Knomester

My son (now 26 months) has a doll called Bob who he adores (one of these: http://www.imajo.co.uk/products/1/15/rag_doll_tom/) and which his Nana bought for him when he was small. Bob has a buggy, several sets of clothes (including a little apron made by Nana), a sling and a bed (mine which my Grandad made when I was a little girl). Bob isn't always in favour, but there are times when the two of them are inseparable. They 'share' food, play together, cuddle, play outside, etc and sometimes Bob does the things Baby Knomester knows he shouldn't be doing like throwing sand around the garden... Just for context, Baby Knomester is a little boy who is happiest charging around outside in the park or the woods, poking things with big sticks, jumping in mud and puddles, playing his toy piano, kicking balls (imaginary ones if there isnt a real one to hand!), playing with trains, cooking in his kitchen, building dens, dancing in his bedroom (usually in the dark?!), making tea with his tea set and above all reading books. I think given a full range of things to play with all children will just choose what grabs their attention, regardless of gender.

Like you anna_r, we were checked by several midwives and doctors who unfortunately were not trained to spot a tongue tie. It was only after a desperate call to Clare Kedves (there were many tears - it's a wondered she could tell what I was saying!) that we were seen, and Baby Knomester diagnosed, the next day. The good news is that we did manage to breastfeed until he was just over 18 months old.

I can't find the sugar free flapjack recipe I came across recently, so I'll just have to get my apron on over the next week or so to test my recipe again! I'll try to post it soon...

Sweetcorn Fritter Recipe (can be adapted to use other veg) (makes approximately 25 mini or 10 large sweetcorn fritters) Ingredients 325g tin naturally sweet sweetcorn (no added sugar or salt) or equivalent of frozen sweetcorn, defrosted 2 tbsp self raising flour 1 egg 1 tbsp whole milk vegetable oil (for frying) Method Preheat the oven to 180 C. Drain and rinse the sweetcorn. Put the flour, egg and milk into a mixing bowl. Blitz together with handheld stick blender to form a thick batter. Add approximately half of the drained sweetcorn and blitz again until the sweetcorn is mixed into the batter. Add the remaining whole sweetcorn kernels to the batter and mix well using a spoon. Heat the frying pan over a medium heat. Add a little oil (enough to lightly coat the surface of the pan). Drop a teaspoonful of the batter into the frying pan and then repeat until you have filled the pan (for bigger fritters try using a dessert spoon as a measure). Fry for approximately 1-2 minutes on each side until the fritters are golden brown. Repeat the process until you have used up all of the batter. You may need to add more oil to the pan for each batch. Transfer the cooked fritters to a baking tray and put them into the oven for 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the fritters) to ensure that the egg is cooked through. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and leave to cool. Once cool, the fritters can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for 24 hours or transferred to a freezer bag / plastic tub and frozen. To reheat, either place on a baking tray and bake at 180 C for approximately 5 minutes or heat from frozen in the microwave on full power for 10-20 seconds until heated through. Tips - If you are making these fritters for a baby who is only just being introduced to finger foods you could blitz all of the sweetcorn into the batter rather than leave half of the kernels whole. - You can make these fritters in any size you like. The mini ones are great for snacks when you're out and about or topped with mashed avocado or cream cheese for tea. Or try making bigger ones for babies and toddlers who like to feed themselves at teatime or to share as a family (we like them served with a chunky avocado, tomato & chilli salsa salad!).

Sorry...away for the weekend at my parents' with Baby Knomester! I'll post fritter recipes next week. My flapjack recipe needs some more work, but I have a link to one that should be OK at home so will dig out and post it on here when I'm back in ED.

Hello Fmm. Although Baby Knomester isn't dairy intolerant, his Daddy can't have milk and I'm not a huge fan so we eat lots of meals that are dairy free. If you'd like me to email you some of our recipes (many of which are good for family meals as well as baby) then feel free to PM me your email address.

OK folks. A lovely woman at Travel Assistance has booked us seats on the train (partly because I am still getting over this labyrinthitis). So we're all set for our trip to visit Nana & 'Pa. They confirmed on the phone that you can buy a family railcard whatever age your child is and use it so long as you buy a ticket for the child you are travelling with (whatever their age). They just don't advertise it... Wish I'd known!

Thanks Jessie. If I'd know before I booked my ticket that I couldn't reserve a seat for Baby Knomester and that i could buy and use a family railcard for a child under 5 then I'd have done just that! But I've booked a non-refundable / no changes type of ticket and am stuck with that for this journey.

Thank you TE44 - too late on this occasion but I'll know for next time!

It says you're eligible for the railcard if you have at least one child 5-15 years old and they travel with you. Maybe I shouldn't have been so honest!!!

I normally don't have a problem travelling around with Baby Knomester and people are usually so helpful, but this is 2 hours on an awful pendolino train when I'm recovering from labyrinthitis... I just need to know that we will both have reserved seats in case I feel ill, especially because the boarding time at Stockport won't allow for anyone to help me onto the train with all of our stuff. I'm not surprised that you drive with 3 little ones Mellors!

Thank you both. Mellors - I looked into the Family Railcard option before booking but you have to confirm that you have a child over 5 before buying which I can't to because Baby Knomester is only 2. It seems so ridiculous. Do they actually expect a 2, 3 or even 4 year old to sit on their parent or carer's knee for the whole journey? I'd rather have the option of paying a nominal amount just for a seat reservation! Fmm - I have found the number for travel Assistance and will try them next. If all else fails I'll speak to them when I arrive at Stockport tomorrow and try to at least reserve for the journey home. If all else fails I guess I'll have to upgrade to 1st class when I board the train on Sunday and pay the ?15 (which is a bit of a kick in the teeth when I've already laid out ?65 for the return journey...no cheap tickets travelling on a Friday / Sunday!). I'm not quite sure how I am supposed to manage an energetic 2 year old, buggy and all of our bags to wander up and down a train to find unreserved seats!

Just resurrecting this thread as I find myself travelling up to Manchester with Virgin this weekend with my toddler. We're leaving tomorrow morning (when it should be quietish) but travelling back from Stockport (first stop out of Manchester) at 2pm on Sunday (usually pretty busy and train already quite full as most people board at Manchester). I have bought my ticket and they have given seat reservations. I don't have to buy a ticket for my toddler as he is just over 2. I've called to try and reserve 2 seats together as a back up to be sure that we have somewhere to sit together (there is no way he could sit on my knee for the whole 2 hour journey or stay in his buggy). Virgin are refusing to book him a seat as he has no ticket and won't change my seat reservation unless I pay ?10. Has anyone come across this and/or managed to reserve 2 seats (1 for ticket holder and 1 for child under 5 travelling free)? Thanks

Ooops...clearly have food on the mind. Dutifully edited!

I agree wholeheartedly with Ted Mex and Sidhue. We enjoy the woods for unstructured nature play with our toddler and friends.

Thanks nikki73. My recipe ideas come out of my head! Fritters are super quick and easy to make. If you send me your email address by PM I'd be happy to email you a basic recipe. I've not got my sugar free flapjack recipe to hand because I've been working on improving it, but I should have it ready in a couple of weeks. Plain popcorn is a favourite snack in our house too, I'm just never sure how filling it is unless eaten in huge quantities! Keeps my toddler occupied for ages though so I'll be packing a bag of it to take on our train journey up north tomorrow...

In addition to those already mentioned, I also found some nice (and affordable) things in Next, JoJo Maman Bebe, Gap and Mamas & Papas (they do good deals when the sales are on). Also New Look for cheap basics like tracksuit bottoms for around the house, leggings, bump bands, etc.

Agree with all of Fuschia's suggestions! Also fritters are great as they travel well and are just as good eaten cold (e.g. sweetcorn fritters, courgette & cheese, pea and feta, spiced carrot & spinach, etc). In the same way, little falafel or patties (sweet potato & chickpea or spicy beans) work quite well. They can all be made in advance in bulk and then frozen. To vary cheese scones you could try adding grated root veg (e.g celeriac) and spring onions or some herbs. They also freeze really well and can be defrosted quickly in the microwave. Savoury muffins or mini muffins? Cheese biscuits are an alternative to the organix biscuits you mention. You can make and freeze the dough and then slice off as many as you need and bake them fresh the night before. You can also make flapjacks without any added sugar or sweetener using bananas and pureed dried fruit for example. Would they pass the 'no unhealthy choices' rule?

You could try JoJo - I've bought them in there before (although not for some time).

Here it is Bonfire2010 - http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,570543,580290 I hope your friend and her baby are OK. If she has any questions please feel free to contact me via PM and I'll try my best to help.

We have the ones with the magnetic keys, but when the cupboard doors are open when we're all in the kitchen, Baby Knomester goes around switching them to the 'unlocked' setting..! Also because we've stuck them (rather than screw them into the wood), he has pulled all of the doors so hard that most of the locks (or parts of them) have fallen off. I have to smile - I do love the way they work these things out...

There was a thread about this recently: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,926757,926994#msg-926994 We took baby Knomester to GK on Melbourne Grove which was recommended in the thread and they took the time to cut his hair properly (although they didn't seem to understand that a 2 year old might not be able to sit in a certain position for a long time...). They would have blow dried it too if Baby Knomester wasn't so terrified of hairdryers!

Cupboard locks didn't last 5 minutes in our kitchen... How they do it amazes me. We gave up on stairgates for the same reason. Thankfully he can't open our windows (yet) but I did notice the other day that with the aid of one of his many climbing tools (basically anything he can manoeuvre to stand on) he could be out of the front door in a flash. Time to keep the front door deadlocked during the day. Thankfully he doesn't try to play with (or eat) things like dishwasher tablets. Perhaps because he helps with everything around the house so knows what they're really for? Who knows, but it reminds me I must move the bleach out of the bathroom as that's only a matter of time (childproof lids are not so childproof...).

I'm not a big fan of going out for a Sunday roast as they never seem to live up to what you can cook at home, but sometimes it's nice not to have to cook! I like The Paxton in Gipsy Hill because it serves a good roast and is also family friendly with plenty of highchairs. The Victoria is also child frindly and has a separate play room for when little ones need space to run around. I've not had a roast there for a long time but they used to be quite good. Maybe the new Cherry Tree (what was The Vale) might be worth a try?

Mandy, you're welcome to give our beco gemini a try when we meet up next Friday morning - remind me to bring it with me. I still carry Baby Knomester in it and he was 2 last week. Otherwise there is a sling library where you can try them and you can hire from Slumberoo to try them out before you buy.