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.

Grammerpolicesic - I defy you to come up with an ritual more odd than the following.

I'll see you and raise you
Squashy noses
Sguashy eyes [dd1 pushes her closed eye onto my nose really hard]
Squashy noses again, extra hard
squasy thumbs.

Not sure if I can raise you before I see you...

Think tears will come to lots of them when the novelty wears off and the reality breaks in. Like last term I guess.

Moodlum, your morning coffee shop sounds like the place where I would sit with friend dicussing how annoying Nigella and Kirsty are You will be pleaased to hear that evening rush hour here was pretty full on and certainly less polished.
GP's coming aain in the morning so my sanity lives to fight another day. The solo breakfast and dinner thing is getting a bit full on now the young child can nearly climb up my leg when I am ignoring her detachment parenting her.

OK you win tree!!

Love the concept of detachment parenting too.

To be fair she has given up the squashes now.

Many's the journey we had to turn around and go back because the sequence wasn't right when she said goodbye to nana

Ok. Have done packed lunch for morning, dishwasher isfull of bottles for baby and stuff generally, and dh has said he will clear the work surfaces for am. Porridge is good to go. I have showered.

What can go wrong?

Hiya Lissie. I took photo of my DD's uniform hanging up ...it just seemed so significant. But yes, I'm bored of seeing it now.
Noah, We never had a home visit. Probably just as well as I think her nibs would've hidden anyway and not got anything from it. And I would've felt obliged to at least run the hoover round for it.

We're also due snow for the morning. But I think we know where we stand with the head now, after the last day of last term when all the other schools in the area seemed to be closed except ours. It's going to take more than a bit of snow to shut our school.
Would love it if it is a bonus day off tomorrow though - my car's got an alternater problem and DH's battery is struggling.

My DD seems to be kissing the other children a lot from what I can gather. I'm guessing they're playing kiss chase in the playground. KISS CHASE! That seems to have come up quick - I guess because there are juniors too.

Fingers and toes crossed here for a snow day

lissielou - How did this morning go?

Lissie - maybe your first day was a snow day?

Its super snowing here. Yay. At last. I feel I can participate in the worst/best snow event in England for 30 years.

School open. Yesterday I wanted it to be closed [had slept] today I would have wept were it closed [baby did not sleep]. Went back to bed after school run for 40 mins and feel a bit more human.

My dd had a snow day yesterday, unfortunately we treked into school assuming it was open as it hadn't been listed on the local radio & it was shut. Today I rang the school to check 1 st thing & it was open & then said on the radio it was closed so bet there are hardly any kids there. Feel a bit guilty about dd being there now although yesterday she was so naughty & cheeky that I was pleased to send her off this morning! Please tell me there are positive effects on their behaviour from school, all I seem to have noticed are the negatives - cheekiness,bossiness, sticking tongue out about every 10 mins or so it seems. My dd used to be so well behaved before school, not perfect by any means but ykwim I'm sure - but seems I've a different child now. Am beginning to wonder whether my being pregnant may be part of it although she's overjoyed at the prospect of a sibling it will be a big change for her still.

moodlum - I feel I'm missing out on the dramatic weather, admittedly we have had ice and/or snow on the grounds for weeks but ours tends to have been more gradual build up so doesn't have the same excitement about it I feel.

tree - Glad you managed your extra sleep.

Hope all the lo's off school have enjoyed the snow

Whine alert! Well dd is very jolly but I am totally losing the plot over here. School closed early so I went to collect her. This is my one long work day this week but her CM couldn't get her as she had 2 babies still sleeping at home (I suppose she would have just done it if I had been really unable to go).

I've got tonsilitis but haven't succumbed to a dr yet as I keep think it will get better soon. dd had a nose bleed at 1.30 am then was up at 3.50 (again..). Dh is basking in Italy all week.

I feel thoroughly worn out and grumpy and suspect school will be closed tomorrow and I just don't have the energy to be a playful parent. I want to lie on the sofa and wimper.

well ds got ready this morning, we got all emotional then the radio announced that his school was shut due to snow (had loads overnight) so i went to work early to make sure i was in on time, dh carried on listening to radio and they announced that it was open after all.

picked him up at 3 and he said school was "fine", teacher is "nice" and i need to "stop stressing"

Acinonyx, hope you feel better soon.

lissielou - glad to hear your ds has got off to a good start. This not knowing whether we are literally coming or going is pretty tedious though, isn't it?

Dd just fell asleep on my lap and I haven't the heart to try to make her stay awake. I really don't know how to crack this time zone issue. I suppose I will wake her up in an hour or so (I'm sure she'll be thrilled) and then keep her up til midnight.

Glad lissielou's DS had a good first day .

School was shut today, but DD's home visit did happen . Teacher drove to our village from a nearby one. It was fine - DD had a lot to say and show the teacher and still seems very keen to start. I am also keen .

Managed to offer the teacher a drink, boil the kettle and then realise after she left that the cup of tea was never made .

We listened to radio this morning - 7.45 no mention, so made packed lunch and got uniform ready - but at 8.30 heard it was shut. Boy pleased to have another day off.

Me hoping they make their bloody minds up a bit quicker tomorrow, it's a pain. Boy had to eat packed lunch at grandma's house!

My school is determined to be open tomorrow, so I'll be in even if boys have yet another day off. Unless we get a load more white stuff tonight, which seems unlikely looking at forecast.

lissielou, your ds sounds like a very chilled character! Great that his first day went so well.

school stayed open here, so much disappointment from me and dd1. But dh worked from home and so was able to come with me to collect her, which was lovely. And dd2 thoroughly enjoyed her first proper snow. Very sweet.

We have been late for school 2 out of 3 days this week which is slightly embarrassing, but I do find that the drop-off is always very easy when dd1 just has to get stuck in straight away rather than taking time to think about the fact that I'm going. This despite all the school's bits of literature about how much it unsettles the children if you bring them in late .

Acinonyx - Poor you. Reason CBeebies was born, so duvet day it is. Plenty of paracetamol lady!

Lissielou - great news. She sounds very cool and karma.

Aranea, lovely to pick her up together. Dh misses it so much so am sure your dh enjoyed it very much.

I am thinking of keeping dd1 off tomorrow. She is as white as her duvet cover, and although she managed a haggis size poo at 7.45, she is normally asleep for 6.30-7.00 so is going to be even more wiped out tomorrow. SHe is like a little live wire, it's almost like she has PMT!
What do you think? AM I being too soft? DO you think school would permit her to go in the afternoon or would that be too messy for her and her routines and what have you?

Sorry golgi, what a pita. Are gp's able to step in at short notice? That is something anyway.

tree, I don't think you're being too soft at all. dd1's teacher says they should do half days or whatever works rather than making them overtired. I can't see the point of them being in school too exhausted to get anything out of it.

Tree - grandparents are usually in charge Mon-Thu. Those without such flexible childcare would probably appreciate earlier warning though....

Also - if she's not 100%, keep her off. Nothing wrong with sending her in at lunchtime saying "she had a bad night so slept in but is better this afternoon".

That's what I think Aranea, although I don't hear such a gentle vibe from our school. I am probably judging on no experience though.

I think it just does more damage, sending her tired. She just gets more and more negative ideas about how she feels when she is there.

Bloody constipation. I hate it.

I would have kept dd off if she was too tired - but the jet lag affects the later part of the day rather than the school day.

She slept from 5 pm to after 6 this morning! Yay! Now I'm just wondering if school will be open or not.....

Did they open Acinonyx? Thats a great sleep.

Day off = bliss. Read books and did stickers and she drank and snacked all day. Went to her gynastics class and they remarked how concentrated she was. Came home and made pizza and she is just hoping into bed. ight decision for sure.

It was like the old days, Thirsday was a day off pre-school too.

School was open, surprisingly. Dd has now gone to bed an hour early and is very tired. Me too!

That sounds like a lovely day tree.

Glad you had such a nice day, tree. It was obviously the right thing to do.

Dd1 has been the most delightful child in the world this evening and I am just enjoying the sensation! I've really enjoyed her company and am feeling v proud of her. Nice. I just want this recorded in writing so I can look back at it tomorrow when she turns into nightmare child from hell...