Quickest way to file?

Hi all,
I've been absent for a long while...had my baby last year and have just really been trying to survive since then.
Anyway, to make a long story short, my visa is up at the end of January and we've decided to move back home to the US. I know that we've not left ourselves a lot of time to get paperwork processed, but it was not exactly something we were expecting. I've got all the forms right here (I-130) and am getting ready to submit them, but am wondering which way might be faster: the USCIS Chicago Lockbox, or filing with the Embassy? I think I'd rather go the Embassy route, because we are an hour away from London and can get there fairly easily, but if our paperwork is going to come through faster, then I'd be fine sending it to Chicago.
I know that it's a long shot that everything is going to come through before I have to leave the country, but...I'm stuck now. The goal is to get the paperwork out by the end of this week, so if anyone has any information, I'd really appreciate it. This is such an overwhelming process, and I'm trying to wade through it one USCIS internet page at a time...

Thanks so much!

I think you should file through the embassy.  I am not sure of specific wait times for the USCIS offices, but when we went through the process 2 years ago, the consensus on the internet was that filing through the Embassy was the quicker route, so if you had the option that was the way to go.  The only time you have to go to the embassy will be for your husband's interview.  That would take place there regardless of where the process was initiated. 

You are probably cutting it close to getting it completed by Jan, but if you have the next step ready to go, each time you get approval for a stage then you could potentially do it.  Worse comes to worse, if you aren't interested in applying for ILR, you can always head home before your UK visa expires and wait for the greencard to be issued.  By that stage you should have a pretty good idea of when it will likely be approved.  The last stage of the process, the interview, really is only for the immigrant.  I went along for the ride, but they only asked questions to my husband.

Get them submitted ASAP to start the process.  I remember the embassy website having some sort of update on how long applications were taking based on submission dates.  Someone who has been through it more recently may be able to give you a better idea on timelines.  Ours took 5.5 months back in 2010. 

Thanks, I think the Embassy route is going to be our choice.

The more I'm looking at it, the more I get that sinking feeling that I may have to leave the country without him. I know I've got 28 days after my visa expires to leave without any consequences, and I definitely don't want to risk getting banned from coming back into the country for awhile. Applying for ILR is not really an option for us right now, which puts in between a rock and a hard place, as far as location.

I think I may have him apply for the K-3 visa after we get his I-130 submitted, just so that I don't have to take my son to the US by myself...

DCF filing is still much quicker than filing with the lockbox.  As far as I am aware, current processing times for the whole process (submission to visa issue) is at 6 months, as long as you are ready at each next stage.

I may be wrong but I think the K-3 option is going to be moot.  Last I was aware, the K-3 itself takes 6+ months, in which case you will then be finished with the whole DCF process.

Thanks all, I'm sending out the I-130 next.
Do you guys know if there's anywhere/a post that breaks down the different steps and what I should have ready for each one? Obviously I need to get all of this done ASAP, so if I can be as prepared as possible, that's probably going to help.

I may be wrong but I think the K-3 option is going to be moot.  Last I was aware, the K-3 itself takes 6+ months, in which case you will then be finished with the whole DCF process.

Dang it. That does not sound promising. Is there somewhere that I could check and see how long that one is going to take? I know there's no additional fee if you're already filing an I-130, so I'm wondering if we should file it "just in case"...sigh. It's looking more and more like I'm going to have to take DS back to America with me while we wait for DH and I HATE that idea.