Toddler, baby and self from LHR-DUB; both babies slept on the plane and Linnea cried when I woke her to get off. They refused to bring the buggy to us at Dublin airport and I had to march Linnea down the halls to baggage claim and haul it off the carousel, encumbered by the sling.
Met by
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radegund and Oyster. We drove home to their house and I assume we all collapsed.
I rapidly developed a nasty cold and when they brought O to the doctor for his nappy rash I and my two tagged along; Emer was diagnosed dehydrated so I was too but other than that nothing serious.
We went to Dogglyoop (Toddler Group) three times in all - about 90 minutes of free play and ten minutes of sitting or standing in a ring singing songs. The first time, Linnea ran around the outside of the ring nonstop, round and round, hardly slowing down at all. The second time, she sat in the ring and joined in all the songs and actions. The third time, Santa came.
Now
that was special. About 30 toddlers, all awed, some excited, some frightened. A sacred time. Gifts were handed out and the children took them quietly and sat down and opened them quietly. At least one child cried with the strangeness of it all. Linnea was a little worried that there wouldn't be enough presents for everyone but she went up to collect hers and Emer's readily.
We went to town I think three times, once on the bus, where Linnea and Oyster were both incredibly well-behaved. Another day I was complimented on the behaviour of all three children after a little old lady watched us all having lunch in the cafe at Habitat on Dame St (ugh).
The toddlers did painting on the kitchen floor. They played all sorts of things in parallel, and a few things cooperatively. Oyster got very fond of Baby Emer.
Emer started to roll over and sit up. She's not quite sussed either one out properly but she's on the way. She's also teething like mad. Her favourite chew toy was
niallm's finger. Also, she slept through the night our last two nights there, and the first night we came back. Last night she did a 6-hour stint but it didn't coincide with my night-time. She's big enough now that we've had to take the cot down from the attic for use instead of the Moses basket - she's about 18.5 weeks now, so that's 12.5 weeks later than we moved Linnea out of it. She has no teeth (1 week earlier, Linnea had 4) and doesn't sit up unsupported (which Linnea had been doing for 2 weeks by now). This baby, my friends, is
average. I am so pleased.
We met Donal and Glitz and Biascut, and saw lovely things in M&S which are NOT for sale in the Reading branch. People in Dublin are better dressed than people in Reading and it's because M&S stocks nice things, I'm sure. However. We also bought handmade wooden Christmas gifts, and I left behind a few things when I packed in an exhausted rush.
The best Christmas present was the one Radz gave me - two hours in bed one morning; about an hour alone, and an hour with a feeding and sleeping baby for company. It was
amazing.
We stayed up until 2:30 am a lot, talking.
Linnea smeared a tub of Badger Balm all over her hands, face, and the sofa cushions - thankfully, they had no covers on, so the stains will all be hidden easily enough.
Among the things I know or believe I abandoned are (someone please remind me to email this to Radz): a jumper and two wrapped gifts and possibly my medicines (please forward); a pack of fudge and a bar of chocolate (please eat); a new and unopened stick of lip balm (please use). I also brought some things away with me by accident including warm dungarees I meant to leave for Oyster but they were in my dirty laundry. I'll return them when we're all awake after Christmas again.
I met someone else whose first name finds them with a Google "I'm feeling lucky," which is nice.
There was more. I forget.
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