August 08 - We three kings of orient are, one in a taxi one in a car..

[steaknife]

...one on a scooter beeping his hooter, smoking a fat cigar

Apologies to the goodly and the good amongst us.

I am still sitting here waiting for DH to come home and take over so I can go shop. My angry meter is in the red because one shop closes early. He's also push buttons with me regarding that new car. I was all ready to call the dealer to discuss purchase options....then he said he was just window shopping. Boys and Girls OBVIOUSLY window shop differently.

No1 sounds like you had an awesome evening. Sorry M had a reaction but seems to have been mild.

Exhausted! Tomorrow DD1 has her biyearly dentist appointment at 11 and Reese has her 15 month check up (2 months late) at 3. MMR shot....I'm soooo not looking forward to tomorrow.

oh TS am sure tomorrow will go just fine

I've managed to wrap all of DD2's presents and the majority of DD1's - there are a couple more things coming in the post tomorrow but apart from D's thats the kids done. Just got Dh's and my dad's to do so will do them tomorrow night as I'm cream crackered - AND, more to the point, my very anal sellotape wrist dispensor has run out

managed to upload a panto video onto facebook, bless her!! its not the one I wanted to upload but now I can't find it - hope I haven't deleted it by mistake it had her big starring only line on it [meep]

DH on nights so I'm off to bed before taking over again in the morning - apologies again for poor chat and steaky twas nothing personal

I've shopped! Found another cool Santa item. THIS...a race track!!! For ages 3 to 7 but I played with the cars and they'll be fine for Reese. PLUS it's RIGHT UP DH's ALLY!! My girls actually have as many MatchBox cars as the typical boy. I grew up playing with them and have an uncle (who practically raised me) who is an avid collector so it's inevitable...not to mention DH loves race track sets. I call this one a WIN WIN & a total surprise.

I did run into a crowd at the drug store. My plan was to pop in there for chocolates and small bits and bobs for the stockings. Apparently I wasn't the only one with that idea. I found this totally cute musical Christmas card that I'm going to sign FROM SANTA. The girls will LOVE IT!!

As for that big Santa gift AKA THE RED KITCHEN...Sazzles ya'll will putting yours together 6 hours (or is it 5) before us ssoooooooo we were wondering if you'd be willing to clue us in to any problems?? Too bad ya'll don't have a web cam because the DHs could Skype during the process for added support and technical discussions. LOL! I totally make myself laugh.

Dizzy that's very sad about the missing video clip but the one you did post was great. My DD1 was glued to it. I pointed out your DD and she kept her eyes peeled for the duration. Really yours should have been in the lead as she clearly knew all the moves better than all the rest. LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing!!!!

Now I need to go DE-BAG and DISCUSS then hopefully some * * cause I totally need some DE-STRESSING.

Merry Merry Night Night

Morning...

totally rubbish at keeping up!!..

glad you managed to shop tes ..

well done on going out no1 brave girl ..

glad you are feeling more happy steaky..

well i have wrapped, endured two trips to sainsbury with the kids so i am hoping no more shopping!!!...

have organised a little party for the dds this afo with their closes friends.. am i mad to do this the day before xmas eve???

got dad coming tomorrow... at bil xmas day and feeding 12 people on boxing day!!!! i am officially the worst cook in the world so in a right old panic about it!!!

lwfm.. gorgeous baby girl well done you and you have a very handsome ds.. lucky lucky little family xxxx

Morning

I took myself off to bed early last night and DD was great and slept until 6.15. we snuggled until 7ish when she lost all patience and demanded 'out baggie' So we have been down feeding the bird and making muffins ofr breakfast.

I have to make 2 candles this morning as DH has only just told me we are seening a friend today and she is brining presents for everyone, which is something we have never done before, so a candle for her and onion marmelade and chilli sauce for him.

I can't believe everyone is so organised on the wrapping front - I haven't even started. Dsis's present arrived yesterday and they have sent the wrong thing so have to return it and will try and find a high street equivalent. Dh's present arrived too but he (without knowing what I bought) saw one in Currys yesterday and has researched and wants a different one - so he can unwrap it and return it to swap for the one he wanted.

No1 - well done on getting out last night. Hope you got a good night sleep from the tired ones.

Steaky - hope you are okay, it will be tough this year for you. [hugs]

TS - please slow down, your orgnising is making me feel very

Hi Dizzy and Sazz.

LWRH - DD never cried much at all, I think she was 3 weeks before we heard her cry.

DD speading french toast on eating breakfast on the carpet under the tree. Asking to open things.

morning all, still feel like I have the clangers in my head and my nose has started running now but maybe thats a good thing

all up and dressed with intention of being in Tesco by 8am however we're snowed in - poor DH had a really hard time getting back from nightshift and has said he doesn't want me going out with girls so I get to wait till he's up - I might just pop to the local shops and make do with what they've got!!

went to bed at 1am after wrapping and up just before 7am so a bit pooped - maybe not going out isn't such a bad thing!!

lucky I don't think thats a bad idea at all - my lot have cabin fever waiting for fri so maybe I should have had some of their wee friends over

TS that race track looks FAB! and thank you for lovely comments re DD1

morning all else

All my wrapping was done ages ago, but I only have about 10 people to buy for so it's not exactly a stress.

Dizzy - the ear thing is horrid, hope you ahve your drops and it gets better soon. but to your completed wrapping.

Cyteen poor Dylan only has about 4 things and thats only for show, don't want the other two to think Santa is a right stingy git - the problem is that she gets all the stuff handed down from the girls so isn't needing anything iyswim

oops its not done sweetie, I've still to do Dylans, dads and DH's - does that make you feel any better at all

M&S have also just sent a fecking email saying the stuff I ordered LAST week is now delayed and won't be here till at least the 30th - was only stocking fillers but still they'll just need to get by on a tangarine, some chocolate coins and a tube of sweeties because I'm not going out again !!

fat face sale is now online if anyone likes their stuff? nothing for the babies sizes as it only starts at kids sizes - maybe something for the mums though?!?

Dizzy - DD only has 3 presents from us for Christmas day I know there will be masses from others though. She also has a expensive PJs from White company for Christmas eve.

I have to wrap everyones presents from both DH and me. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to sneak my presents in for me to wrap too.

oops the jojo mama bebe sale has started - not sure if you're needing anything

my two have Hatley pjs from John Lewis for christmas Eve, they're going to love them as they're covered in horses

lol re your DH - sounds exactly like something MY dh would do too !

Am onto the Jojo sale NOW DD needs a new grobag andhectorneedssomethingtoo.

TKMaxx is always brilliant for grobags but probably not any cheaper than in the sales

bumpto3 has a winter sale on now too Oops

Dizzy - My DH would like a word outside please

before I step outside I could just mention to you that the cheapest/best place for grobags is amazon I would hate to think of Poppy or Hector being cold now!!

morning all, not caught up but.....
dizz, just remembered.. the thing that really helped my ears clear was inhaling menthol vapours. i bought a little pot of crystals from chemist and dropped a couple into boiling water. nb they're really potent so you really do only need a couple in a large bowl and yes, I did think a couple wouldn't be enough the first time and almost knocked myself out!

lol re dizz the shopping enabler

Speaking of cold, what are everyone's LOs wearing to sleep in this weather? DS is in a long-sleeved vest, sleepsuit and grobag every night but it gets so cold in his room that we've taken to leaving the heating on low until 2am, which is going to punish the bank balance a bit. When he was waking early/restless in the night last week I think the cold had a lot to do with it...it was really freezing in there whenever I went in

cyteen could you get him a fleecy sleepy suit to put on under his grow bag - primark do them for a couple of quid. We're leaving the heating on till we go to bed then making sure everyone is blanketed up - not that it works as none of mine could sleep in a straight line if their lives depended on it

Miamla - I prefer to think of myself as a shopping facilitator

cyteen DS's room is about 15/16 degrees (temperature thing on the baby monitor). it feels icy cold in there so he sleeps in short-sleeved vest (we haven't got long sleeved ones!), cotton pjyamas, fleece babygro/sleepsuit. and i put a thick blanket over the top of him. He generally squishes all the blanket up underneath him and cuddles it though!
Not sure if this is too much or too little but he's sleeping through (and has been for the last couple of weeks and really i hope i haven't just jinxed it all!). he still feels a bit chilly some mornings (back of neck test, hands always freezing) but he doesn't seem too bothered
hth

ps i've finally got round to making curtains for his room Will hopefully finish them today so really hoping that they will help warm his room up a bit. Before you send the curtain police round to me, he's had a sheet and fleece blanket gaffa tapped to his window for a while so they've offered privacy and a little insulation

argh, better go, he's hiding behind the curtain giggling so i suspect he's got something he's not meant to have!

x post
funnily enough the fleece babygro/sleepsuit is the very one that dizzy 'shopping enabler' cringles mentioned from primark! DS has it in a rather fetching pale pink and grey stripe! DP preferred it to the 'boy' coloured one!

oh and in case any of you were wondering DS had a knitting needle oops! He was using it as a drumstick! Would it make a difference on how bad this was if i told you it was a chunky 8mm one and not a thin pointy one? To be fair, very much like the size of his drumsticks!

right, i'm at the bottom of my hole and its too dark to see the keyboard now so i'm going to stop typing!