bobby's bear

Hi all, We are thinking about a bit of winter sun in Feb now the weather has turned gloomy. For the past two years we have been to Playa Blanca in Lanzerote which we really enjoyed but next year we are looking to venture to a new island. I am looking for location suggestions. We have a 2yo and 4yo and so looking for a low key resort, nice beach, few places to eat, some nearby day trips etc We would prefer to rent a villa so don't need suggestions of specific accomodation just areas to go to (unless you can recommend a villa!) Thanks in advance.

I have used Lorraine based off Nunhead lane for three years to look after both of my girls. We have been delighted with the love and care she's shown them treating them like her own. I don't think you could ask for better childcare! She can be contacted on 07535 038050 or PM me for more information.

Tee hee otta I was waiting for someone to reference the adult activities recommended!

Your units look lovely pickle. Where are they from?

The big room downstairs at the Albrighton is ?60 for 2 hrs party plus half an hour setting up and clearing and ?100 with soft play too including a bouncy castle.

We add frozen berries after it's cooked which cools it down instantly and turns the porridge a nice colour!

If you want help with revamping your wardrobe I would totally recommend sally from queen bee styling. Thanks to her I have new clothes I feel confident and stylish in which make me feel good about myself and less like a frumpy mummy. She was well worth the money.

What about trying a reward chart though at 2.5 she might be a bit little to get the concept, but something bright and simple she can put a sticker on on the morning if she has stayed in bed all night with a small reward say at the end of a week.

We have been using our childminder lorraine based on kimberley avenue for the past 3 years and would recommend her unreservedly. Pm me if you want her details.

We went the last week in October a few years ago and got beuatiful weather, 25 ish in the day, warm sea, just a bit cool once the sun went down. Think we might have got lucky though!

We're also thinking about this to acheive a suitable ceiling height in the loft. Anyone who has had it done how awful / messy is the whole lowering process and how much time roughly did it add to the build?

I love yuor shoes and they are all my two wear so I'm delighted you are staying local. Are you going to be in Mable permenently? What days / hours are you likely to be there?

I got several in H and M yesterday for my 3yo, they came in packs of 2 for about ?6, though most of the packs were a stripy / spotty one teamed with a plain one.

My 1 yo has always been a fairly functional breast feeder and for the past few months has been down to two feeds a day (her decision not mine) Since the hot weather she has been refusing her morning feed and recently has started also refusing her bedtime feed most evenings. I have tried repeatedly giving her whole cow?s milk in a cup over the past month, warmed and cold but she spits it out and pulls a face. She gets a reasonable amount of cheese / yogurt in her diet. This is new ground for me as her 3yo sister was a breast milk guzzler until she was 1 and then happily took tons of cow?s milk in a cup (and still does!) I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can encourage her to take milk, or even if it matters that much at this stage! I am reluctant to go down the formula route especially as she is refusing breast milk anyway.

That's good to know Pickle, maybe I have one more baby in me then!

That's lovely BST though tear inducing! My sister in law assures me that every stage is 'the best' but all I see when I look at my niece and nephew is big teeth and greasy hair!

On the eve of my second's first birthday I am feeling all sad and nostalgic about how fast time is rushing past and how quickly my babies have got big. My eldest is almost 3 and she seems so grown up already! I love the baby / toddler stage despite its challenges, all the innocence, giggles, dribbly kisses and squashy cuddles, and from a very selfish point of view I love being so utterly depended on (most of the time) I am terrified of having teenage daughters and having to make hard decisions around giving them freedom vs. keeping them safe and how to ensure they don't have sex with the first boy that smiles at them! When I think about the mixture of contempt and embarrassment I felt about my mother it makes me feel really sad that it is inevitable at some point that they will hate me! So is the solution to keep on having babies!?

We are in your area and have terrible signal with EE too, it drops out constantly. Virgin use the EE network so it wont be any better sadly.

My daughter is almost 3 and still in a cot and says she doesn't want a 'big girls bed' so I am glad to see that is not totally abnormal!

Hi there, I have 23 months between my two and have always done bed and bath myself. The short answer is IMO there is no easy way in the early days, espec if the baby is crying alot in the evenings. I used to feed the baby when no 1 was in bath and during stories and worry about getting baby 'ready for bed' after no 1 had gone down. Baby didn't really have any bed time routine til about 5/6 months and then it got easier. I also (heart breakingly) ended up putting the baby downstairs if she was fed / winded etc but still crying as I found she was disrupting the toddlers settling down. Also baths slipped by the way a bit and no 1 prob only got bathed 2-3 x per week when I was feeling strong enough and to be honest that is still the way. I also found we had to start 'bedtime' earlier. Also getting PJ's / nappies / towels etc laid out ready in advance helps. So the long and the short of it is I felt it was a bit of a 'grit your teeth and get on with it' few months, but it does get easier and now 10 months on I have getting two to bed down pat(most of the time!!) and both are usu tucked up asleep by 7 :o)

I have seen on the BBC today that a motion has been tabled in parliament for parents of summer borns to be able to choose when they start school without losing a place in reception. This is based on the evidence of long term disadvantages that summer born babies can face at school. Here is a link to the motion http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/213 The suggestion is that if you agree with this to ask your MP to sign the motion.

My 2y8mo has been a great sleeper since she was about 1yo, however over the past month or so she has started waking 2-3 times per night and crying out for me. Usually all I have to do is go in and rub her back and she settles straight back to sleep but it still means I'm up! I have tried leaving her for a bit but it usually escalates to her shouting 'I want mummy' over and over and I end up going in as I worry she will wake my 9mo too. Coupled with this she has also been howling and clinging to my leg everytime I drop her at childcare even though she has happily gone there for almost 2 years. She is always happy when I pick her up and the childminder says she is fine within minutes of me leaving. She is also demanding to be carried all the time and always wants to sit on my lap esepcially at meal times. She seemed to have adjusted well to her sister and does get tons of attention on the days she is at home with me. Anyway the night wakings are getting to me (espec as baby is often up for the day at 0530) and it is really upsetting to leave her howling at the childminders so I really want reassurance she will settle, and or tips on things I could do differently.

We (2 yo and 9 mo) often combine a post nap trip to grove vale library (open til 7pm) with a coffee / hot chocolate at Blackbird which is usually deserted at 4pm ish and so you can get the sofa, and it is open til 7pm too.

It's my understanding that the legal requirement for them to be schooled starts when they turn five, so you only have the right to hold them back until then.

We were at Brockwell Park this morning and the gates were locked and no water, the toilets in the playground were also locked which was a bit rubbish!