oimissus

I would buy normal pretty pants a size up. When Miss Oi was around 18 months and toddling my mum bought her some age 2-3 pants from Cath Kidston to wear over nappies, which owrked perfectly and at age 3.5 she's still wearing them. Though, to be honest, I think cropped leggings and a top are more practical summer wear, you can't slide properly in a dress, your legs stick to the slide. The weather's been so rubbish that Miss Oi hasn't worn just a summer dress without leggings yet this year!

we're looking around at the mo, and I've seen a few places with this, and it has put me off. I like to hang my washing out whenever possible and it would be a drag to have to lug wet washing (so heavier than dry) downstairs. Plus, it just feels wrong. (But I am a weirdo who hates ensuites and wooden blinds and no carpets in bedrooms, so feel free to ignore!)

we've been to quite a few with Miss Oi (now 3.5). Most recently we went to Igtham Mote in Kent which was lovely, good grounds for her to run around in. There's loads in Kent - you should have got the handbook with your membership, or their website is very good.

he may well be teething and a dose of Calpol isn't providing sufficient pain relief - on bad nights we would give a double whammy of Calpol and Calprofen, plus teething powder. Maybe give it a try - if it makes no difference it won't have done any harm.

might be a bit far but I take my 3.5 year old to the South London Gallery cafe fairly often (Peckham Road). What about the cafe Pn Peckham Common? Brockwell Lido - combine with a jaunt to the playground?

ellieaness - Ser Jorah was indeed in Sainsbury's! I did a comedy double take then googled when I came home to check if he's local. Which he is.

well, this year so far I have seen Richard Ayoade (from The IT Crown) 3 times, and Iain Glen (currently in Game of Thrones) last week in Sainsbos, so you could try them?

honestly, why do people think it has to be either or? Don't most nurseries do a mixture of free-flow and structured time (like circle time)? I'm pretty sure that's what Miss Oi's does; not that I care, she seems perfectly happy there - I think she often spends the day just wandering about in her own little world, which doubtless Ms Truss would think rather aimless - what aim does she think a 3-year-old should have, anyway??

I think it's fine to ask, if you've heard something from a reliable source and want to get others views - it's what the forum is for surely, sharing information. I still think your friend is confusing the school with the nursery, as I'm pretty certain there has been no change in headship of the nursery in recent years (in fact, there is no head of the nursery but the mansger has been there a while), whereas there has been for the school.

my daughter has been at the Villa nursery for a year and a half now (started when she just turned 2) and they have been fantastic, she has blossomed under their care - my shy baby is now a confident little girl, happy and thriving. The staff in the nursery are lovely. They have just had an outstanding Ofsted report. I think the parent you were talking too may be getting mixed up with the school (which, according to one friend who has had one child go through the school, and another there now, is excellent, despite the recent changes of head)?

Baby Sensory is lovely

my husband is veggie and we now rarely eat out as he hates goat's cheese tarts (having been obliged to eat them for 10+ years), and there is rarely anything else on offer (I'm talking pubs particularly). So we don't bother. I would love to eat out more but, as Stacey-lyn says, watching his face fall as he contemplates yet another uninspired single 'choice' is just depressing. I wonder what would happen if restaurants decided to do meat-free Mondays or something (maybe change their menus around so it's mainly veggie with a single meat choice) - I reckon with the right marketing and an inspired choice of dishes they could be packed to the rafters. And perhaps the dedicated carnivores could see what it's like having so little choice!

Whitstable is only a hop skip and a jump from Margate and the Turner gallery there. Winchelsea is very lovely.

well, we've been doing some mooching about Sydenham, and the parks are lovely, Sydenham Wells is fantastic. Went round Haseltine too and whilst it was impressive and the HT was so enthusiastic etc, it did feel relentlessly urban - it's sited on the junction of 2 busy roads and all you could hear in the playground was the roar of traffic. Which makes me feel slightly better about missing out on the house we liked!

we have the same issue Browncoffee - Mr Oi either cycles or walks into Town for work and, for the right school and house he would commute . . . but he'd really rather not! Plus it's another expense. I also have the fear that you still can't guarantee getting into any school unless you live on top of it - friends in Kennington are 100m from their first choice and still didn't get in!

aaaaahahahahaaaaa! I was astonished to find out, via the medium that is Mumsnet, that a surprising number of people wash their towels after one use. And then couldn't understand why their laundry was never-ending. Well, durrr! I'm guessing, Pickle, that you had a fairly high-flying job pre-kids (sorry, I don't know what a CA is)? You sound impressively organised and focussed in a way I can only dream of (getting up at 6 to do an exercise session??). But the OP does work, so I do think she shouldn't have to do it all (if she does) and that it's not unreasonable for some things to slide. I'm still astounded (cloth nappies and number of children aside) how so much laundry is generated - my parents had 2 kids and I never remember my mum doing more than 4 loads a week (3 on Saturday, one on Sunday), though she didn't do bedding weekly, that's for sure. Did we just wear our clothes more than once in the 70s? I know that, up to our teens, we had 2 or 3 school blouses to last a week, and one skirt and maybe one jumper. But I always feel in a minority that I don't have a wash on every day!

one load of washing every day??? Ironing???? I need a glass of wine just reading that!

well, being slovenly, which I am, helps. You don't mention your partner in this, I assume he contributes (to the housework, not the mess!) as you both work - if not, he should! Also, I think both your children are of an age to tidy up after themselves when asked - we don't get out another thing if, for example, a completed jigsaw isn't put away, and if Miss Oi won't help then I walk away. Threatening no television often helps! I also don't think it shows a good example to children if their parents always pick up after them - I'm not anyone's skivvy, least of all a 3-year-old's! I never get the endless washing, OK there's only 3 of us (1 child) but I do 3 loads a week (whites, coloureds, towels etc) and now I'm working 3 days too I try to get it done at the weekend so we start the week with clean stuff. I just have a load of cheap clobber for Miss Oi, loads of pants etc, so I don't HAVE to keep doing washing, I couldn't stand it. I think your house layout can help or hinder - we have a through lounge and as long as the front bit when Mr Oi and I park of an evening is fairly clear, I don't care about the back bit so much. We do need to get one of those organiser Ikea storage things though.

oh my god, pleeeeeeease don't get any more, they are awful! We eventually had to ask our neighbour to take theirs down, it was so bad (which they did fine, as the previous owners had complained about them as well, so they'd obviously only just put them back up when they moved out. Why they thought we would be any more appreciative of them I don't know).

so they leave their cat with no food or water? Seems a bit weird, you can get timed cat feeders, and dried food is fine to leave out for a few days, and how hard is it to fill a bowl full of water for it? Do they get the neighbours in to feed it?

I have also read the OP several times, and can see no mention of accent, Irish or otherwise. Nor can I see that's he's edited his post. So it seems miranda is the only one making huge assumptions and chucking unfounded accusations of racial stereotyping about. They could have been English travellers or Roma from anywhere in Europe, for all you know, if indeed they are travellers.

mrsbee - yes, I rang Haseltine and it seems that the house we are interested in is in the Haseltine catchment, so we are going to have a look around next week. That's good to know about Alexandra, this particular house would be too far away.

we have found a house just behind the high street too (possibly on the same road as mrsbee!) - does anyone know anything about Adamsrill or Alexandra primary schools?

that's interesting, Digbina (and I feel a bit dim, it never occurred to me to ask them!). I wonder if that is at the end of Year 2, or overall - i.e. are children leaving earlier than Year 2 when places in their preferred state school come up? Will pop into the office the next time I'm in.

outdoor space sounds good. Out of interest, will you be keeping (during the day, at any rate, I can see you wouldn't want it in the evening) the indoor playroom? Miss Oi was a big fan and I thought it worked well having a couple of tables in there too, so attendant adults could eat/drink but keep a close eye out.