan, DB.

LadyT - thinking of you today.

Lady - thinking of you today. Hope it goes ok and isn't too distressing for you and your family and that your sister doesn't get under your skin.

And DB - the Memorial sounds like a lovely idea. Will be a great way to celebrate her life.

I've just been to see a friend's 4 day old baby and he was gorgeous. A real little cutie with a big dimple in his chin. My friend is so proud of his new little boy and his wife, it nearly brought tears to my eyes! Very very sweet indeed. And wow, he's little. One forgets!

Thinking of you today Lady.

Love and strength to you and your family today Lady. xx

Lady, my thoughts with you all today, and you also Deids. Crikey, rubbish month all right. Roll on Dec.

Didn't get a chance to come back earlier. Knee high in unpacking / baby proofing - (nightmare here with DD) and waiting on dog proofing the garden - back later I hope.

LadyT I hope today has been everything your lovely Dad deserved, just like everyone else, you have been in my thoughts

The memorial for your Nan sounds a lovely tribute Deids. Has your uncle joined your Mum and Auntie? So is that all your Nan's children there for her cremation, as she joins your Grandad?

Love to everyone having a tough time this November x

Just a quickie. Would you believe I am on a train hurtling into London for the annual cricket dinner. It might sound weird but I am glad of the distraction. Today was very fitting, everything was just right I think. But I just had to pretend it wasn't him in the coffin as that was hard. I feel like I should have offered my stepmother more support than I did, somehow, but I know there aren't any words of comfort for her, really. My beloved nephews (aged 19 and 15) were there, which was lovely. My sister did annoy me a bit but actually she did me a massive favour in a way. My stepmother is a former midwife (never had kids of her own) and was chatting to my sister (when we were in the limo following the hearse!) about the stuff in the news about sections on demand. My sister started being all sniffy about it and moaning about electives and I was so irritated it helped me hold it together about Dad. My sister is a good person in so many ways but in other ways she really makes me roll my eyes.

Anyway, genuinely, I know it's a cliche but I do feel that Dad is at peace now, I have such a strong sense of that. I hope you can feel that about your Nan, DB. Love to you.

Sorry for the dearth of personals, folks.

Dear L, well done for getting through the day. Must have been vefy hard for you. I am glad you feel your dear dad is at peace. Hope your cricket dinner gives you a boost. Happy birthday to O. Lots of love.

Dear Deidre, huge love to you at the moment. I am so sorry to hear about your nan dying but am glad she is now with your granddad. I am thinking of you and lovely H, as well as the rest of your family, and sendning huge amounts of positive thoughts, prayers and love.

November has been a tough one for the Dec ladies. Hope Dec is better for us all. Big love to everyone and proper catch up very soon. XXXX

Hey Lady, glad you have a distraction enjoy your night, and I'm glad your sister was of some use. It's funny you should mention that news story, as I've been huffing a bit about that issue and the other that has been reported on the homebirth issue. Bloody hell, do the media seriously take us for idiots. The way they report it , every women will be having a CS & homebirths are the work of the devil. In actual fact the real story is that, women who actually want a CS will be supported in their decision (ie listened to) rather than treated like a pariar like Rubes was, and also offered counselling if necessary. Their cases will be properly examined and their reasons properly considered, rather than just brushed off. The likelihood of elective CS' increasing is very low in fact I think as women will hopefully be given more information about birth in general & support, that CS esp, EMCS may even go down. And the only thing I can garner from the homebirth study was that the likelihood of an adverse outcome for the baby born to first pregnancy mums in either hospital or home is very low in the UK, in both cases under 1%, and the adverse outcomes included meconium aspiration & limb injury, not just the nasties like brain injury & stillbirth. So on the whole maternity care in the UK is improving, Hooray! Soooo what do the media do with this information, use it to scare the living crap out of every first time preggo! Crikey Moses!

Right I've had my rant.

Hooroo Sybs!