Brooking no argument for babies who sleep, eat, smile and behave perfectly at all times. Yeah right!

[scarletfingernail]

New thread, here we go...

Hawthers don't beat yourself up. I'm very sure you're not rubbish at anything. I cant offer any words of wisdom as I've not been in your shoes but I hope things get better for you very quickly failing that get yourself on annual leave or signed off sick until after Christmas
Hopefully the boys should settle down once they get used to the new routine. It's bound to make work seem even worse if you know that they're missing you.

Biscuits there's a gorgeous rag doll from mamas and papas called Berry Rag Doll Soft Toy - Once Upon A Tme. Sorry still not figured out links on iPad but I'm sure you'll find it using that info. My DD LOVES hers.

Failing that there's a gift shop near me which sell gorgeous personalised gifts for babies. I'll PM you the name of it, it's just up the road from mine near the supermarket IYKWIM. They're pretty quick at getting them made up too.

Hello all! Have missed you all!

Italy was good, house good, amazing location right in the centre. Unfortunately heating wasn't working so we were all a bit brr, hopefully that will be sorted before we move! dd1 is going to the International School and it so isn't what I'd chose normally but it'll be fine for 18 months (right?!!). Nursery seems fine for A, happy with that.

Hawthers - Fingers crossed it starts to get better for you.

Wow Pomme that all sounds like it is moving so fast! Not to you probably but to me! Glad the house and nursery seem fine. What is it about the International School that you wouldn't normally choose? How old will DD1 be while she is there? As you say it is only 18 months. Will she be back to start school here at the 'normal' time? Is there anything you could do to counteract anything you don't like about the international school iyswim?

Sob sob, our first snow and DD is miles away in Reading with DH at his uncle's house. I'm so unbelievably gutted :(

Pomme Italy sounds amazing! I second all of Biscuits' queries about the International School though. Children are super resilient, even if you don't think the IS is optimal I'm sure DD1 will still find her place in the school and thrive.

Sending hugs to Hawthers it all sounds so stressful. I firmly believe that as a No Brooker you can handle anything life throws at you! I've heard from lots of people how hard it is going back to work, but in the end they've all found a way to make it work, and I'm sure you will too. The horrible stress of change will fade and soon it'll be perfectly normal again, for all of you! Until then, have lots of hugs from us!

p.s. It turns out that there isn't any snow at DH's uncle's house. Phew! So DD is missing out on the snow at home, but I'm kinda glad she isn't experiencing snow for the first time miles away from me

scream - we're about an hour south of reading and not even one flake. I'm annoyed - I want the excuse of a duvet/dvd day!

I think maybe I'm just comparing the IS to the school she has done a term of pre school at here (and hopefully where they'll both go when we're back). Its a small school, a house basically and some outbuildings, just up the road, great teachers and a real magical 'feel' to the place. The IS is MASSIVE, all sparkly new facilities with bells on (I'm not keen on schools like this, I think imagination and 'real' learning is better, I know that's odd!) and the teachers, whilst fine, did seem quite as good (obviously really hard to tell from 20 min meeting).

Hopefully all will be good. I still maintain IS will be better for her than an Italian pre school as all in Italian would really upset her I think.

Mini smegs is here??? Exciting! Good birth story? What happened to the birth stories in the end?

Is it work that's bothering you more hawthers or the boys missing you?

didN'T seem quite as good

Meant to say yesterday thanks cakes for confirming DS's rash isn't contagious. Ninja DS's Molluscum is trouble free for the most part, just a bit unsightly on his limbs. For some unknown reason though he's had a load of them become infected recently which has made it all rather unpleasant. The anti-biotics will clear up the infection but not the molluscum itself. He's had them about 18 months now and I'm really hoping this is the beginning of the end. A lot of people on threads about it here have said it tends to get really bad just before it clears up. How long has your DS had it?

No snow here either thankfully. I bloody hate the stuff.

scarlet he's probably had them about 18 months maybe a little longer and they go a bit red and inflamed/ scab over before they disappear. He was just told not to scratch/ pick them and they shouldn't scar. They've pretty much disappeared now thankfully. He used to call them his bobbles.
Mini smegs has arrived? Brill news. Hope they are all well. Will try to pop over to ante natal thread when I get a chance.
DD is still mega snotty and coughing all the time poor sausage but at least she is less grumpy. All our snow has now vanished but ds was chuffed to wake up to it today. I've been planning my Christmas dinner today and I think I've got it all sorted, there will be 7 of us including the kids, need to make a mega shopping list now so I don't forget anything. Lots of booze will be needed I think. What starters/ nibbles do you all do to stave off the hunger until the turkey is served?
Right bet get ready to walk up to school. DS went dressed as a 1960's style businessman today as they had to dress up as something that represented the country they came from. He looked spiffing. Must remember to get a pic later.

I highly recommend a puff pastry and pesto nibble thing. Just spread some pesto on ready rolled puff pastry then roll it up and chop the roll into slices. Lay the slices flat on a baking sheet and bake for 10 mins ish. Totally lush and dead easy.

Mmmmm hawthers that sounds yum! Great idea.

I wrote my christmas lunch menu thing at the weekend. We normally do soup as a starter, which is a bit much for my money because it fills me everyone up, especially ds1 as he loves soup and bread so then isn't at all bothered about loads of veggies for dinner. But it's always been soup for starter. My MIL always did soup (or does soup whenever we have dinner at theirs) so I might float the idea of doing something different / lighter. Maybe some things like that pesto thing to snack on. More like nibbles / appetisers sort of thing. What do you think?

I'll run it by my mum first as she is more likely not to mind (the soup is very much my mil).

We're doing christmas lunch for the 4 of us, both sets of parents and my BIL and SIL and their dd so 8 adults and 3 children.

We have never had a starter for christmas lunch, just the roast and then afters

Christmas lunch at our house this year for 7. Only 5 adults though so not too hard. I used to do a soup starter every year but then found I was chucking out piles of veg after dinner so haven't bothered for the last 2 years. I just have lots of snack/nibbles dotted around so no one's starving. We have a big roast of turkey and beef and then usually have pudding later on in the evening.

DS has just had the biggest tantrum he's ever had. Bizarre as he's not had one for months. Proper full on tears, screaming, shouting and throwing himself around. The works. All because I said I'd watched enough Justin Fletcher for one day and no he couldn't watch Justin's House again until tomorrow Roll on Monday...

The funniest thing though is that DD sat bouncing in her chair laughing her head off at him.

Hullo everyone. Think I belong here now . MiniSmegs is here, happy and gorgeous. We're off home in a couple of hours.

See you all soon, thanks for the cushions they're sorely needed!

Yay smegs welcome!

[sidles up to smegs attempting to discreetly sniff her beautiful dd's lovely newborn head]

Welcome lovely - well done again on your busy day yesterday!

So how long was it from abandoning the stew to lovely newborn snuggles?

Thanks Ninja and Biscuits. T'was 4 & 1/2 hours in total, start to finish! Feel very happy, long enough to not be emotionally traumatic, short enough to feel pretty lucky!

I wonder what our longest and shortest brooking labours have been?

Mine was 5 1/2 hours this time and i feel the same, such a different experience to the first one. Glad to hear it's all going well and getting home is always nice.

Mine was 4 hours from waters breaking and 50 mins of that was pushing!

And again totally different to ds1!

And nothing, nada, zip prior to waters breaking!

Congratulations Smeg

Does 21hrs34min labour fit, although that was from very start of cx to arrival of DD

So we're getting a range...

I seem to recall Scarlet had a long labour?

Mine was about 12hrs. It should have been nearer 8 but Iz got a bit stuck!

Is it a bit mad that I'm actually looking forward to potentially doing it again?!

I seem to have inhaled a ridiculous amount of chocolate today...

Hawthers, love your Christmassy nibble idea! May have to pinch it :-)

DS was back to back, 2.5 days ending in forceps delivery.

DD was induced, 40 hours from pessary insertion ending in EMCS

No more DC for me. The rational part of me knows that without the interventions it would have been very dangerous for both me and the DC, but the irrational side will always be disappointed I never had the birth I imagined. DS was whisked off for oxygen and DD was handed to DH as I was being put back together, so he held them both before I'd even seen them properly.