November 2012 - Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, your ornaments are history.

[StuntNun]

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/1917769-November-2012-The-last-few-first-birthdays-then-were-on-to-Christmas

Happy birthday isles M have a lovely day.

flouncy I think a lot of us have had that fleeting thought at times of despair, don't beat yourself up about it. Big hugs xxx

pidji wow that sounds great, fingers well and truly crossed for your dp!

Happy Birthday M!

Aww my MN SS gift arrived today

Helloooo...I'm finally connected. That wasn't too bad, only 10 days without Internet. It was good though. I read 3 books, I unpacked and I went to sleep early. I will def cut down on the Internet.

Move went ok but I hate unpacking. My bedroom is a mess, I have no bed or wardrobe so need to sleep on sofa. Going to ikea with a van on Friday.

I will try to catch up, might take me a couple of days.

Hi lily glad the move went well!

You know those days where everything that can go wrong does go wrong, and then some, you're stressed, have PMT and your baby cries as if the world is ending every time you move so much as a foot away from them?

Yeah, I need a cuddle

Hello lily! Do u get to decorate ur new flat?

Penny getting things out in the open wont help in this family. They will pretend like they didn't hear. Just bitch behind my back. At least I know what I said n stand by it.

Xmas dinner. Yikes. I'm keeping it super simple. Loads of veg. Aunt Bessie's roast tats and Yorkshire puds. Pre made stuffing and pigs in blankets. Pre prepared turkey (the no bones one. Not sure what its called) and small pre cook ham from tesco. Done. Lol. Just a big Sunday lunch. Anything else that's easy I've missed I can add?

We are used to cooking meals for lots of ppl so it's not so daunting. I'm sure if I was doing more fancy stuff I'd find it harder.

We had wake ups every 2hours last night not good.

Didnt realise app was that bad. I use it mainly. Going have to switch to mobile site b

flouncy I have said that many times (does that make me a terrible person?) I love him so much but god it can be hard when you have no sleep. Please don't beat yourself up over it. I think it is normal to get to the point of despair occasionally! hugs

No, I didn't decorate. Need to paint the kitchen, hallway, sitting room and bathroom, the rest I managed to do before we moved in. I need furnitures first. I left most at the other flat which is now rented out. O's room is ready, just need to put up pictures and wall stickers. And the kitchen is ready, I have a huge kitchen. But nothing else. I have new washing machine, fridge and dishwasher and they are all awesome. I love them, I spent too much money though.

Xmas dinner. My mum cooks it. We will spend the day at theirs. I probably make some salads and take it with me.

Hugs chasing. Only a couple of hours till bedtime. optimistic

Court case is on Thursday, I'm dreading it. But it's got to be done. And I passed my assignment, feel guilty as I really didn't put too much in it and many failed even though they studied for weeks.

Oh, and I loved the degree talk. I have a degree of economics but never worked in finance. I'm doing an open degree now with open uni, only have two subjects left. One will be children's literature but not sure about the other one. I did child development before, now doing childhood studies. I want to keep up the children theme and potentially change my degree to early years but because of the fees I might not be able to.

((Chasing)) yes I'm feeding like that ATM. Just managed to have breakfast. A is sat in car seat. Finally not crying.
Going out with sis on Sunday really hoping it cheers me up cos this constant state of tears is annoying me. You know when someone is annoying you and you just think get a grip. That's how I feel towards myself.

Lily that is decorating to me. Lol. Choosing new furniture, putting up pics. Love it.

Ps love LOVE LOVE the bedroom isle! I want a wigwam for H bedroom now. But there is No space, even if we took out the draws.

But I can say dream about it. When we move out. The boys can have a room each. And H room will be in the bigger one, so that's where the wigwam and play area will be.

Crying A. Bbl

(((((Hugs))))))) to all those who need them.

for the islester

I will do my brisket in a casserole dish with some onions and some rosemary and a bit of stock for about 5 hours on gas 3. I m toying with doing it the evening before then shreading it for a reheat on the day. Then all I have to think about is the turkey.

I have prepped my carrots and got the blanched and in the freezer, I intend doing that with some sprouts and cabbage as well so I can just pull them out.

I am currently experimenting with redoing my roast pots. I have parboiled, coated in flour, basted and open froze them. Plow they are in a bag and I will see how they turn out on Sunday. I have predone them before but I forgot how I did it.

This way I can concentrate on my trifle, yum, and just juggling pans around. No thinking required.

Successful shopping trip. Have come back with a cardy, a scarf and a dress for me. No spending now till my birthday I think. Nice brunch. Then I managed to get my final bits for the girls. Pretty much all done except the SILs. I think one wants a hair dryer

One year I did cauliflower cheese too and it was delicious. What do you think? I can get this done in advance too.

Christmas shopping for the girls complete. Now need to think of the in laws and various members of my own family. And DH. I have a 60€ voucher given to DH by his company for the girls but since I have bought them everything already I am going to use it on me something else.

I'm going to buy a French Christmas magazine and get ideas from that for the meal. British ones always use different ingredients and cuts of meat. Am thinking something along the lines of coq au vin for Xmas Eve night, beef wellington on Christmas day, and lots of salads. I would like to do boar slow cooked in red wine but a) with the coq au vin would be overkill and b) not sure I'll be able to get the right cut of boar. It's the hunting season so it must be available but not sure where.

I will also do eggs a la meurette over the long weekend. DH will be off from Tuesday afternoon to the following Sunday and for us Christmas is all about the food and wine so I want to plan food for the whole time, leftovers for lunchtime and something nice for the evenings. If it was just us we would spend the whole time indoors eating, drinking and cooking, but the girls will need fresh air. Hope it doesn't rain all bloody winter like last year. And i hope bronchitis/ bronchiolitis and pneumonia stay the fuck out of my house this year.

A la meurette? Ugh. I think it is en meurette.

Right. So now my gp thinks I'm a crazy mum. Nothing wrong with A. Babies cry and want cuddles all the time.
Never knew that before.

Nursery have just told me that LO is the only one in her group not to have had bronchiolitis or bronchitis in ghe last month. An optimist would say she's escaped it, but I am assuming it's on its way

Right, fellow circlers, do we know when the Christmas Radio Times is released?

Oh I've just checked - it's Sat 7th for London and the South and Weds 11th for the rest of us

of all the circling joy to be had

I had been wondering myself. chasing

Drool at wild boar pr

Drooling too at thought of boar so need to phone round the butchers and see what they can do and cost it.

Oh fucking hell .

I was sat on the sofa, minding my own business christmas shopping when I suddenly felt a cold draft on my legs. I look up, to see the patio door wide open, and the dog running in and out frantically. I can't see O.

Yes, O is outside, just made it to the grass dog shit area as I reach him.

Got him back in, cleaned the mud off him, and he just grins. Grins and grins and grins with squeals of delight at his escape artist abilities.

I have no idea how the door became open - DP swears it was locked. It can't have been locked? He also said O can't open it. Well, it was either him, or the dog.

I know who my money is on. Fucking hell.

I had a heart attack. We live on a main road too.

I'm going to be grey before he's 3, aren't I?

det yes is the only answer!

pr you may find the girls have built up super dooper immunity

I wish. LO has been coughing for a couple of days during naps but still seems well in herself. There is such thing as mild no treatment or oxygen needed bronchiolitis so maybe we'll get lucky. The nursery nurse said that none of the cases had been too serious but there had been one or two short hospitalisations. I'm putting the humidifier on in her room (did so already last night), saline spraying her and fingers crossed.