Pickle

Mr Pickle was a mess when you'd finished with him last night HMB!

Would we be shunned if we came for a quick drink with dreaded children in tow? I promise they're well trained (they will sit quietly with iPads and crisps!).

I second the recommendation for Powerpramming - it's good fun, as tough as you want it to be, and a nice social way to exercise with our Mums. After each baby I've found just getting out and about and walking (fast) is great for getting back into shape - work it in with a nap time so that you can enjoy the fresh air while your baby sleeps in the buggy. Also jogging/running with the buggy if you're up to it, I've also, after having my 3rd baby, become quite a fan of exercise DVD's. in particular the more recent Davina ones (disclaimer, my friend is the producer, but they really are good), and for a short sharp tough workout the 30 Day Shred is great. I did it this morning and the 20 minute workout had me sweating more than my 45 min run the day before. Very tough but worth it. These days I try to get up early and do my exercise before the kids are up for the day - which means I can go for a run without the buggy which I much prefer. Have fun x

Here we go... http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1080519,1080519#msg-1080519

This was cringeworthy viewing, but I laughed a lot when Katie, having stated she disliked "location" names like Brookyn and Paris, then revealed she had a child called India. Class and brains don't necessarily go hand in hand. There are names I dislike, and am guilty of joking about, but there's a difference between that and actively preventing your kids from associating with children due to their names.

Just thinking about this more - part of the decision whether to use a nursery may come down to whether you are planning to return to work in the foreseeable future. I had already made the decision to be a stay at home Mum when I got pregnant with #2, which very much impacted my decision not to use a nursery.

Lots of school summer fairs are on this weekend

Nice to hear its worked for you making the switch! I too tell my kids that they might like something when they're older. 5 year old daughter has just had a broccoli breakthrough, having not really liked it for a few years ("ah Mummy, it's because I'm 5, that's why I like it now"). It does make life so much easier, and cheaper!

... also, a winner in our house are the jars of Wagamama stirfry/marinade sauces you can buy. The teriyaki one is my kids favourite dinner - if you marinate the meat in it for a few hours it goes lovely and tender, then quickly stirfry with some crunchy colourful veges. Yum!

I eat with the kids at 5:30/6ish, and hubby eats when he gets in from work/sports training at 7ish. It works for me to eat earlier as I often have to dash out the door at 7pm to go to rehearsals and don't get home again until after 10pm. In the weekends we all sit together and eat which is nice. Husband wouldn't dare complain about what he's served up, he knows he is on to a good thing having a home cooked meal waiting for him every evening! My son would be quite fussy given the chance, but he is old enough to understand how it works - if he wakes up hungry too bad, breakfast is at 7:30am. Mean, maybe, but it's what my Mum did, and we grew up eating (and eventually liking) pretty much anything. Snacks are limited to an after school biscuit and fruit at 3:30, but I don't let them have anything else pre-dinner. I vary what I cook, websites like BBC Good Food are good for inspiration. Good luck!

Mine get exactly what we eat, and have done from about the age of 1 year (they are 6.5, 5 and 17 months). Sometimes they are reluctant, but I'm in the "if you don't eat it there's nothing else" camp and its amazing how quickly they learn. This week we've had salmon with sweet chilli sauce, couscous and roasted peppers, roast chicken with potatoes and salad, quorn fillets with veg & rice. I don't make a big deal of it, and eat my meal with the kids most nights. If its something particularly spicy I will make theirs in a separate pan and alter the amount of chilli, but generally I don't change a thing. Sometimes I make meals that are more for the kids than for the adults - shepherds pie this evening for example. Maybe it's worth trying this approach?

I had a cleaner, definitely worth it if you can afford it, as it means in those precious moments you get to yourself you don't need to be rushing round trying to clean toilets!

I had that gap between my first two children, and spent the last part of my pregnancy worrying as everyone had an opinion, and the majority said I would need either help or a nursery place for #1. As we had no family to help, I half heartedly looked around some nurseries but couldn't bring myself to go ahead as felt too guilty about effectively pushing my oldest (still very much a baby) aside to make way for his sister. Once the baby arrived I was pleased I went with my gut instinct, as we very quickly got into a nice routine of going to playgroups etc where he could have fun, while I sat with the baby. From very early on, the baby was entertained simply by watching her brother, and they bonded very quickly once she was crawling and a bit more fun. I found loads of activities and groups that suited them both. They are now 6.5 and 5, and have a very close relationship. I found it helped that I had them both in routines, so every day after lunch they both slept for a couple of hours which was a total godsend. It gave me time to get dinner organised, sit and eat lunch, and grab a few minutes to myself. This continued until they were 2.5 and 4, at which point the younger one dropped her nap (son would probably still nap after lunch if given the option!). Hope that helps. I now have 3, but a gap of 3.5 years between my 2nd and 3rd children so a more relaxed time with just one baby at home while the others are at school.

I'm happy to lend you a 5 and 6.5 year old for a week :)

You've got loads of good ideas there! You could tie your river trip in with a trip across the river in the cable cars? The O2 is a good place to have a run about/refuel, and the cable car is pretty reasonable with an Oyster card. My kids loved it (were 4 and 6 at the time!).

Yes, we (I) stopped the dream feed very shortly after this age too, when she was fully established on solids during the day. Worth mentioning that daytime at that age she was having a small nap at 9am and a longer 2 hour one after lunch which she continues to have now (17 months), and my other kids kept having until they were 4 (son) and 2.7 (daughter).

... husband contributed by doing bath time when he was home in time, and he did (and still does) most of the child and baby related stuff apart from providing milk in the weekends.

A 7 months my baby was sleeping in her own room, fed at 7pm (bedtime), then a dream feed at my bedtime (typically 11pm or so). She used to be awake when I put her to bed, and would then sleep through from her dream feed until 7:30am. I did the same with all 3 kids and at that stage they were all going right through the night with no extra milk. Daytime at 7 months she would feed at breakfast time, mid morning, mid afternoon, and bedtime. P x

Oh no, it seems I'm not ready to have kids. Is it against the rules of the forum to put 3 of them up for sale?

Aah, I thought that might be the case. I haven't been for a central London afternoon tea for years, so no ideas from me. Hope you have a great time, wherever you go (lucky!)

In and around East Dulwich? If so, the most child friendly cafes I go to are The Dish & The Spoon (Cheltenham Rd, Nunhead, near Harris Girls school), and the Duck Egg cafe on Northcross Rd. P x

I had 17 months between my first two, so bath time was tricky. I used to perch on the side of the bath feeding the baby while attempting to stop the toddler from drowning, and then leave #2 crying while I got #1 ready for bed. I'm happy to report they are now well adjusted school children who show no obvious signs of damage ;) It gets easier, I promise. I now do bed/bath for 3 and its a breeze, big kids sort themselves out and read books while I put the little one to bed. Even hubby can do it single handedly!

One of the highlights in the alien show was when one woman visited a bloke who "scanned" people for implants left by the aliens. VoiceOver along the lines of "he has specialised equipment to carry out this task", then camera pans to a collection of cable finders that you can pick up at your local B&Q :)

Exploitation of unstable people aside, this was one of the funniest things I've watched for ages.

Exactly what I mean Chillaxed!