HollieES

Dr Cliffe at the Gardens is great. Definitely recommend.

So, not sure if I'm the only one with a toddler who seems to be outgrowing the Bugaboo Bee+...or so I thought. I've just been looking through the manual and discovered that you can adjust the backrest, adding quite a lot of height to the buggy. Apologies if you bug owners already knew this, but for those who didn't I thought it would be worth sharing. Diagram attached - it's very simple to extend, and now I can actually pull the hood down without decapitating my son, which is handy.

We had my son's first birthday at the Florence in Herne Hill. You don't have to pay to hire an area, and they have a great children's play room out the back. Would definitely recommend.

Useful: Nappies & wipes Muslins (you can never have too many) Sudocrem John Lewis vouchers Food (something like a nice homemade lasagne that they can just put in the oven) Luxury: A massage or a facial? Dr Boo are great if she's local to ED. Any nice creams that will make her feel lovely....or a YSL touche eclat (God send for tired eyes!) A lovely box of chocolates...Paul A. Young chocs are the best I've ever had, and super special for a new mum. Or if you want to buy a gift for the new baby, there's a lovely website called http://www.noonoodesign.com who make gorgeous organic comfort blankets that you can have embroidered with the baby's name & date of birth. A lovely keepsake and babies love them.

Looking for recommendations for a villa or apartment to hire in Spain for 10 days next September. We are a couple with a toddler, so looking for something family friendly, preferably with a pool (shared or private) and not too far from Malaga airport. Ideally somewhere on the coast between Malaga and Marbella. Any recommendations for areas around there also gratefully received. Thanks in advance forumites.

Second shout for the ergo - I used mine a lot from around this age and can still carry my hefty 21 month old in it comfortably. You're welcome to try mine out for a day if you'd like to. Hollie

I've taken my 20 month old to Tumble Tots since he was 6 months and he's really enjoyed it, although more so when he became more active and started walking. If you start with their gymbabes class there's song/circle time at the beginning at end of the class which is really nice, then free play on all the equipment in between. The staff are really enthusiastic and encouraging of the children and there are lots of hoops, beanbags, sticks to play with as well as climbing stuff. If your little one is walking then they'll probably get more out of I'd say. Plus I think it's pretty good value for money compared to Gymboree which seems a bit pricey.

Thanks both, I really appreciate your thoughts on it. I think I'll start by reducing the milk...I'm a little less reluctant to give that up rather than precious daytime sleep! ;)

My 20 month old son has always been a great sleeper. He has always gone to bed at 7.30 and has woken up at 7am at the earliest. For the last month or so though, he's been waking up at 5am wanting milk - he'll have a bottle and then go back to sleep (most of the time!) until around 7am. He still has milk in the morning and before bed (260ml each) and often asks for it during the day (where I try and encourage him to eat food instead). Basically he loves milk and I know he finds having a bottle very comforting (he won't drink it out of a beaker or cup). Food wise he is not a fussy eater, but doesn't eat loads. Typically he'll have porridge/weetabix/cheerios for breakfast at 8.30am, he sleeps from 11am-1pm, has lunch around 1.30pm, normally a sandwich or scrambled eggs/beans on toast (this is the meal he's least interested in because he'd rather be playing). He'll then have tea at 5.30pm - something warm like spaghetti/fish fingers & vegetables or normally whatever I've cooked for us the night before. He'll make a better effort with this meal but still isn't that interested. Sorry to ramble on with the details, but I'd just like some insight as to where I'm going wrong really... Is he having too much milk and not actually filling up properly (hence he's hungry at 5am)? Should I be trying to cut a bottle? If so, how do I do this when he enjoys it so much? Should I be offering him food all day in the hope that he'll eat more? Or do you think it's not food related and he just needs less sleep in the day? I think it's worth mentioning that he's a very healthy, active toddler. We're at the park at least twice a day and he does loads of walking & running around so I don't think it's a question of him not burning off his energy. Any advice much appreciated. Thank you! Hollie x

Take South Circular (A205) to A2, A2 to M25, over Dartford Crossing (?1.50) and then M25 to M11 up to Stansted. Takes about 1hr 15min with no traffic.

Andy has just put two large pictures up for us and I can highly recommend him. Did a great job, very friendly, on time and very reasonable - highly recommended. Thanks Andy.

Thanks. Anyone know if baby boosters is on today?

Hiya, if it is hayfever, you can now get Piriton syrup over the counter for babies over 1: http://www.boots.com/en/Piriton-Syrup-150ml_11327/

Just wondered if anyone has any experience of football groups for toddlers? My son is almost 18 months old and my other half is keen to get his 'football career' underway...ahem. I'm indulging him purely on the basis that my son will probably find it fun, but primarily, that I will get an hour or so to myself on a Saturday morning. I've just been looking at Little Kickers, but they only seem to do classes for the older groups in Dulwich, or weekdays for little ones in Balham. Ideally I'm looking for a class on a Saturday/Sunday morning, preferably within a 10 mile radius of ED. If anyone can recommend anything suitable, that would be smashing.

Hiya...I was wondering about this, but have since learned that the strap isn't meant to go under the seat of the bee. This is a universal footmuff, designed to fit all models, and this strap is only for using it with the Chameleon or Frog models. With the Bee+, you just hook it over the buttons underneath the hood. Hope that helps, H x

My mother-in-law is German and looks after our 13m old son 1-2 days a week. She is interested in meeting other German-speaking grandparents in the area who are also looking after little ones, for coffee/walks etc. Please PM me if interested.

Second vote for the ergo - I use it for my 13 month old son and could carry him all day in it. Really worth the investment as you can use it up to 40lbs.

Thanks everyone. We already do tumble tots on a Thursday and I've just booked a taster session for sing & sign. Will try out the soft play too.

Happy New Year all. Just wondered if anyone can recommend groups/classes for my 13 month old son? He likes making a racket and running around, so preferably something that would stimulate him...and make a change from rhymetime! I know there's plenty on, would just like to hear people's experience of this age group, as I feel we're entering toddler territory now. Thanks in advance.

Thanks ladies, very helpful x

Just wondering what people's experience is with milk when your baby reaches a year. I'm debating whether to just give him whole cow's milk, or to give him Growing Up milk (formula). He eats really well and has a good balanced diet, so I'm happy that he's getting all of his vitamins and minerals, therefore it's more a question of cost really...is it cheaper to buy gallons of whole milk or boxes of formula? Also, am I meant to be giving him his milk in a cup/beaker at this age, or is he still okay having it from a bottle? He only has milk morning and night now - none in the day. All advice gratefully received. Thanks Hollie

Hi everyone This is a long shot I know, but our Vespa scooter has been stolen from outside our house and I'd like people to keep an eye out. It is a Piaggio Vespa ET4 125 in dark green with a black leather seat. Registration W618 YGJ. It was parked on Barry Road between Silvester Road and Goodrich Road and was stolen sometime between 4.30pm yesterday (Saturday 22nd) and today at 6pm. If anyone has any information, please PM me or email [email protected] Many thanks Hollie

These posts are so funny - love it! Particularly love the idea of having office wheely chairs around the dining table. That's genius. Speaking of dance classes, when I went to playschool the 9 girls did a aerobics/dance routine wearing leotards and waving towels above our heads. The 8 other girls were wearing uniform red sleeveless, legless leotards with sweet little white legwarmers and they had white towels. Obviously my mum, on another originality streak, was having none of this, so dressed me up in a long sleeved, long armed YELLOW leotard, with black and yellow striped legwarmers and a lime green towel. I looked like I was doing some kind of hazardous waste removal. Awful. Another time, my mum had gone out so dad was looking after me on his own. I was about 7 and decided to restyle my hair, but got the round brush stuck in it. I think I got quite upset, so my dad came in and CUT THE BRUSH OUT OF MY HAIR, leaving me with random stumps. A strong look for a 7 year old. Still, at least it was original.

I was quite fond of fancy dress. I desperately wanted to be a princess, or something with glittery wings, or anything pink involving a dress. My mum had other ideas. She wanted me to be "original" so one year I got dressed up as Noddy. Yes, Noddy, you know - the one with the blue shorts and the weird hat. I remember that the local newspaper came to our school to take a photo...a bunch of girls dressed as Cinderella or the like, the boys dressed as various superheroes, and Noddy. In the next episode, I was dressed up as a dice. Unfortunately, my mum hadn't factored in doorways when plonking a giant cardboard box over my head, so I couldn't manoeuvre from room to room without stripping down to my vest. The fairies did not have this problem. Thanks mum.

Good to know. To be honest, it doesn't really seem to bother him, he's happy to carry on bashing about even if he sounds like darth vader. My parter had asthma in his twenties but hasn't suffered in the last ten years, so I'm hoping it's just something that passes and our son grows out of. Apparently it can arise in seven year cycles? Thinking of trying a humidifier when his chest is bad. Is that something you tried Jenny?