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.

Mine is still up! She better lie in a bit tomorrow. She was in need of a huge man size poo which she just now got up and did. SO hopefull she willbe more relaxed and chilled the next few days.

Sadly midwifery one of least family friendly careers. Which is a bumer as it is 98% female! Nothing to be done, just get on with it and get used to it. Will sting a bit though, have had 2 set days, office hours, for 7 years really. So this will be a shock.

Great to hear dd is looking froward to it paisleyleaf!

Our polos lookign a bit worse for wear too golgi, and too small on the whole. Ordered a few more from Asda online if the old Marks ones won;t go over her bonce.
Also on the hunt for navy trousers with a zip for a) warm legs b) less tights hassle in the loo c) to stash 40p for 2 cartons of juice at school dinner time. M&S online have them but don't want to spend on the p&P you know? Hey ho.
Having a week of packed lunches to aid transition into term, she seems to find them less stressful and a treat.

That sounds very hard tree. I am a SAHM who also does some marking (am an accountant). When I do it, it is intensive (some I have to go into London for) - I did 7 days in a row at the beginning of December but it pays a good rate when I do it. Luckily my mum and dad came down to look after DS and DD.

Am hoping DS's uniform is all washed etc - I have never been extra conscientious but am possibly sinking to new depths .

DD says she will only wear dresses or skirts. So we only have them so far

Hi everyone - at last now dd is back at school I can get on the computer! Should really be doing my partners paper work but this is so much more interesting!
Hi Noah & hi to everyone else, sounds like you all had a good crimbo. My dd went back to school today, was much moaning about school & the days being so long & boring but she went in happily enough. I'm missing her though, it is so quiet here. I'm still not sure about dd's teacher, the main one works mon-thurs & then they have a lovely teacher in her 60's on a fri who my dd adores. This morning all the reception children & their parents were in the corridor changing out of wellies etc & the teacher came out & just reminded them about getting milk money & dinner money out of book bags, no hello, welcome back or anything. Dd doesn't dislike her but is very shy with her, wish she was a bit more cuddly & then perhaps we would both warm to her a bit more. Anyway moan over, hope all the lo's go off to school happily in the morning.

Bah to your unfriendly teacher, roundabout. She doesn't sound very likeable at all. I feel we're very lucky with ours, who is very sweet and kind (and pretty, which goes down very well with the children).

Dd1 was very excited to go into school today, partly because she has new boots from Clarks with little dolls in the soles, and partly because she was desperate to tell her friend who has mentioned Mary Poppins in the past that she has now seen the film. I hope she gets the response she is hoping for rather than a mystified stare!

Aranea - You dd sounds so sweet going to school excited because of her new boots. I also hope she gets the rights response from her friend, my dd has that problem, she gets so excited about having things to tell her friends & I don't think they know what she is on about half the time. Dd gets very discouraged by this & then tends to go off the child involved. It's all so complicated for them isn't it.

My DD would rave about Mary Poppins with yours Aranea - she loves it!

Well all seems to have gone well today. It's funny, they all seemed quite excited to be back, but were also all quite shy with each other.
Settled back into it all okay though, from what I can gather.

Mine are back tomorrow (snow permitting - more is forecast for tonight).

Boy said this evening "do I have to go to school on my birthday?" (his birthday is later this month, and yes he does).

So I explained that he could open presents when he got home, and we'd have his birthday treat at the weekend.

He's not convinced though, and I don't really blame him - I don't like going to school on my birthday either!

His brother will always have birthday in the holidays, which won't help.

GREAT!!! I found you!!!

I am so very very huffy about term beginning. I am still missing the freedom of dd not being at school and our long lovely days together. The timetabled freedom of holidays aren't enough to feed my thirst and everywhere is so busy!!!

Anyhoooo... roll on half term!

How are you all doing...?

Tea - that's the trouble with school holidays - everyone else is on holiday too!

Tea! Where've you been?

Well, dd seems to have had a coherent conversation with her friend about Mary Poppins but failed to show any of her friends her boot toys, despite trying. Not quite sure what happened there, but she seems in quite good spirits anyway.

But she is exhausted and has just informed me that she can't get to sleep. Bugger.

Hello lovelies and welcome Noah (I'm assuming you are named after my dd's favourite band?

How are you all? I have sadly neglected this thread, and MN, but am back now

How was everyone's los today first day back? DS doesn't go back until a week tomorrow, which is a relief, but dd goes back tomorrow, so I've still got the school run tomorrow. DS is still super tired after his little surprise sejour in hospital (he had a gastric bug which left him seriously dehydrated etc, so into hospital for an IV drip we went..). But sadly , he's expecting a nice few extra days mummy time, but in reality I think he's going to be very distressed by having these wretched eye drops, which I postponed doing as he was so ill between Christmas and New Year. So ho hum, I wish I was looking forward to the next few days but I'm not really.

I'll catch up with the thread and get back to it!

• moodlum - poor ds and poor you r.e hospital!!!

hi, can i join please? ds starts reception tomorrow and I am freaking out a little bit!

aw thank you. was awake all night worrying about his ability to get into his sanwiches etc at lunchtime!!

Lissie - hope it goes OK for you today.

Extra day of holiday here, snow is deep, all schools shut!

Boy is currently playing in snow with his dad, who couldn't get to work. I'm supposed to be in my school for meetings but it's cancelled as roads are all blocked.

Freshly ironed shirts still on hangers!

lol golgi, snow here is pants, v icy but only a little snow. did all my ironing yesterday, twas bliss!! got v emotional looking at ds's uniform on hangers.

Those are very long days tree - very tough on childcare.

Moodlum - sorry to hear about the hospital stay. Xmas is ever a time for sickness.

Dd and I are still not quite back into our proper time zone. We were up at 4.30 am today but I am determined that we will both stay alert until our proper bedtimes today and finally crack it.

Very frosty but no snow here so school as normal. Dd was pleased to go back - I am such a boring parent

What were the most least successful xmas presents this year? Dd is crazy about her lego set and we got her a scooter but it's been too icy to use it yet. An uncle got her what I thought was a very lovely dolly but dd only cares for stuffed animals and will have no truck with dolls.

A SIL, who I like very much, got me a hat which I simply cannot wear.

Sorry I missed the big 1st day back yesterday, dd was still off so it was very busy. Off to read up now.

Hi Lissie - welcome the ironing of new reception clothes is always a struggle emotionally - it seems such a small thing to do for such a big thing for them to do iyswim.

There were tears from DD this morning, and she's Y1, so I'm afraid it doesn't stop.

In terms of unsuccessful presents, dd and ds seem reasonably pleased with theirs. We're awaiting cowboy boots from America for them so that'll be an interesting addition to their wardrobe.

Aci - the jetlag is a killer isn't it? Whenever we get back from California from fil I steel myself for 4.30am breakfasts. No advice just sympathy.

Roundabout - hows that bump of yours coming along?

Roundabout - that's a bit depressing about robot teacher. Maybe a loud 'Good Morning Mrs X' might remind her of her manners.

Aranea - dd would get a response from mine as dd is convinced Mary Poppins works in Betty's in York. The waitress did look very Like Julie Andrews at 20, and even said other people had told her so. Glad she had a good day back.

Boo sucks to going to school on birthday Golgi.

Helllooooo teafortwo.

Poor minimoodlum. At lease he has a while to rest after his illness. Are those your term times or are you keeping him off?

ROFL at hat Acinonyx [hat fetish myself] What's it like? I live in a CAth Kidson beret pompom affair to cover up my greasy unbrushed hair on the school run. Nice.

Snow here, plenty of it. Apparently ours is one of few schools open, but I can't say it's that bad. Not really. The teacher was sticking up a sign saying school may close early. ANd the headteacher was about to say welcome back which I love.

I got up early, put on extra heaters, lit the fire, made porridge and got dressed and slapped some paint on myself before the girls got up DD1 had 15 mins in the snow shovelling it about before we left, and also a 5 min play in the playground. I dressed her in a cheapo ski suit and wellie so she could go for it.

Sounds idylic? Well, dd wouldn't eat her breakfast, only had about 30 mls of drink [needs about a litre a day becasue of the constipation think] had a cat's bum face when I said it was time to go and got tearfull because I was grumpy Can't win! I did my best.
Wonderful gp's got out of their beds and came down to mind bubba and drive us to school, so I didn't have to take her bubba, and dd1 got a stress free [no parking, no pushchair assemble with swearing no crying from bubba in the car] SO I really enjoyed this am on the whole. Her mood can't be helped, when is it possible to start getting PMT?

I forgot to put lip balm on her too Her lips are so dry at school, probably because her new anxiety tick thing is licking.

Lissielou, welcome! - oh the uniform. It brings tears to your eyes when it's all so new and emotional. After a term it brings tears to mine as a)there is so much of it b)it looks scruffy after 1 blooming term. M&S is crap it seems c) it seems the most physicaly awkward thing to dress a child in and d) it looks blimming uncomfortable.

I think that covers it
SNowing again, wonder if will get the call to say it's closing. Hmmm

Sorry about the tears moodlum. Go have a cuppa and a biscuit. What are you and ds up to?

Oooo yes roundabout. Hows it going?
Apologies for mega post

I am sort of tidying the house in preparation for the Home Visit tomorrow. Or not if there is snow I suppose. It is forecast although maybe it will be wrong

Finally we have a pathetic excuse for some snow. Am of everyone else deep crisp and even snow. We just have mushy sleety midlands snow. Boo.

DS and I have had a lovely morning - we went for hot chocolate and pastry at a lovely italian place that is new to me and will become my new very favourite place. And I bought dd a lovely new joules coat in the sale - overruling dh's view that 'she'll be fine just in her gilet' yes right well thanks for that helpful view

Tree - your morning sounds positively like living in a house share with Nigella and Kirstie Allsop. Too bad dd didn't appreciate it. And I'm with you on the licking tick thing, dd has it, and this cold weather makes it terrible.

Am loving the whole Mary Poppins line of enquiry we have here. Does she indeed work at Bettys....

Hope it's better tomorrow with your dd Moodlum.
We were okay today but I reckon the novelty will wear off later in the week and ds might get upset. He spent 2plus weeks with us everyday and I miss him, never mind him missing me.

He insists on a little ritual when we say goodbye at the classroom door each morning - does that sound a bit weird? It definitely helps him but I'm concerned it's a bit odd.
Also inconvenient if I have to go to the office or something.

Wondering if they'll step up the pace of learning this term. we had to wait two weeks to get ds's word box changed at one stage last term as the teacher forgot for ages even though she knew ds had done them. One of several gripes I have....

So exciting re the snow. Have fun/ keep warm/ safe depending on how much you have and whether you like snow or not!