We are the festive receptionists' mothers - we bring shepherds, aliens and travelling cribs to a nativity play near you

[mistletoemulledwinemoodlum]

This is our new festive thread ladies.

Lovely to hear about all these nativity plays. There's something special about the first one.

Can I ask a question. Do all of your dcs write their letters pretty MASSIVE? I'm pleased ds is more interested in writing now compared to before half term even but we're talking maybe 5 words on a page of A4. Don't want to dampen his enthusiasm but wondered if they all do this?!

No sign of him calming down and being less t&e yet and dh refuses to believe it's caused by tiredness .

grammerpolice - massive, back to front, sideways, not anywhere near on the line....all over the place!

I'm just pleased he's doing it at all as he hadn't put pen to paper before September.

First book came home this weekend! He read it very well, I was most impressed. Most of this is down to granny, who is an ex primary teacher and has been teaching him to read without him noticing.

I'm looking forward to next week. I have broken up, boys haven't. On Monday, I will have 2 and a half hours, at home, to myself - for the first time in nearly five years.

What shall I do? Will probably end up lesson planning!

Golgi I remember us talking about their reluctance to write in Aug/ September at the start of this thread - it is incredible the change in enthusiasm.

And yep we get the sideways thing too but I'm so glad he's writing too that I'm not going to say anything apart from tons of praise!

He actually wrote lots today (entirely by choice) including lots of putting his name in xmas cards, writing a birthday card for someone and he also wrote a little (ok very little and I had to help a bit) story 'book'.

I nearly died of shock re the latter as it was his idea to write a book.

Still grumpy here so unless he has a big lie-in tomorrow we're in for another horrid week of tiredness. Sigh.

Mine wrote Christmas cards today too - I was not expecting him to remain interested but he wrote his name in all of them.

Then put lots of kisses in the ones that were to the girls.

Yep, big letters here too. Sometimes. And sometimes (in the same word) they will be teeny tiny. And sometimes back to front. And she doesn't seem to realise that if she doesn't put them all in order on the page, it will be hard to make sense of it later.... but I love her enthusiasm.

I left her on her own to put dd2 to bed, and when I came down she had written a story and illustrated it! I was a bit choked actually, I thought it was so sweet. And really proud of her, which is a very nice sensation when I feel I've been spending so much time being uncomfortable with the fact that she won't join in with other children, can't do physical stuff properly etc etc.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/844243-Diary-of-an-egg-donor?msgid=17838418

Oh.My.God.

Congratulations! You obviously have excellent eggs.

OMG TREE OMG

Well done those little tree range eggs. How do you feel about it?

this is too big to think about really - well done for all your hard work xxx

Oh that is such lovely news, tree. Well done well done. I'm so glad to hear that all your efforts have had such a wonderful result. What an amazing Christmas present for them!

Thank you. Very much.

I feel about it. I swoop from sitting with my mouth open to jiggling about with excitement!
I feel like I won the lottery. Or they did. Or someone did anyway
I feel all good. Nothing worrying, nothing uncomfortable. I just feel so happy and excited for them.

Last week of school. Oh how good that sounds. Had tears before bed, tears in bed [in sleep], so am guessing tears in morning too.
They are going to see santa tomorrow, but that brought tears as dd wants me to go too.

What do you do? Nightmare. Have been looking up anxiety disorders in children and scaring the bejaysus out of myself.

Tree- posted on the other thread but it's just amazing what you've done.

My DD hates seeing Santa - I wonder if he'll show up at the class party.
All go this week then- so much to remember: money for show, change of clothes for party, food for party, pressies for teacher, TAs, cards, ....I'll stop there before I just copy out my list of things to remember each morning for school.
Cor she's ready for a holiday now - came out of the school disco in tears - just tired.

Tree, wow, that is amazing, you should feel !

No tears as yet here, but just sadness and general grim determination not to have to go to school. But happy day, today is his last day of term, thank GOD. Still got dd's school run to do, so I'm not out of the woods yet, but at least I only have one morning battle.

There are so many parents in ds' class who have had tears this week, I think it is just too overwhelming for them, and they are so tired, so I wouldn't worry, one and all.

Poor ds though has a shock coming after Christmas - he has a squint (which you can only see when he's doing something close) which is going to be difficult to resolve. In order to make sure they have made the right diagnosis, he's got to have atropin drops morning and night inbetween Christmas and New Year, to paralyse the eyes for some diagnostic tests on the 31st. It makes me feel sick with worry, and if I'm honest, has put a cloud over Christmas a bit. Poor rabbit.

Hi everyone
Not managed to keep up posting on the thread but have been reading your posts. Sounds like all the lo's are so ready for the Christmas break.
Moodlum - Hope the drops are ok, my dd has had to have drops a few times, the ones that enlarge the pupil before eye tests & has been fine with them, I was really surprised, mind you the optician has always done them, may have been different if it was me! Hope it doesn't cast a cloud over xmas.
Paisley - I'm struggling to keep track of things this week too, DD's class has 2 teachers & TA's (all part time) so trying to remember what day who will be in to give them their present is bad enough. let alone everything else too!
Tree - Big big well done, you should be so proud of yourself.

I'm a failiure as a mum this morning, had such a mad dash for school today, dd managed to open a chocolate orange & eat it while I was bellowing for her to come & get dressed upstairs. Had tears over school dinner as I forgot to check the menu & it was something she didn't like so had a panic trying to get a packed lunch together quickly. Dd ended up in tears because I was shouting at her to hurry up, she forgot her toy (she always takes a little one with her) so had tears all the way to school. I feel so bad about it, she's been off with a bad cold since friday & was really pleased to be going back & then I've ruined it. She did line up happily enough though & go in with a smile which is good. Think I'm ready for the holidays almost as much as dd!

Oh Moodlum - I'm sorry you have that cloud. It might be fine though, these babies surprise us all the time. DS might just find it interesting and a process that can have lots of rituals attached. They always seem to help. I suggest big internet finding out about eyes mission, and then doing some print outs and making an info board or something.

roundabout - oh bless you. Sounds a mare. Some days just do that don't they? You need a cuppa and a biscuit.

Yesterday was a shocker at school. So many tears and hysterics. I ended up joining them on the trip to see santa after much begging[I didn't go on the coach, just met them there]. SHe appreciated it, I needed to show her I was listening.
Today was a bit better. The tears were bubbling up but then she started telling teacher about her 'Happy Thoughts Bag' so she seemed happier and I skulked off.

They actually knew about the bag, I told them yesterday. They printed off some pics of dd doing nice things, and added some text. We put it in the bag this morning. I am greatly heartened by this act, by the school and dd. At least we are all hearing each other and on the same wave length.

We all slept in, didn't get up till 7.45! DId breakfast, pack lunch, fed dd2 and gave her bottle, nappy etc - and managed the happy bag ritual, in 45 mins. Not bad! I had no bra pn and yesterdays tights on but hey, something had to give.

Am beginning to appreciate the nightmare that is the school run! Usually done by a combination of husband (who makes packed lunch and gets boys dressed before going to work) and parents (who actually drop them off).
Doing it all by myself is interesting - especially with all the extra bits to remember - a plate of sandwiches for school party today, sausage rolls for nursery party yesterday, party clothes, cards, presents....

I am in awe of those of you who manage it all the time!

Goodluck with the eye drops moodlum - it is just the sort of thing I would be anxious about but hopefully you can put some kind of attractive hero/sciencey spin on it.

I am obseessing about finding new buttons for my thicker coat. I spent all day in town shopping and I desperately don't want to go back - there's just nowhere to park. But I really want new buttons and can't find a haberdasher any closer.

Rather wondering what will happen to out BA return flight from Seattle on the 31st . Will cause major dissuptions if we come back later but we just have to wait and see.

Dd is massively excited about Xmas and I'm anxious that it will be a tremendous anticlimax. She will have very little kiddy company in the US and I don't think the grandparents are likely to really play with her very much. We have a the reverse problem to some in that dd adores school and thinks she should go on Sundays too! She will fairly gagging for school after 10 days in teh boondocks with assorted elderly relatives (and so might we ).

Acinonyx - we have an amazing button shop near us and they do online buttons:

www.duttonsforbuttons.co.uk/

we go in there sometimes just to look at buttons.

Hope your flights are OK.

Moodlum - good luck with the drops.

Tree - not long to go now.....

Roundabout - she'll be fine once she's there I'm sure - it's just morning-rush-nightmare. I shouted at mine this morning - the five minute walk to school takes much longer than it should with a four year old and a three year old who likes to stop at every puddle.

Hello folks.

I do solo school run here. DH leaves at 6.30 ish. With a dd2 that cries from 8am onwards. It 'aint pretty.

My other big arse hassle in the morning is where we all park. It's by a grass verge. Crass verge is now similar to some sort of WW1 muddy trench. It's slippery stuff getting dd2 out of her car seat. I pity the mums in Uggs, they are all totally trashed. Well, I don't actually, as Uggs won't go over my shot putter calves and I am more filled with at their nice legs and personal spend allowance

So today was better, tears were just brimming and then teacher asked about the happy thoughts bag. Phew!!
She was zonked tonight. We went to Sains and chose cards and pressis for teachers. She then managed to write 18 before getting fed up.
Had tears before sleep to do with monsters in lakes.

Had school party today. They took in "party clothes" to change into at lunchtime. Not that boy really has any party clothes. He then promptly lost the smart newish top I'd sent him with. Ah well, I'm sure it'll turn up tomorrow. And I hope he wasn't too cold in just a t-shirt!

Had to move evening routine forwards as he was so tired (presumably from much festive excitement).

Tree - we have the same grass verge, and it too is somme like. Not helped by people like me being super late and then parking on hilly grass verge and then accidentally wheel spinning out I think the happy thoughts bag is a brilliant idea, and it is so good that she responds so well to it. Well done everyone.

Aci - good luck with elderly americans over christmas - fingers crossed you still have interweb access!

Golgi - that duttons for buttons site is fab.u.lous. And I don't even need buttons!

We have had a good day today - last day of TERM!! YAY!! Because I do a little bit of work for the school, they invited me to the end of term carol service held in the senior school chapel. Beautiful music beautiful surroundings, and ds fell asleep in my arms at the beginning, and it felt like an unexpectedly peaceful way to start Christmas Clearly this lasted until I had to carry him back to the car in the sleet, with him wailing about how tired and cold he was.. Nice while it lasted.

moodlum - that sounds dreamy!! Lovely earlt finish too.

Duttons - we must be in the same county!! I'm on the coast

Tree - it's the best county, I think (having tried a few).
About as far from the coast as we can be here, but do go to Whitby a lot in the summer.

moodlum - congratulations on making it through your first term!

You must be where I long to be then. I lurrrve inland. Really miss the area .

Am not settled on coast at all. Work is here though, so will be getting on with it for now. Will move when kids come into teenage years, if not before........

ooo moodlum, you finished now then?
Last day friday here.

Hehe - we also have that grass verge.