April 2011 - Hello Grindstone. Nose here, reporting for duty.

[DairyBeetle]

Plumps comfy pillows, shakes warm fluffy blankets, passes them round, sleeps

Would like to join in with PJ day but shall need to put it on pause until tomorrow :)

Certainly does lead to more challengesILTMIMI I'm spending most of my time on "damage limitation" duty. I had to control my emotions with a steel girdle this morning to not surprise R and knock her over. She had let go of the side on the way to her brother and was just standing unsupported grinning. Heart in my mouth is an understatement. She (and her brother before her) are climber dare devils and I have no idea how I'm living without prozac ;)

I did the shopping last night once I had put the children to bed, husband was home and we had eaten. I got home after midnight with half my list not bought as I was walking about aimlessly with my eyes on stalks I have no idea how on earth I ever managed to go out of an evening and go to work the next day as in truth even the supermarket is beyond me these days.

Standing unsupported! Go R!

We are also on damage limitation here. So far this morning I have had to kiss better 3 bumps to the head caused by over eager climbing, retrieve an (empty) coffee cup that was being flung round, redecorate the lower reaches of the Christmas tree, barricade the tv and playstation away from prying eyes and fingers and replace a shelf of books that had been spread around the floor

I can't believe some of our babies are nine months! P is still seven months, so a way to go until she's one. I feel a bit sad today though- my little baby has definitely gone .

It's ridiculous, I know. She's still really little but I feel like she's growing up so fast now. It was so hard at first and I couldn't understand why people kept telling me to "make the most of it, they don't stay small for long" - it's so true though!

Maybe I could be persuaded to have another one after all

ILike - my day is remarkably similar to yours
Loads of laundry to do but both boys still in pjs - have only dressed DD as she needed a change of dribbled-on pjs.

DS1 is old enough now (5.5) to appreciate the luxury of pjs+tv

P's secret Santa package has just been collected from the sorting office. It's a whole stocking full of goodies! I must admit that I've had a little peek and spied a mini bottle of Baileys in there - that will be consumed tonight I think! Thank you Santa!

Christmas help needed here please

I can't open the link from my phone. What is it?

I can't either, didn't know that, help for MIL present as dh is useless but think I have it sorted-ish now, printed out a photo collage thing, not great quality but ok.

Hit the wall at 5am, cried when I couldn't sleep because DP was snoring after an H wakeup. Am just soooo tired.

But yay for nearly Christmas...

Glad you sorted now JKS

Cycle is your lovely DH feeling generous do you think he would give you a wee nap this afternoon sometime?

I'm thinking that I ought to go to the Christmas and Farmers' markets in Edinburgh tomorrow and will only take cash

*you're not you

tsk

Today I will be popping on and off thread to check for any exciting updates whilst attempting to make a Christmas cake with no hands free from short stuffs.

Arch - Indulge me what happened on "that" thread? It went poof then all the threads about it went poof before I could read them!

Exciting update here! B pulled the tree down on him. How I have no idea as it is on a table. The tree then knocked my coke over all the presents. Had to rewrap a couple and B is now rolling about playing with the paper! Bodes well for Sunday!

Oh and we haven't started to build the trike yet. I feel matrimonial disharmony coming on!!

Merry-nearly-Christmas everyone!

I am packing to go to my parents for christmas, T is fast asleep having also done a 11.30-7am sleep last night! Carols on the radio. Lovely

Which thread? (I do a LOT of lurking!)

The aftershave thread

Oooh Fizz it turns out that a certain online aftershave emporium is in fact bank rolled by the Illuminati with the sole purpose of taking over the world with bemusing lesser bottled aftershave and confusing inappropriate offers. They were halted in their tracks mind via the paradox absorbers that thank God are MNHQ ;)

I recon a few hours of sleep sobered him up and he the daft chap begged them to pull the sorry mess

I missed the dying moments of the star as I was attempting to make pastry for mince pies.

Whoot for B being adventure baby!!!!

We are the same here ref trike/bike. DH at work until 9pm tonight. I've got F a megacool tiger balance bike with an amazon voucher. It's not put together yet as I keep falling asleep after tea.

This afternoon I really ought to get the mince pies and cake done.

Tonight I must try to stay awake so i can get the decorations up and everything wrapped.

Frakk has gone AWOL. Hope she is ok and not in a police cell somewhere in the South for crimes against helpful Grannies.

I have a vital health statement to make:

Brandy butter is a new food group oh yes it's VERY nutritious

Ali If you're not going to be about. Have a very Merry Christmas from the Architien household (myself especially!)

Yes Ali have a good Christmas

I readsome of the aftershave thread not surprised he got it pulled, wonder if he'll do the same for his twitter & fb though?

Printed out a fresh collage for mIL with a Christmas theme dh likes it

I do a LOT of (too much) lurking too. Was the aftershave thread the one about 'real men smell good' sending the wrong aftershave? I read some of it yesterday if so and it was already going a bit bonkers then.

Mind you, this place seems to have been a bit mad for a few days now. I reckon some
posters have already been on the egg nog!

Talking of booze, this time last year we were banned from the stuff. I'm planning on gorging myself on fizz, pate, stinky blue cheese and parma ham this year in order to make up for it!

Merry Christmas Aprilites!!

Merry Christmas Ali, have a safe trip.

star I have been eating vast quantities of blue cheese making up for last year. Might make myself sick of it by the end of the holidays.

That bike looks very cool arch.

Fizz bet B was very pleased with himself for getting the tree down!

I was taking a pic of S sitting under the tree yesterday, as you do, and even though she's been sitting fairly well for awhile, she chose that moment to fall straight back and donk her head on the wooden floors. Bad mummy.

I'm off to do the Xmas food shopping tonight when DH gets home and I think if I should come across a (reduced) ridiculous Xmas outfit for S I might have to get her one. I fancy dressing her up as an elf or a Christmas pudding.

Happy Christmas everyone

I think we're ready - presents wrapped, going to PIL then my parents so food sorted. Cheese bought for gorging on between Christmas and new year, thoguh not much blue as I'm not keen, it wasn't a pregnancy hardship for me. Still got mince pies to continue to make tonight and might get round to making stollen dough in the breadmaker tomorrow but sorted enough.

Unfortunately M hasn't been well today. Woke at 2am for a feed (not unusual) but she felt hot. Took temperature to confirm this then she slept in 45 minute stretches til 5 wanting feeding each time :( she's been a bit sick a couple of times today and generally wingey so it's early bath in the hope that she'll sleep well and fee better tomorrow. Early night for DH and I too to catch up with some sleep!

This is do long I had to write in notes and switch.

Short version.

We are here. M is christened. SS is here. M can sign milk. We are already exhausted.

Longer version

Left Friday - business class heaven sent, M very well behaved with only 5 mins screaming when he wanted to sleep and there was too much light and noise- to arrive in Paris on Saturday, went to the hotel, went to PILs, then DH had M while I went out for daddy's birthday only to come back to a locked hotel door and them both sleeping on the other side of it. So I had to get the master key....

Beautiful christening despite MILs interference.

Monday we went to DH's grandmother's. It was our anniversary so I arranged a babysitter (no mean feat from 10000km distance) only to be ill. Literally as she arrived I was feeding M to sleep, felt a sudden urge to throw up, called DH, thrust M at him and went to worship the porcelain god. I have no idea what the poor girl thought. So I spent Tuesday, which was mini Christmas, feeling terrible. Yay.

Sufficiently recovered Wednesday for the flight to the UK. Thankfully we had an empty seat beside us or it could have been very cramped on the tiny channel hop plane. Got to my parents around 8.45 and M behaved perfectly for dinner thereby charming my mother out of her no babies rule and slept pretty well to boot!

Yesterday I was at the dentist having a filling replaced. Anyone know if it's normal to be sensitive more than 24 hours after? Also one of my best friends popped over at 9.45 (driving back, saw parents unloading the Waitrose shop) and wanted to see M. Clearly childfree...

She came back today for the open house my parents did. M coped admirably, DH less so. Now most presents wrapped, peace restored and I'm really excited!

I am sorry if my SS is late. I am not so secret as the postmark will give it away! I blame the international pat system.

Boo hiss on the house Jo :( fingers crossed you find somewhere even lovelier

Ali that's shit timing. Shit news bit shittier timing. Glad DH is being philosophical and proactive though. Get well soon!

Buck hope F hasn't developed the pox but yay for rolling.

And yay for cruising and standing unsupported too!

Chilli hope M feels better soon

So sorry to anyone I missed but Very Merry Christmas April ladies and babies!!!!

Sorry to post and run but just wanted to let you all know that MrsWajs is an auntie BabyD (as she is known at present) was born at 14.55 this afternoon and weighed 6lbs12ozs. Unfortunately she isn't regulating her body temp very well and has a rash so is having to be transferred to the bigger hospital near us but hoping it's just precautionary and that they should both be home for Christmas Day!! I'm so chuffin excited!!! Probably even more than I was having my own bloody baby - maybe because I'm not a knackered hormonal mess now!!

If I don't manage to get back on for a proper post tomorrow then I hope you all have a very merry christmas!!