New Addition to the family

So - she popped!
He (for yes, it seems it is an impossibility for Islander and Ma-Ya* (for that is Sisinlaw's new moniker for blogland purposes) to produce a female child) was born at 1.28am today and is damn cute. Cute beyond measure. And will be referred to as Jr from now on.

It's been an eventful day apart from that. She is already back home with us and taking 3rd childdom in her stride. It's Islander's birthday tomorrow so the plan is to celebrate in fine style.
And maybe raise a glass to the prospect that our old place is no more (to us).
And possibly spend some time being glad that the drains might have been fixed. Let us not speak about the level of urg that I've seen today. Blocked mains drain is a terrible, horrible, thing. Ick. Ick.Ick.Ick.

The drain specialists have been at 9pm on a Saturday evening. And they return again tomorrow morning. Wish us lots of luck. A full septic tank would be a good result. A fucked-up mains drainage pipe would be a very bad result. Hell, we'll sort it whatever happens. I have the joy of having held my 3rd nephew for the first time today. He slept in my arms for about 40min and was truly wonderful. All petty iritations melt away with a baby in your arms. It's almost like some weird sort of therapy. I've felt a lot of love for my nephews over the last few weeks and this adorable little addition just reaffims quite how much I adore them and their company. Having children in your life adds a different dimension that nothing else quite matches (still happy to be able to hand them back though!).

Ah well. Must get some more xmas planning done this week. I have, the CB will be delighted to know - bought the stockings! And some work. And generally get life back to some level of normality. Must also stop eating like a P.I.G and maybe go for a run. Also get rid of this cold, seriously - I felt even worse than usual today. Maybe a good sleep will help. It would be damn nice.


*Maya is mother of the Buddah - but I also think it sounds brilliant.

Uurghhh

Wow - the time is just flying. Which is pretty great considering the vast amount of family loitering round our house waiting for S-in-L to pop. She's now in the hospital being induced (where she has been since last night with no real progression). Fingers v firmly crossed.

I have to say it's been an incredible trip so far (20 days so far) and nothing is really getting on my wick apart from having no time to do anything, and no space. I just want to veg out and watch inappropriate TV. I basically just want to do anything inappropriate. Best behaviour (ish) isn't really my forte - and neither is mess. I love my nephews even more than I ever have but I begin to understand the parenting fascists who give their children minimalist toys "to develop their imagination" (and keep their houses looking lovely). No, I jest. It really has been fab - it's just a long ole haul. Luckily the grandparents get to say things like, "I don't think the sitting room should be used as a playroom when there are other rooms in the house." It's true - use anywhere but stop taking all the cushions off our new sofas and diving onto them. But you begin to sound a bit anti-kid and precious if it comes from you. Three Cheers for Grannu and her sensible child rearing. And three cheers for delightful boys listening to Grannu and not giving her a hard time.

The last week saw us miss Spartan's 30th bash (v. sorry) but have an incredible day with the 'phews when they both (through some twist of fate) got to ride in Santa's sleigh through Dunkeld on a perfect snowy and crisp sunshine day being pulled by reindeer. (This was after a puppet show, and before some pot/dinosaur painting - brilliant!)

Some other days are a real blur but after some frantic packing I made it to E'burgh on Tuesday night to celebrate with Spartan properly. He's done some shopping with TheO during the day - and then we all went out for a meal at a fabulous new location. One of the best settings I have ever encountered. The food was excellent to start and for pud - but the mains were both a little poor and a little prosaic. Hmmm. It was, however, one of the best nights out I've had in a while. Got to love getting the glad-ish rags on and feeling all relaxed when it's been so mad here.

The other news for the week is that our house sale DID go through. The money and keys have changed hands and we are v damn happy about it. A huge level of anxiety is finally gone; I always assume that everything will go tits-up until the final moment. That was the big joy for today. We've had a van for 2 days this week to get everything else shifted; we even managed to move the tractor mower ourselves. Now that it's all here I can declare that it was worth it. (Every box whilst lifting it however was not worth it.) Got to love hindsight.

So all in all a great week. Now if only I could get some xmas shopping done I'd be a little bit calmer. Eeeek. It's how long 'til xmas??

Also - can I please stop producing quite so much mucus. I'd like to be able to not be surrounded by tissues, not cough a lung up at every oportunity, and maybe breathe some time before 2009! Is that asking too much? Is it?

ps/ Anyone out there who reads this and expects crimbo tidings - we're not doing xmas cards this year - we've left it too late and have too many other things to do. We send you the appropriate amount of xmasy love and good wishes. With any luck we'll be in touch once we've really got the house sorted and have settled a bit more sedately. (Possibly not until 2010.)

Catchup (or: I'm too tired to think of a witty title.)

As usual much has happened since I last bored you. In my last post I neglected to mention that Kevin the contractor returned thanks to TheO playing peacemaker (whilst he accused be of being demanding and belligerent... surely my good friends know I am neither, unless under duress). Now we are still not finished - but getting ever closer. Just a few tiny things to finish. Like a fecking stove!!

As you left the house was being prepared for yet more guests. This time broinlaw and quiet-style were coming up for a w/end and poke around the new house. First night was a gentle catch-up and a nice easy-osey chat and relax. Sisinlaw cooked and I chilled out.

However I could only be partly relaxed as I knew that the next morning I was up at crack-of-sparrows to do a craft fair in Edinburgh for 2 days. Being up at 6.30 never pleases me. I'd had about 4h of sleep, has the worst period pain of my life, the temperature had dipped permanently below zero, and I was pissed off at having to work when people were visiting. Only a trip to Starbucks made the morning even bearable.

After a day of relatively poor sales, I raced home to help TheO prepare dinner for 13. Yes 13. TheO was a little stressed as in the previous 48h a total of 3 guests (all male) had dropped out for various reasons and things were a bit unbalanced on paper. (Luckily the natural testosterone of our female contingent meant that you couldn't tell!) With courses and choices for each course. It was a delightful night. It all worked well and I manged to keep my eyes and ears open long enough to catch up with friends and family.

Sunday was a bit of a case of same-shit-different-day. Enough sales were made to cover the costs and make a small profit but sales were about 50% of the previous year. Pah.


Monday was much better and we all headed to the gym to go swimming with godlet. He was delightful in the water. TheO then went shopping whilst letting me go to the gym where I managed to run 10K. This was a great moment as I felt truly dreadful, like I was coming down with something. Hot. achy. sore. But the run helped a bit and I finished all at 1% in 59min. I managed a quick sauna afterwards but the ill feeling soon came back with a vengence.

Tuesday - bit of a blank; think I might have slept and grumped my way through the fog of illness.

Wed - all was GO GO GO as Islander and Gemil arrived to make life fuller (and a little louder). TheO went off to Oban to get them and braved -10 temperatures in Crainlarich. Talk about brass monkey weather! I scrubbed, mopped and tried to make everything a little shiny round the edges as Atholl was due to arrive too - much to the delight of her daughters.

Then we relaxed with a little gentle shopping and PANCAKES in Perth the next day. A delight all round. Ok - trying to shop with 2 wee ones might not be too relaxing.

Now, here we get to the big news. The first of the Cheeseboard has sprogged up. Blarney is 13wks gone, has had her scan and is sharing news with the world. For various reasons I've known for a few weeks and I'm over the moon. Over the stars. And have possibly shed a tear (or two). I can't wait for there to be a babybell.

Last night we met to discuss friends xmas and the news was spread far and wide. The pressure is off and the celebration begins. (We also managed to plan a great deal of xmassy joy to one and all.)

I am so excited by the thought of xmas but a bit overwhelmed by the thought of it all. With Sisinlaw and her two, and husband and Atholl staying. And work; and the hideousness that has been housemoving all my shopping is being condensed into an ever smaller space. Luckily I've been putting in the thought if not the action.

So 10k run. Illness fully in progress. Friends xmas planned. Dinner for 14 and a total of 10 house guests over the last 7 days. I can just lie in a darkened room soon right. Please. Maybe take a bottle of rum with me.