Almost advent

School uniform on the bedroom floor. Scattered. It's only 4pm. Perhaps Small Sprog has been abducted by aliens? Perhaps he has not drunk enough at school and has turned to dust in an instant? But no, what's that I hear? My boy SHOUTING on Skype. Honestly he really doesn't need an internet connection, they could hear him in outer space with the amount of racket he makes on there.

I dutifully tidy his clothes and go downstairs. 'Why are you in your pyjamas already?' I mouth to him in case we are overheard by his gang of virtual friends.
'I feel Christmassy' he replies in a stage whisper.
This makes me smile. 'Me too' I say, though I have no idea why wearing your PJs as soon as you get home from school should make you feel Christmassy, he has never done this before!

However I know what he means. Little bits of Christmas have started to creep into the house. The advent calendar, which was sewn for me as a child, has been found - quite easily this year, which was surprising as last year Christmas was over by the time I had located it's whereabouts! The Christmas tea cosy has made an appearance and the Christmas mugs are out and about too. And then there's the abundance of mulled wine to be consumed and the festive candle that is alight most evenings (but that has more to do with masking the smell of a 17.5 year  old cat and his 'habits'!) Internet shopping has been undertaken and I am getting into the spirit of things. It's all quite exciting really!

This week I am on a new regime of making a massive effort to be more relaxed, I think it's working? The Nytol helps and the breathing exercises too. We have had TV dinners in front of films for 3 nights in a row now and that definitely takes my mind off things! There's nothing better than 'slobbing' about with my lovely children to help me relax and we do it so rarely - it really is a treat.

So forgive me if Christmas is coming a bit too early in suburbia? I know some of you will think it's too soon, but it's something to aim for, prepare for and enjoy - it diverts my anxiousness into excitement, which, when I think about it, can feel quite similar! However, I must admit that, unlike Small Sprog, I don't actually need to wear my pyjamas to get in to the spirit!

What makes you feel festive?

Tall Girl's hit list

I always thought I had brought my children up to be liberal, free thinking and tolerant human beings, but no, yesterday I was travelling along in the car with Tall Girl when she exclaimed '...and she's going on my hit list; line 'em up against the wall and shoot 'em!'

I cast a glance in her direction, she looked deadly serious. Oh dear, liberal and tolerant? Umm?

'So who's on your hit list?' I ask, hoping I am not at the top.

'Emma' she said with vehemence. 

Emma is her most 'unbest' friend. 

'And who else?'

'Emma, Miss Scott ( head of English Dept- always bound to be on the list if you are dyslexic!) and Michael Gove'!

Well I'm 100% with her on that last one! Who's top of your hit list?

(blogging from my phone tonight-check me out!!!)

Sleeping /sickness!

OK, so how much puke should one woman clear up in a week?! It all started on the night of Tall Girl's birthday - OMG she was 17 last Saturday - but that's another story.

We all went out for a celebratory meal for her 17th. When I say we, that was us as a family -Ex Husband included. Tall Girl's request was a family meal, we have done it before and it works . She enjoyed it, and I have to say it was nice to be out and about .

Small Sprog had a 'brown' dinner, he likes brown dinners! He lacks the sophistication for Tapas - which the rest of us ordered - and so he went for fish and chips with a side of onion rings and garlic bread. You see what I mean about a brown dinner? He downed a fair amount of lemonade before eating too. You can see where I'm going with this right? Then, when Small Sprog arrived back home, he asked for milk and chocolate biscuits - he had been too 'full' for pudding earlier.

About an hour later he was in bed, perhaps I have mentioned before that he has a delicate stomach? Within half an hour of him being in bed I was sitting next to him rubbing his back while he cradled a bucket - which was full before too long and when I say full I mean... well it was bloody heavy! Imagine when he's able to drink alcohol too? I don't want to think about that right now, I think he will be quite a 'party animal'.

So it was a memorable end  to Tall Girls birthday if nothing else. However the last 24 hours have been eventful on the cat puke front! Trouble is the cat can't aim into a bucket so it's scrubbing brush at the ready and off I go. I took the little b****r to the vet today for a manicure and hair do! In reality he - the cat - is 17 and a half and doesn't do much but vomit and sleep so his claws don't get worn down outside and he gave up grooming himself ages ago. I groom him but he won't let me near his tummy, so, when the knots get bad and the claws make him plait his legs (he can't retract them any more either) its £30 at the vet - thank you very much! So there I am at the vet (she is a wonderful woman), on my day off, listening to him hiss, spit and wail at the her while she did her best. I have to say he was awesome! I could hear him through 2 closed doors - there's fight in the old cat yet.

And so to bed. I am obsessed with sleeping right now, mostly because I don't seem to be able to. I go off all right but I wake in the night and my brain switches to work mode, then that's it - wide awake for a lot of the time with intermittent very odd dreams.

So tonight I am excited! I have bought some Nytol and have great expectations of a fantastic night! Oh dear - surely life should be better than this?! Do you have trouble sleeping? What are your top tips for a good nights sleep?

See you in the morning...