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As a woman and a mum, I talk alot (and sometimes blog) about relationsips and friendships and their importance in life. Before I get shot down, I am quite sure that there are some grouchy people out there who will insist that they dont need friends but I am a firm believer in making friends and keeping them.

My mom always told me "make new friends but treasure the old, one is like silver, the other gold". To be perfectly honest, my mom has a saying for pretty much every situation but with friends she is right. I have friends that I have known since I was a baby, I have friends from infant, junior and senior school. I have work friends, college friends and my very best friends. They are people that have come in and out of my life at different times and whether I speak to them every week or once a year, they are all part of my life.

I hope the same goes for my own daughters and I wonder which of the friends they are making now will still feature in their lives when they are in (ahem) thirty something.

The little one is now in her second term of Water Babies and there are alot of little ones that have carried on from the beginner course (which is obviously a testament to the Water Babies team) and as our little fishes learn to swim together, I often wonder if this journey will bond them together to carry on their journey's as they grow. The lessons with Water Babies are really sociable and encourage parents (and Nanny) to make new friends which creates that bond through sharing an exciting adventure with the little ones. This week saw lots of underwater swimming (with Nanny going under too), so she has had lots of baby swimming stories to share this week.

Another of moms great sayings is "A good friend knows all of your stories but your best friend lived them with you". Nanny always has a great story to tell of the little fish's adventures in the water and I hope that as the little one grows older and more confident, she can look back and tell those stories with her own friends.

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Ho,ho ho! Did you know that it is only 29 days till Christmas? Our Christmas countdown told us so!!

So with Christmas time just around the corner, bringing with it tidings of shopping, cooking, worrying about money, fretting over keeping everyone happy, and maybe enjoying a first Christmas with a new baby, comfort and joy may seem like a million miles away from the chaos that ensues. It doesnt have to be stressful though, even for those of you who have guests coming to stay, keep positive and there will may even be the offer of babysitting one night, so you can go and let your hair down! The best thing to do is to prepare your home beforehand for your guests, making sure they are comfortable and welcome, and that is half the battle won. 

Sleeping in the nursery with your child, will mean you are on hand in the night, and can hopefully jump in with a feed or a cuddle before baby wakes up the whole house! Having something to sleep on is, of course, imperative.  Obviously it needs to be decided where the guests will be sleeping. If baby is already in a nursery, and there is no other spare room, consider the benefits of having the guests sleep in your bedroom, especially if they are close family members, there shouldn’t be an issue. However, this is purely dependent on the relationship you have with your guests!

One of the best ideas for that extra sleeping space is to invest in a sofa bed. Perfect for a nursery, the sofa will be a useful place for rocking or feeding at ungodly hours, without being too uncomfortable, in fact, keep a throw on the sofa bed just in case you both fall to sleep on there! There are many styles of sofa bed to choose from, be it a futon style or a fold out bed with a sprung base, if this is something you are interested in purchasing for the nursery or guest room head over now to see some examples of sofa bed and guest bed choices. 

Of course, giving up ones own bed is just not an option for some. It is understandable, maybe your guest isn’t close family, or perhaps you just don’t like the idea of somebody else in your bed, whatever the reason, it’s normal, and not a problem. Just bring baby’s cot into your bedroom, not forgetting to stock up on an evening with essentials out of the nursery so your guest isn’t disturbed!  As long as your guest has a comfortable bed and warm room to sleep in while they are visiting, the choice is yours as to which room they have.

Christmas is a time for friends and families and if you are anything like me, you love a house full of people and I do everything possible beforehand to make sure that we all enjoy the festive season. Dont put too much pressure on yourself, bear in mind the guest is there to visit you and your family, as long as they are made to feel comfortable and welcome, the whole household will have a very merry Christmas!

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In the last 24 hours I have become a bit addicted to Pinterest. I found this, it needs no further words.

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Today is Thanksgiving.

This is the American holiday of Thanksgiving which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. We all know that in Britain, it's not an official holiday but lots of American expats and tourists, as well as their friends and relatives, like to mark the occasion by coming together to eat a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Its origin dates back to1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It has been an annual holiday ever since.

So why am I sitting here in the cold and windy UK, talking about Thanksgiving when it isnt even a holiday we celebrate. Our American friends think Thanksgiving is a perfect time to stop for a moment once a year and remember to give thanks. It's a time to be grateful for one's health, family, friends, job, home and having food on the table, so if this blog posts inspires you to do one thing, be thankful for the great things that surround you.

I know that at this time of year, families worry about Christmas time for a plethora of reasons, from keeping everyone happy to having enough money to buy that "perfect" gift and the ideal Christmas card for your friends and family.  Although, you dont need to worry about finding a great card with the selection available at Hallmark UK. The holiday season is so much more than finding the right present, its about having the time to spend with your loved ones, having some time to yourself and having some have fun. 

I have my health, my beautiful family, fantastic friends and amazing and exciting opportunities ahead, so today I will be thankful.

Are you?