Last few days have been hectic. We hosted three get togethers - two parties and a lunch. One party was a European affair and the other was Indian. We spent most of the holidays getting over a flu. Every member of our family managed to get sick. Fortunately, it is getting better. We are almost OK now. We went out a few times - one house party, two lunches in a restaurant, one night out without kids, and one time I went out without kids and without my DH who babysat them.

Both kids had a hair cut. Little Munchkin has lost his curls and acquired a semi-military cut. It suits him. He suddenly looks bigger and older. He really looks like a boy now. Big Munchkin had a trim. I also cut my hair a bit - took of about 10 cm, I am thinking of cutting my hair short. I know that my DH likes it long, but they have been tangling so badly lately, that I am really considering shortening them.

I took advantage of a boxing day sale to top up kids wardrobe. I got up and drove to the shopping mall at 5 am to get to the opening of Next store. Prices were really good and I bought quite a few new things for Little Munchkin. The whole shopping was an experience. It is a bit like a hunt - the thrill of chase and rush of adrenaline. I had fun, but doubt I'll be doing in again.

We are not doing anything exciting for New Year's Eve. Kids are asleep and we are watching TV. I'll be going to sleep well before midnight.

Today is Saturday and my DH is working. So much for taking the time off. There is an emergency and he is at work - I checked - he is actually at his desk. In the morning he took Big Munchkin to see another play Three Bill Goats Gruff. It is a classical English tale. DH says that Big Munchkin really liked it.

Last night Big Munchkin had another nosebleed. I am at a loss what to do about it. The useless British doctors have no specific advice, but it is a third severe nosebleed in a week. There must be something I can do. Persuading Big Munchkin to stop picking her nose would be a good start, I suspect. Unfortunately, her nose is half blocked due to a cold, so she keeps picking it. Little Munchkin is still sick. He is still running a fever on and off. His nose is still blocked and he is still coughing. Hopefully, he gets better soon. Christmas is a really bad time to get sick. All the doctors are taking time off.

Last Friday, I finally took Little Munchkin to see a cranial therapist. Cranial therapy is a therapy that uses gentle manual pressure applied to the skull, spine, and membranes to restore rhythmic flow to the craniosacral system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid, and surrounding membranes. He behaved surprisingly well through the whole session. The doctor said that the only issue she could find was lack of mobility in the bone that houses part of the ear structure. Basically, the bone behind the ear should move up and down. In Little Munchkin's case it is moving only down. It reduces ear drainage, which might account for a frequency of his ear infections. She said that cranial therapy should help with ear infections. The same bone is also pushing into his lower jaw, which is probably part of a reason why his lower jaw is protruding forward so much. The doctor does not think that anything can be done about it. She said she'll try, but she does not expect serious improvement because the pattern is already strongly established. Basically, I left it too long to come. I signed up Little Munchkin for another two sessions. Let's see what happens. He seemed to like it anyway. I think I should bring Big Munchkin as well, just to check her out.

I am coming to the conclusion that I need to explore alternative health care options for Little Munchkin. He seem to have inherited my DH's intolerance to conventional medicine. All conventional meds make him really sick. It is not an allergic reaction, but all meds really knock him out - make him drowsy, tired, and overall unwell. He vomits every third or fourth time he takes antibiotics. My DH is exactly the same. On the contrary, homeopathic, aurvedic, and other alternative medicine work well for my DH. I think I should really explore if they would work well for Little Munchkin (or for that matter Big Munchkin). This health centre, where I took him for cranial therapy, seems to be really good. I might try to take him there to see homeopathic doctor in the new year.

Little Munchkin is sick - a flu, an ear infection and as an icing on top - he is teething. Last night he threw up all over me - twice. Big Munchkin has another series of nosebleeds. Twice in the last two days. The one that happened last night looked terrifying. The blood was pouring all over her. Hopefully, it is not going to continue. Local doctors are useless. They say that nothing can be done and she'll outgrow it.

Today I took them to the aquarium. I bought another annual pass for myself and Big Munchkin. We actually had a really nice time. Big Munchkin behaved herself - walked with me, looked after Little Munchkin and generally followed instructions. Little Munchkin was very impressed with the fishes. He did not try to run (much). He was quite mesmerized with some of the fish tanks.

Last weekend I took Big Munchkin to the theatre to see Handa's Surprise. It is an African book for children. The play was done very nicely. Big Munchkin and I quite enjoyed it. Funny part for me was that it is an African story, but there was not a single non-white child in the audience. I find this pattern repeats in all the activities we do. The paid activities attract only white people. Free activities are dominated by Indian/Asian women. The Caribbean population, which is very high in South London, is nearly or entirely absent. This Saturday, my DH is taking Big Munchkin to see another play.

Big Munchkin has also started her private swimming classes. It is going very well. She likes her teacher and I think she is progressing well. Her teacher does not think that Big Munchkin can swim on her own yet. Simply because she is just too small. But her teacher thinks that Big Munchkin can start diving. That is what they are going to concentrate on in the new year. I also moved Big Munchkin's Mandarin language class to Saturday. I can't see anything in the dark and driving her in the evenings for that class has been terrifying. I really don't think that I can do that anymore. So, now her class schedule is going to be a bit strange. She will have gymnastics and ballet on Tuesday, drama and French on Friday and Mandarin and swimming on Saturday. We have a regular playgroup on Monday and a regular play date on Thursday. I am going to try to arrange a regular play date on Wednesday and that should complete our schedule.

Little Munchkin does not do any regular classes right now. I found that for one reason or another we end up missing more classes than we attend. When he feels like it I take him to playgroups and to drop in music classes. I am thinking of signing him up for a new music class, but I haven't decided yet. The problem is that it has to be a class that starts exactly at 10 am. It is the only time that would allow me to drop of and pick up Big Munchkin from school without extra stress. I still don't know if he gets a space in the gymnastics class, but I am not too stressed if he does not. He is too small for that class. I would not mind waiting till spring. He and Big Munchkin are on the list for a soccer (European football) class for March. It is on Monday after the playgroup. I think they would like it. They did not get a space in the arts class, but that is OK, since I've been doing lots of things with them at home. That class is very expensive anyway.

I am thinking of getting a private French teacher for Big Munchkin, but it is still a thought. Private teachers are expensive. It also has to be a teacher who is used to working with kids and who would get along with Big Munchkin. She really does not like her current class. I paid for a next term, but I am getting to the conclusion that a private teacher would be a better option. I am waiting to see if my DH gets good bonus and a salary increase before I make any decisions on this front.

Nothing interesting is happening. Kids are fine. I am looking forward to Christmas as my DH is taking time off. Unfortunately, Big Munchkin is going to be at home till January 17th. Her nursery teacher is doing home visits to the new batch of kids, so the nursery is closed till 17th. Ridiculous, since the rest of the school is back from Christmas vacation on January 2nd. It is very annoying since all the classes and playgroups are generally closed to the third week of January. I will be hard pressed to find how to entertain both Munchkins.

In additional annoying news, our camera has died. It has been unwell for sometime, and finally stopped working all together. After four year service, it was time to change it anyway. We bought the new one already (our joined Christmas gift to each other). It should arrive before Christmas, so hopefully, there will be some Christmas pictures.

One of the differences between men and women is that women put things at the bottom of the stairs to take them up later, while men step over them and walk up without ever noticing that something needs to be taken up. I just found out that it is genetically hardwired into women. I put a pack of toilet paper at the bottom of the stairs. Big Munchkin was going to play in her room upstairs. She stopped at the toilet paper and asked: 'Mommy, do you want me to take it up?' And she did. I haven't been able to persuade my DH to do anything like that in ten years.

I got this e-mail from a friend and just had to post it:

Letter to Santa

> > Dear Santa, I’ve been a good mum all year. I’ve fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor’s office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of choc.bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son’s red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I’ll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes: I’d like a pair of legs that don’t ache (in any colour, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don’t hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the lolly aisle in the grocery store. I’d also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. If you’re hauling big ticket items this year I’d like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn’t broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone. On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, ‘Yes, Mummy’ to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don’t fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting ‘Don’t eat in the living room’ and ‘Take your hands off your brother,’ because my voice seems to be just out of my children’s hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it’s too late to find any of these products, I’d settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don’t mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare tomato sauce a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don’t catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don’t eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.
Yours Always,

MUM...!

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children happy, healthy and always believing.

I feel better today. Last night 'dinner date' was a group affair and my DH did not like the food. I hope it is the last I've heard of that 'former collegue'. I started eating a bit, but still not much. It probably is good for me on a short term. Lapses of appetite don't normally last in my case. It stopped raining in the afternoon and it was warm and sunny.

Big Munchkin has finally got her private swimming classes. She's been on a waiting list for some time. Her first class is on Saturday. I hope she'll like it.

- How do you feel, dear?

- Hmmm ... Let me see ... The weather is horrid - it is pouring rain and gaily winds. Kids are feeling better - the diarrhea is over. Little Munchkin woke up only twice. The second time when someone phoned at 2.30 a.m. By the time I got to the phone they hang up. If I ever find out who called I'll kill them. Little Munchkin woke up and did not go to sleep till 4.30 and neither have I. A friend phoned on Monday to say that her daughter has got a chickenpox. Since we were playing with them just a couple of days ago, we were exposed to it. I have some strange rush on my face that alternatively maybe a chickenpox, herpes virus spread (I have an outbreak on my lips as well), or an allergic reaction on that Chinese medicine that I bought for weight loss. I am suppose to be taking it before food, but I can't eat because I am very depressed about that dinner of yours with that half-naked 'former collegue'. So, I have been eating that Chinese medicine without food and I am not sure if that could have caused an allergic reaction. I haven't been able to make an appointment with the doctor because by the time I manage to get through on the phone there are no appointments left. But my weight loss is going really well, since I feel like throwing up and can't eat anything. I am sure I will be three or four kilos lighter by the weekend. But you don't really want to hear any of these. You want to hear a reassurance that everything is fine so you can go and work in peace. There is nothing you can do from across the ocean anyway, so here we are:

- We are fine. Kids are doing well. Nothing interesting is happening. Have a good time.

Fortunately, my DH does not read my blog. I am not even sure he knows that it exists.

It's been two days since my DH has gone on a business trip. I really should not be complaining, after all it is a first trip in a year. But I still hate being alone. Even though he has been working late quite often and I am used to dealing with kids by myself, it is very reassuring to know that help is just a phone call away. Even simplest things can become an issue when you are by yourself. For example, tonight I run out of milk. Normally I would call my DH and ask him to pick up milk on the way home. Tonight I don't have anyone to call. Tomorrow morning the kids would have to do without milk. I am also used to having a bit of a time off in the morning. I am not a morning person and having someone else to take care of Little Munchkin if he decides to wake up at 5 a.m. is very helpful.

Another reason while I feel quite annoyed about this particular trip is that my DH decided to meet few of his friends for dinner. I quite like one of them - what can be better as your husband's 'girlfriend' as a Jewish married stay-at-home mother of three. I've met her and her husband and they are great people. I am really annoyed about the other 'dinner date'. I generally object to any female friends I haven't personally met. I really object to those who think it is OK to put the picture of herself onto the front of her facebook profile, which has less five square inches of clothing. Fortunately, she is not a close friend and I hope it would remain so. On the other hand I don't want to be clingy, after all I also have male friends whom my DH haven't met. Still, I can't help feeling exceedingly annoyed.

Other than that, I have been very busy. Both Munchkins have diarrhea. I had to give a shower to Big Munchkin in the middle of the night. Little Munchkin was up 'only' five times. Today he kept walking around the house asking 'Papa ... Papa ...' I hope he feels better tomorrow. Big Munchkin got selected to participate in her school Christmas play. She is a bee. I spent the whole day running around looking for a pair of black leggings and a black t-shirt. Leggings weren't a problem, but the t-shirt was. Where on Earth am I going to get a plain black t-shirt in December? At the end I found a set - a dress and a t-shirt. Basically I had to pay 7 pounds for a t-shirt because of that. The dress is horrendous, but at least the t-shirt is black and plain. I still need to iron the name tags tonight, so I can give it to the school tomorrow.

Why do I bother? The level of appreciation of everything I do is simply overwhelming. Today we went to visit Father Christmas in Harrods. I booked these tickets in August, but today I really felt like I was the only one who cared. The whole of last year the only picture of all four of us was the one we took in a shopping centre's Christmas grotto. Considering my DH's aversion to paying for professional pictures, I figured this year would be no different. So we went to make a picture with the Santa again. I should not have bothered. All the stress of dragging everyone across the city for a stupid picture was not worth it. I should have just taken the kids to the local shopping centre and got their picture with the Santa there.

The next week my DH is travelling. I will be all by myself with the kids. Dreading it.