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Mum gives birth at home on Christmas Day before going downstairs to open presents
Anastasia Glancey went into labour in the early hours before delivering a little girl with an appropriately festive name
Ruby DaviesSenior Live News Reporter
Anastasia Glancey with husband Jason and their new born daughter River
Proud parents Anastasia Glancey and Jason Glancey had an extra special present arrive at their home on Christmas Day - a baby daughter with an appropriately festive name.
Mum Anastasia was at home with Jason and their three-year-old daughter Willow Wren when she woke at 1am on Christmas morning feeling uncomfortable, but unsure if she was having contractions.
However, it soon became clear that the 33-year-old was in labour and by 3am their little girl was making her entry into the world at Challinor Avenue in Leek.
And in a cute nod to her Christmas arrival, the couple named their daughter River Robin Glancey.
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After a quick trip to the hospital to get mum and baby checked over, the family were back in time to open presents and enjoy Christmas dinner.
Anastasia said: "I woke up at around 1am on Christmas morning to go to the loo as I was feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"River was originally due on December 25, but I'd had a scan and a due date was changed to December 21, so at that point she was four days late.
"I got back in bed and then the contractions started to come on. We had originally planned a home birth, but home births had been suspended due to covid. So we decided what happens, happens.
"My husband Jason took Willow to my sisters and within five minutes of him being back I was on the loo and had the uncontrollable urge to push, as I did my waters broke.
Anastasia Glancey, her husband Jason and their new born daughter River
"Within a few more minutes I had made my way back to bed and again had the urge to push. Jason told me to hold on, but I said 'she's coming'.
"All of a sudden I felt a little head appear. I felt another urge to push and told Jason to get ready to catch her.
"At this point Jason had called 999 for advice and was on the phone with the paramedics, but before they could give any advice she was here.
"As I felt that final surge I pushed and out came our little girl straight into her daddy's hands. He placed her straight on to my chest.
"It happened quite quick, she was born at 3.19am. It was my first home birth.
"After she was born we called my sister and she brought Willow over and she was able to meet her sister within 15 minutes of her being born.
River Robin Glancey and her big sister Willow Wren
"As soon as she saw her she came over, gently stroked her head, gave her the softest little kiss and held her little hand. It was so cute, she's obsessed with her.
"When Jason was on the phone he told the paramedics that baby had been born and they said they were going to send someone over to check baby and mum and they came within 15 minutes. It was a paramedic on his own and he was brilliant.
"He put a little hat on River and wrapped her up, then 10 minutes later another set of paramedics came and stayed with us until the placenta had been passed.
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"They were so excited and one paramedic said she had said the night before that it would make her Christmas if they see a baby born on Christmas Day. They all had pictures with River, it was really nice.
"I then had to go to the hospital for stitches, but by lunchtime we were back at home celebrating Christmas like it was a normal day.
"She's the most serene baby I've ever seen, so content and so at peace."
River was born weighing 8lb and 13oz.
Anastasia says it was magical but also terrifying to give birth at home.
Anastasia Glancey with husband Jason, their older daughter Willow and new born River
But she is extremely proud that she was able to do it and says husband Jason was also calm and supportive despite being very nervous.
The mum-of-two said: "It was really overwhelming.
"We wanted a home birth, but had been warned that it wasn't going to happen and it did happen.
"It was very emotional. I was terrified, but at the same time it was really empowering. I was massively proud of myself.
"Jason was quite nervous about it all. He held it together and was a lot calmer than I was. He might be taking up midwifery now.
"It was magical, it was everything I wanted it to be and more.
"The most memorable Christmas ever."
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A friend of mine has a young son ... and after being introduced to Star Wars, he is of course, compelled be a Jedi. Yep ... seven years old, but knows that this is his destiny - he must become one with the force.
One would think this would mean summer camp at Dagobah, hand stands, levitating rocks, etc, but apparently these days, Padawan training just means navigating the local Target until you find the toy section. No kyber crystal, no fabrication, no torture from a pint-sized, green smarta$$. The end result is a cheap hunk of plastic, which is not only too big for the Jedi Knight's/Sith Lord's hand, but also comes into physical contact with everything in the house ... lamps, walls, animals, people.
I decided to make a version with smaller hilt to fit his hand, and no blade to extend the life span of the family dog. Hopefully imaginative play hasn't been lost to the empire.
Since I've already made a wooden version of Luke Skywalkers ROTJ lightsaber, I switched things up and based this one on Qui Gon Jinn's design.
The main body of the lightsaber consists of two parts, which I refer to as a grooved core (3/4" dowel) and a partial outer sleeve (3/4" PVC). I started with the core, which requires for circumferential grooves towards the top and 12 slots through the middle and bottom.
My groove cutting method employed my small parts crosscut sled on the table saw. I used a Kreg miter slot stop block to set a definitive stopping point for the sled and set my desired blade height. My sled doesn't have an integrated ruler, so I temporarily attached a seamstress tape measure using clear packing tape. Lastly, I set the sled stop block for my starting point.
Note: I cut these grooves in a long length of dowel and cut it to final length afterwards ... that's how I keep my hands at a safe distance. I would NOT do this with a short dowel.
Note 2: If you are uncomfortable with this method in ANY way .. DON'T do it. Just draw them on or something.
The dowel is placed on the sled with a firm grip, sled advanced into the blade until it hits to the stop, dowel rotated until the groove is fully cut, and then the sled is backed out. The stop block is then moved over 5/16" and the process is repeated. This results in 1/8" wide grooves (size of the blade kerf) with 3/16" separation.
The slots are also cut using the sled and 5/16" spacing, but the miter slot stop is removed and the blade height is raised. In order to keep the dowel in a static orientation, I temporarily hot glued it to a block of plywood [Fig. 3 & 4].
Once all the slots were cut, the dowel was cut to its finished length of 6".
Qui Gon's lightsaber has elongated slots on the backside of this outer sleeve part, but I just went with series of randomly spaced holes. You could use a dremel and cut off wheel to turn the holes into slots.
I applied a strip of masking tape to the PVC and drew a vertical line down the length. A small V block kept the tube from rolling out of alignment while I drilled five 5/16" holes with a brad point bit.
The front side of the prop has a large cut out section. To achieve this, I started by using the crosscut sled on the table saw to establish the two end points. A dremel and cut off wheel were then used to make the lengthwise connecting cuts.
The top end of the outer sleeve is cut at a 45 degree angle. I made this cut with the sled, table saw, and an angled block of wood. A safer option would be to use a disc sander or oscillating belt sander to slowly shape the part.
I screw a peg into the dowel, which can be chucked up in my drill, then the dowel can be spun against a sanding machine of your choice. I used the oscillating belt sander, but it also work with a strip sander and/or disc sander. The peg is just a section of sprinkler tubing threaded onto the screw.
The 45 degree alignment is achieved by clamping a large speed square to the edge of the oscillating belt sander table and then using a board as a spacer to get the dowel in the field of the sanding belt.
Upon completion of the chamfer, the part is cut to desired length using the small parts sled on the table saw.
Two chamfered sections, as well as a straight section, were cut from a 1 1/4" dowel. Another straight section was cut from 3/4" dowel.
I marked the center of all the parts using my dowel center finder and then headed to the drill press. Some parts I chose to nest, while others use will be pegged. We'll just take them in order from bottom to top.
Bottom Cap [1 1/4" dowel - 5/8" length] - shallow 3/4" hole drilled into one face, using a Forstner bit.
Main Core [3/4" dowel - 6" length] - 1/8" hole drilled in the top face to receive a metal pin.
Mid Chamfer [1 1/4" dowel - 3/4" length with the chamfer spanning 5/16"] - 1/8" through hole for the metal pin.
Top Spacer [3/4" dowel - 1/2" length] - shallow 1/8" hole drilled in one face for the metal pin.
Top Chamfer [ 1 1/4" dowel - 5/16" length with the chamfer spanning 3/16"] - shallow 3/4" hole drilled into bottom face, using a Forstner bit.
Note: When drilling small parts with a Forstner bit, hold the part in a clamp, so that the torque of the drill press doesn't rip it out of your hand (it hurts).
This lightsaber has a pretty simple color scheme - black and metallic silver.
Aside from the top chamfered part, all wooden components are black. Because of the grooves, I didn't want to use spray paint - too much risk of poor coverage, drip, and runs. I opted for black leather dye - applied with a small brush and rag. Leather dye soaks in while providing great coverage, adds no perceptive thickness and dries relatively fast.
The stray wooden part and PVC sleeve were finished with metallic silver spray paint. I scuffed up the PVC with 120 girt sand paper and applied a coat of plastic primer prior to the paint.
The main core was glued into the bottom cap using wood glue, but everything else was done with epoxy for convenience since I was working with disparate materials (wood, metal, and plastic).
There was too much play in the 3/4" PVC over 3/4" dowel assembly, but it was easily resolved with electrical tape. I cut a strip in half lengthwise, wrapped one strip around the base of the 3/4" dowel, and wrapped a second towards the top where it would be concealed under the PVC. Once i had a snug fit, assembly resumed from bottom to top.
1. A small amount of epoxy was added to the bottom tape ring and then the PVC sleeve slid into place.
2. The metal pin was glued into the top of the main core.
3. Epoxy added to the bottom face of the mid chamfer and slid onto the metal pin.
4. Epoxy added to the face of the top spacer and slid onto the metal pin.
5. Epoxy added to the recess in top chamfer and slid onto the 3/4" spacer.
For the button at the top of the PVC sleeve, I used a cut of bolt head. An appropriate sized hole was drilled for the remaining shaft, epoxy added, and the bolt head stuck in place.
For what I think is the power switch within the bottom third, I used a plastic sprinkler system "goof plug." An appropriate sized hole was drilled about 1/4" deep, epoxy added, and the plug inserted.
The only left to do is fire up the imagination and remember not to sever your own fingers.
Aside from the groove cutting, it's relatively simple project, which can easily be made with scrap materials. It's fun, it's lightweight, and all of the fragile knick knacks will thank you.
I removable dowel/blade can be added if you drill a hole/socket into the top of the lightsaber. I did this with a 3/8" dowel in order to add special effects in post.


Dear Worried: You and your daughter are part-time partners in raising these young boys, and if you work together, you can establish good eating habits and patterns that will have a healthy impact on the whole family. With the family history of obesity that you relate, these children are vulnerable.
You should be understanding, respectful, and frank with your daughter concerning what you are seeing when the boys are with you. There are easy ways to reset eating habits with young children, by offering them healthy snacks, foods like hummus and yogurt to dip and slurp, fruit for "dessert," and by having them "help" at meal time.
It is never too early (or late) to introduce healthier practices at home, but remember to never criticize their mother's choices while the children are at your home.
A book you should consider having in your kitchen is, "Raising a Healthy, Happy Eater: A Parent's Handbook: A Stage-by-Stage Guide to Setting Your Child on the Path to Adventurous Eating," by Dr. Nimali Fernando and Melanie Potock (2015, The Experiment).
I am also a fan of The Berenstain Bears books. These fun, easy and colorful books gently convey important value-based lessons to children, and are perfect to share with a 3-year-old.
Your grandsons might enjoy "The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food," by Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985, Random House). Look for it while you're at your local library's story time.
Dear Amy: I am a graduate student and a founding member (as well as an officer) of an on-campus club dedicated to social justice and activism.
This newly-formed club has earned us high praise and recognition by our department and by the neighboring community.
I am happy to be a part of something bigger than myself.
I am having serious issues with our club president's superhero complex, however. She makes EVERYTHING about her ego and control, under the guise of doing so for everyone else's benefit.
She shows little respect for the rest of us in the club, dominating conversations, ignoring other's opinions, making decisions without putting it to a vote (which we agreed to do upon forming), and making us look foolish by undermining the rest of us publicly.
This group is about more than just her, and so I think I need to leave. I believe that others will probably follow me. I thought we could do some good work together.
I have spoken to others in the group and they all express feeling fed up.
How can we change the direction of this group? Or is it not worth the effort, since our president does not care what we have to say, anyway?
Dear No Time: If you have a faculty adviser, this would be a good issue to run past that person. The first thing should be to make your voice heard within the organization, speaking out in a meeting and following up with specific concerns in writing, and asking for action.
If you can't stage a semi-coup and legally force out this president, it might be best for you and your fellow activists to start a splinter group and strike out on your own. Consider it to be part of your learning experience, and redouble your effort to focus more clearly on your group's stated mission. Your university should have guidelines concerning how to create organization bylaws. Moving forward, keep your bylaws simple and build in a clear chain of command, along with a specific term for officers, as well as an apparatus for discussing these challenges openly.
Dear Amy: "Worried Stepmother" was upset about her stepdaughter's student loan debt.
In my own case, my student debt was held at a very low interest rate. It made sense for me to retire other debt first, and pay off my student loans at the lower and slower rate.
Dear Out of Debt: This is a smart take on debt reduction. Thank you.