Thursday 25 November 2010

THE FIRST SNOW!

The weather forecast said 'snow Friday' but we awoke to a light mantle of white today, and despite attempts for the sky to clear and for blue to take over, it's snowed on and off all morning.  It would be so exciting if we had snowy weather right through to the middle of January, like we did last year: although last year it didn't start until 18th December.

The children were, naturally, excited and started planning snowmen, snow angels and so forth: I think they will be sadly disappointed unless there is another, heavier, fall tonight.  Daughter was out in the garden straight after breakfast, her red school fleece and pink Dora the Explorer scarf, hat and gloves bright against the white background.  I watched her from the window a bit, just enjoying the sight of her happily making footprints.  Eventually I tapped on the window, getting a broad grin in response and the information that she was making footprints to the treasure (well, I hope when she finds it she lets me have a share!).

I've been fairly busy since I last wrote a blog post though I can't completely remember what I've been doing.  My parents (the Aged Parents or APs) came up for a long weekend, so there wasn't much time for sitting at the computer then.  On Tuesday I met up with Friend L. down in Kendal: we were saying how much we liked Kendal, though I think we were both a bit disappointed with the Chocolate House, where we met.  The display about the process of making chocolate was reminiscent of my Mum's college coursework on coffee beans (i.e. large boards/sheets of paper with photos and then labels stuck on) and partly hidden by screens as they were storing their christmas stuff up there: in addition we hadn't realised that if we'd gone in the shop first we would have got our hot chocolate drinks for free.  I thought the hot chocolate itself was disappointing too: it didn't taste any different from the Cadbury's powdered hot chocolate; and the range of chocolates in the shop wasn't anything special.  However it was nice to see L. and to wander around the shops, including the new K Shoes Outlet centre, and I did buy some pink champagne truffles for the teachers at school.

Yesterday I had another growth scan at the hospital and also, unexpectedly, saw one of the Obstreticians, which was a bonus.  The growth scan was excellent: the baby is now about 5lb, having had a good growth spurt, and just under the 50th centile, and the amniotic fluid was measuring about 17cc (as opposed to 8cc when they said it was a bit low).  I also had a chat about delivery options with the Dr. and am coming back round to the idea of a planned caesarean section, which I hope would mean that I have the baby between Christmas and New Year (while we have Brother-in-Law and Wife-to-Be staying, so babysitters on hand, and also so the baby gets the £250 child trust fund money before the Government abolishes it on 1st Jan.!).

I bumped into one of the Dads from school on my way out of the hospital: there's an outside chance he could be my anaethetist when I go in to have the baby.  He was saying, as the Dr. had already said, that a section is the lowest risk option for the baby.  As far as I'm concerned that's really the deciding factor: whatever is best for the baby.  I have an appointment with my usual consultant on Monday, when all will be finalised.  So only 4-5 weeks to wait and then the Little Guy will be here!

Yesterday afternoon I met up with Running Friend A. at Off the Wall.  As ever it was great to see her: she's such a positive, cheerful person, as I know I've written before.  We were both laughing at one point as I was on the phone to Husband and the baby was sticking his bottom or something out so much that R.F.A. could see it as well.  Later in the bath I was laughing again, as my stomach was quite lopsided from him doing the same.  It's weird though!

Off to teach Daughter's class a christmas carol ready for next week this afternoon: and I said that if there was time I'd take the Gruffalo song as well.  She's now a star ('the Star') in the nativity play: the teacher caught me after school yesterday as apparently Daughter had been in tears about being 'only' the narrator, so she's now the narrator and the Star.  This weekend I need to make a glittery star costume.... trust her to get her own way and to end up being something glittery and also very noticeable.  Son is a mouse in his play, though he was going to suggest to the teacher that maybe he could be a ferret.  I'm not quite sure whether I'm expected to be making him a costume: he said he would borrow Daughter's fur coat.

I didn't managed to get to school nativity plays last year or the year before, so am really looking forward to going this year.  This weekend I'm planning on putting the lights up in our apple tree... next weekend the tree... and of course I need to get the advent calendar ready for Wednesday.  Christmas means so much more and is so much more exciting now I have children, and can share in their excitement: and I've just managed to create an extra 5 years for myself by having a third child!

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