Start your runners (talk) and your new jars of Jam, 'tis the season-almost.

[Vagolajahooli]

Here we are ladies, time for all that talk of christmas table runners and chrissie deccy colour combos. And will we be getting some new Jam in this thread! Maybe not quite.

Sorry, Arti, reading back that sounds flippant about other birthdays. Not intended. Hugs to you all.

No worries Subs, I know what you mean! I suggested DH go alone but we have invited all other couples (our local parent friends) so he isn't sure about going alone. He is also pretty worried about DS. The hospital said his lungs are hyper reactive and there was lots of talk of asthma etc which shocked us both as its not something we have in either family.

Oh sorry arti. Hope ds has a rapid recovery and asthma isn't a factor poor little thing has copped it

Jam hope the feeding and nips improve.

Oh arti what a worry. Fingers crossed for a quick recovery.

Oh Arti poor DS . He's had a rough time of it. I'm sure DH will understand, children have such impeccable timing when it comes to illnesses. Really hoping for a speedy recovery.

Kayz how is DD doing now?

Jam, no suggestions re the nips. But I always found the first week excruciating.

My daughter is mental. Currently going through a phase of struggling to get to sleep. She goes to bed fine then comes downstairs an hour or so later still wide awake and buzzing with ideas and thoughts. I've just packed her back off to bed after a cuddle during which she told me her eyes went like cuboids because she had so many ideas in her head, she demonstrated how she would draw a sphere in the air with circles getting smaller and smaller and how if she drew countries on it it would look like the Earth which then progressed to the Earth being round and whether or not you could fall off it and how if the Earth is round why is our house not curved? So we had to talk about scale and how things don't look round because the Earth is so big.

Hope ds is a bit better now Arti? And the Party? (That rhymes)

Starting to get all that stuff in depth as well here Indith. I get so out of my depth trying to explain things he queries, and answer his questions that I often think I'm probably telling it wrong so get him to confirm with his father. Today he asked me if "Daddy knows everything" when he asked me how the radar works at the airport then later I thought he was hiding in the corner cupboard the other day then at closer inspection he was opening and closing it slowly and looking from the inside how the hinged worked! He is definitely his fathers son.

I had to drive near Heathrow today to collect something from an office near work, and had both kids. We were right over the flight path and ds was ecstatic when several planes at 3 second intervals were so close! Forget Disneyland, I'm taking him to my Staff Car park for a few hours instead!

I managed to drag my food belly baby to the gym today for the first time since reaching my new calorie consumption PB over Christmas - not pretty, but I felt better after. DH back from his 60 hour stint. He is working again. And I am doing budget spreadsheets. Such fun.

*hinge

thank God for Smart phones. It's only going to get worse. I shall be googling what I don't know in a couple of years. He'll think Mummy knows more stuff than daddy

It is crazy. ds1 was never like this, he was always more of a quiet observer. dd started this morning with a discussion about God. She spent Christmas quizzing all the relatives about getting married, how they know they won't want to get unmarried etc. She goes for the deep and meaningful discussions mostly rather than the how stuff works. easier to fudge I guess but sometimes I wish I could get a definite answer from Google!

Yes it's a shame google can't answer everything!

So delighted about the safe arrival of your lovely boy, Jam. He looks gorgeous. Hope the feeding probs settle for you. Sounds like you have smashing advice on here.

Well, I've been avoiding posting because I didn't want to bring everyone down. Also I couldn't really bear to. Sadly, FIL died on Sat. Not the leukemia. There was a massive house fire at his home (they think faulty gas fire caused it), the house was basically destroyed and he couldn't be saved. We are obviously devastated and still in shock. Have no idea if he even had house insurance. There's just us, his elderly sister in London and two (estranged) grandchildren in Scotland. I don't know what we'll do without him, we spoke most days and I saw him practically every week. It is all just horrendous. I don't know what else to say but I don't want to break the thread with this, so don't feel you can't post about normal things (I want normal things to read!) But please, don' let anything go unsaid or anyone go unhugged. Especially the oldies in your life. I hope next year is wonderful for all of you. XXXX.

Oh Lady I am so so sorry. Huge huge hugs.

Deids, DD is fine now thanks. Just got a normal cough.

Oh my word, Lady, how absolutely dreadful for you all. What a terrible shock. I am so very sorry. There are no words. Thinking of you all and sending love and prayers your way. So sorry.

Oh Lady so so sad for you. What a tragic loss to you. Sending you much love. xxxx

Really sorry again Lady glad you managed to post. Southern Ladies we really need to plan a cheery adult beverage. Thinking of you & fam Lady.

Oh Lady I'm so sorry, much love to you x

Oh lady that's awful. Thinking of you all x

Oh Lady, I'm so sorry. Love to you all xx

So very sorry, Lady .

Oh Lady, that is unbearably awful, just awful. Huge hugs to you and your DP who I know you said loved him dearly.

That was me by the way. Name change fail. I'm incapable of doing anything right due to 6th night of DS' brochiolitis, third return to hospital and a still v poorly baby.

I hope you are ok LadyT.

lady, so very very sorry. That is awful.

I hope 2014 brings better things for all.

Just popping at a service station to give big veggie hugs to mr & mrs Lady. That is just aweful. Don't know how to comprehend how you must feel. Sad that he has gone but even more devastated by the way he went. No one should endure such an end. Big love to you Lady.

Jam not much time to post. But you could consider nipple shields with a teat. A friend used them for inverted nips and is still feeding with them.

Arti what's going on? Why the back and forth? Is he any better now?