gwod

but we'd love to get > an Ideal Family Home for Baby Baldock, because he > deserves the best of the best of the best. ....sounds to me as though he's already got one....:)

Now I'm a parent, I find that some songs seem to be enitely relevant to how I feel about my children - in the same way as chart hits, when I was a teenager, seemed to be written specifically about my feelings. For example, at the moment, this though cheesey, is exactly how I feel about my beautiful, pre -teenage daughter. Are there any songs that make you a bit weak at the knees for your children...?

...your'e not planning to get on one of those things any day soon are you Fuschia!!!! :-S

I quite understand how a computer isnt the way to go for him but I wonder if the Ipad would be better - it feels so different to a computer, that in my experience, older people are more comfortable using it. Its really designed for communication and fun and therefore has less conotations of complication and work...perhaps he could have a go on one for a couple of days to see how he gets on...also his grandchildren would love it if they are visiting and would be able to "help" him with all the apps etc.

I made one last year. Mine was just round, and pink but I stuck those florists buuterflies in the top of it that come on long wires Like these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/12-RED-VELVET-BUTTERFIES-GLITTER-FLORIST-CRAFT-/270483706896?pt=UK_Crafts_Embellishments_SM&hash=item3efa15d410 (one for each guest at the party - the long wire allows them to wobble and flutter above the cake which worked out very well.

I found that listening to this helped... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C18tIlNLRCk

Poor you. Ive always felt that "failure to thrive" was an emotive and unhelpful turn of phrase, especially when "small" would do the job just as well. I wanted to add that the first few weeks of weaning really can feel a bit like a pointless excersise - even for the hungriest of babies - they can take quite a long time to get the hang of it well enough to derive any nutrition, so dont lose hope. Also, I agree with Keef, Katgod etc that seeing that yor baby is bright and perky, and meeting reasonable developmental milestones is prob a better indication of health than lbs and oz alone. Hang in there.

louisiana Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Which reminds me, I have a small oak-ling (9 > inches) starting in my fruit bed. I obviously need > to transplant it (2 metres from the house, 9 > inches from a wall) but I'm just wondering what is > the best place... I have a 40 year old Oak tree in my garden, (which is beautiful) about 50 feet from the house (my neighbours remember it being planted) and it is pulling my house to pieces!!!! I have to get it cut back every other year to try to keep in under control at great expense, so I would advise planting something else of more domestic proportions unless you have a really big garden. How about releasing the Oak tree into the wild with a bit of guerilla gardening.....

I think that this is OK, as long as its not the only way that literacy is delivered. All 4 of my kids have gone to Half moon (one is still there) and I have found that the kids experience books in a whole variety of ways there, (...reading all together, reading in small groups or one to one, acting out stories, making up they stories themselves from the pictures, listening to CDs of the story etc etc.) Sometimes, when they have a book that is their "project for the week" the kids hear a story lots of times, so it is prob better to have it delivered in different ways. I think they particulary use the CD's at pick up time as the staff are interupted a little bit a home time by the children leaving ( you know...wanting to hug the teacher, find their stuff, accientally standing on their friends toes as they get off the carpet, "I cant find my coat!" etc etc!) and I suppose it may be better for those kids whose parents havnt come yet to have an ongoing CD story rather than a disjointed one read by the teacher. But if it is bothering you you should go and have a chat with them, as at these early stages its important that you feel you are getting the education you expected.

Thanks for posting, its good of you to want to help us to avoid your friend's horrible experience.

Poor you, what a unsettling situation to be in. I really empathise with the feeling of helplessness one can feel postnatally in hospital - however I wanted to add that if you did have an elective c/s at 38 weeks, whether or not it was under general aneasthetic, your hosp stay could well be better that you invisage as you pretty much know what your medical needs will be before the procedure and can therefore envisage and prescribe, to some extent, your expectations and treatment afterwards. (unlike some, more "standard" births) If you had a general, you would also be kept on High dependancy ward for at least one day and night where there is one midwife between 2 ladies which is very comforting ( and very quiet) for the initial part, and in my experience (on 2 of my 4 C/s) were the best of my post birth hospital stays. If this is the route you take ask to have a look at that part of the hospital as I really feel it may help put your mind at rest a little Difficult time though - I wish you the very best.

Penguin68 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It is highly unscientific, but my impression of ED > autumn colour this year (vide the comment on the > plethora of berries) is that it is more vivid and > vibrant, particularly the reds, than I can > recently recall. This may be because more acers > etc. are now planted in roads and front gardens > but even then I can remember these being quite > disappointing in the past. Some roads have an > almost New England air about them, particularly > when the sun catches the leaves. You are right - this is an autumn of spectacular colours - apparently due to unusual weather patterns this year http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/autumn-2010-a-golden-vintage-2122608.html. ...but also I think I just appreciate it more as I get older!!!

I agree with your mum, it may be time to stop. If your daughter is fidgety during the feed the chances are that she is not feeding so well as before or even deriving the pleasure that she once did from it, and if she is hurting you it is prob not the bonding experience it once was (not that you prob need any further help with that!) Giving up seems a very hard thing to do emotionally because it means taking away something that you would gladly give them if they needed it, and always in the back of your mind you guiltity wonder if they still do. And of course it marks the end of their babyhood which can be very hard for the mum (it was for me, especially with my youngest as I knew I would have no more to feed). I am not part of the non breastfeeding lobby, and would completely support your choice if you decided to go on, but to me it sounds as though the time has come. Best of luck - whatever you choose to do will work out fine!

It worked - Crispin has his parcels - How I love this forum!

Will return to send in a couple of days if I dont hear from you.

This reminds me very much of a story I heard John Suchet tell on Woman's Hour about his wife getting lost at an airport during what turned out to be the early stages of dementia. It is available here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sfhs4 However, I do hope that it was just a vacant moment - very best of luck.

Us too - It was expensive but it's easy to use and has completely stopped unwanted interlopers. I think it makes my namby pamby cats more confident too as they seem to know they've got a really safe place to go if the territorial battles in the garden get too much for them.

Getting tiny fingers into tiny gloves is just too hard and is a recipe for stress - mittens all the way for me. Even better - mittens on strings through the arms of the coat are genius. There's something great about seeing them toddle about with them dangling down. Also they can put their own mittens on and off themselves with no fear of them getting lost.

Tucans! holy cow, that trumps my Pelican. Please post a photo if you ever get the chance.

..that sounds like me Pickle, I think I started parking over that side as having to jostle with non-child people for the mother and child places made me so grumpy... and that's before before I even got into the store!!

I do wonder though... (and please don't shoot me down too much - this is just in the spirit of discussion) whether we really need larger spaces AND to be close to the store. I agree that getting kids out of the car can be hard in a narrow space, but do we really deserve to be nearer to the shop than everyone else? I would be happy with larger spaces further away, (which may make them less apealling to the other shoppers and may make it easier to keep the correct trolleys nearby) and leave all those who feel strongly about being right near the front door to fight it out between themselves. Ive never felt worried about the safety aspect - even when I was taking all 4 children, just took sensible steps (like handholding) as you would in any road-type situation. Now, please be gentle with me:-S, this is the family room after all, we're good a open discussion ar'nt we...!?!

Look - lots of UK sightings of Great White Pelicans in the UK http://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=15001 I think I'm convinced. So we've got Pelicans and Parakeets, what next? Lyre birds and flamingoes? I can't wait!

Alex K, I agree, that's one of the reasons that made me post it here - it would be a great thing to spot -or even to think you have spotted. Having trawled Pelican (and Heron) pictures with her since, this is the one she says is most like what she saw http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://techxplorerphotos.wordpress.com/files/2009/09/pelican-in-flight.jpg%253Fw%253D840&imgrefurl=http://www.xiongdudu.com/image/Australian_Native_Animals/9&usg=__1Ztqqfg7jZxkBAvJbCAVnO8xFKI=&h=493&w=640&sz=101&hl=en&start=111&zoom=1&tbnid=bCFNY3Mhyq2ZzM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=145&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpelican%2Bin%2Bflight%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1R2GPEA_en%26biw%3D1579%26bih%3D671%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C2124&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=290&vpy=195&dur=1360&hovh=197&hovw=256&tx=132&ty=122&ei=IEm_TPL_Ooa6jAeWnPm5Ag&oei=aEi_TKGTN5OD4QaU8P3sAQ&esq=2&page=5&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:111&biw=1579&bih=671 but much less black on the wings and beak more "rubbery and flappy" Keep your eyes peeled!

Ooh! Eloriac, please do cut and paste the article for us. Incidentally, the most recent sighting wthe "Pelican" was flying towards NW London, so towards St James's

Yes, I keep saying it must be a heron (we see those quite often) but she is quite adamant, (though not necessarily right!!!) She described it as white with a beak that is "rubbery and flappy at the bottom" (!). I think I am just hoping she was right as it would be a such great thing to spot. If the Pelicans in St James's are clipped then the pelican theory seems even more unlikely.