Belle

I'd go with your gut instinct. I also had a situation where I knew who we wanted but worried about putting other people out, but when it comes down to it this is for your child - more important than say the bridesmaid/best man choice which often throws up similar dilemmas. We didn't choose family as we felt they'd have a role anyway. You shouldn't feel pressured into choosing anyone you're not keen on/changing the numbers.

It's still on - throughout the summer as far as I know.

hah Fi - I think our's puts people off too! I missed out one: At the Horniman Busy Bees session we were given honeycomb to pass around (between adults, letting the little ones touch but not hold). My little boy of course grabbed it out of my hands, broke off a big piece and ATE it. Argh. Both embarassing and slightly icky. this morning he went into the bathroom when his dad was shaving and methodically put all of his bath toys in the loo, resulting in some terse words between mum and dad about who was meant to be watching him.

my son has just had HF&M and he got it everywhere - legs, arms, bum, torso. It blistered and looked whitish on soles of feet and hands but not elsewhere. I think always worth checking with the GP though.

For absolutely no reason at all, my son woke up screaming 40 mins into what would normally be a 2 hr nap earlier today. Leaving him for a bit sent him hysterical so I got him up and comforted him, with the result that he was grumpy all afternoon and so was I. I know babies aren't robots - I get that they are different every day and we can't expect them to conform to our own ideal of a routine but sometimes it's just SO frustrating. It is def hard not to think it's our fault, so v heartening to read this thread. As for the food thing - GAH, my son chucks his everywhere, I went with the Gina Ford 'if he throws it he's not hungry' for a bit but then realised he expects it back, prob because I was too lenient in the early baby-led weaning days of solids. Agh.

I think perhaps people don't always realise how strong addiction can be. I met someone once who I remember I was shocked to see was smoking whilst pregnant. She was the sister of a friend of mine, and when another friend criticised her actions, the brother told us that she'd become pregnant while recovering from a heroin addiction. She'd managed to stay off the heroin once pregnant, and to drastically reduce her smoking as well, but yes she succumbed to the occasional cigarette. I'm not saying i went away thinking 'well done her for smoking', of course not. But it did make me realise nothing is black and white, and that beating addiction is not easy. To those who were able to withstand cravings - well done you. But I do object to the mindset of 'I mananaged it so why can't everyone else?'. We all react to things differently.

have to say I think I'd have even less chance of getting a suppository in with my son, changing his nappy is bad enough in terms of keeping him still!

we tried everything with recent horrid tasting antibiotics. in the end I would put my son on my lap so that he was almost horizontal, with head leaning back, and use the syringe in side of cheek method mentioned enough. the little demon would sometimes grin at me, hold it there and spurt it back but after a few goes we got into a (slightly horribly enforced) rhythm. I usually have a treat to give him after, even if it's just a bit of fruit or whatever he likes. I know how awful it is though and my son would scream so loudly, I used to think the neighbours would come round to see what was wrong.

yep mine is Maclaren but my son is impossibly wriggly - I can just about manage the one hand fold in an environment like an airport where you might have a bit of time/help, plus nowadays my son can walk so can safely put him down for a minute - but much trickier on bus I find. I do totally accept it's necessary at times though Civil Servant as you say - I just find it easier to get off the bus at that stage and wait for another. My son won't sit on my lap for more than a few seconds really.

I once got a bus back from victoria about 3.30/4ish - in my inexperience I thought I'd be well clear of rush hour. Turns out was the middle of the school run, bus was rammed, it was a nightmare. I got loads of dirty looks for not folding the buggy but the trouble was initially my son was asleep, then he woke up screaming and the bus was so rammed it would have been quite dangerous to try and fold buggy and then hold my wee wriggler whilst standing up. I got loads of 'helpful' people trying to tell me he was thirsty/needed to be held/ etc - in the end I got off the bus at Oval and walked to Denmark Hill before re-boarding a quieter bus. My point is that I genuinely didn't realise I was getting onto a bus that was about to get really busy, I did what I could in the circumstances, and when it got too much I got off again. It would have been nice if people had been a bit more sympathetic and helpful. Ann - to your other point, I note that on threads about why living in ED and more generally London, people often comment about the wonderful activities and places of interest 'on our doorstep'. This is only really true if getting to those places is possible, (and hopefully not too fraught), so I think parents or indeed anyone travelling with a child has a right to expect that of our public transport system.

Yes - great to your story SWF and shows that things are not black and white.

I think everyone makes one or two mistakes (I know I did with the cath kidston changebag) - where you maybe use it a few months and then switch and think, what a waste of money. But that's kind of par for the course and part of it all really! We borrowed a huge amount of stuff from a friend - would recommend doing that as it obviously saves money but also hassle in terms of the decisions you're talking about. The changebag I switched to is a baby bjorn rucksack, about ?15-20 on amazon and included v slimline changemat and two insulated pockets for bottles.I find it dead handy esp with a Maclaren as I can sling it on my back when my wee one is getting out of buggy without the tipping up issue, and also good for when you use a sling (though you feel a bit like a packhorse).

we had that conversation with her on Monday - it's probably much on their mind at the moment.

also - think they're keen on getting more playsand as it gets spilled out of the sandtable a lot, and I noticed that mothercare had it reduced last time I was in - will pick some up next time I'm in - am sure they'd appreciate more as they're planning a beach party in August. The council was meant to give them loads but only gave them a couple of bags in the end I think.

I've not been on that bus but have def experienced the annoying bar thing you describe on another bus, can't recall which. I now use a maclaren but was using my other pram (bigger one) when I encountered the different layout and it was a nightmare. I remember my baby was quite small and I got all flustered, and thankfully a nice lady already on the bus kind of guided me in (as of course the driver was already moving at some pace so we were wobbling all over the place). I do generally find buses more stressful than even the tube I must admit. Not so bad for short journeys but for eg when I go up to Victoria, can be tricky. I also hate when they stop too far away from the pavement so you basically have to lift the buggy up onto the bus. Once went through that whole rigamarole only to be told by the driver that the pram space was already full. I was quite cross about that...

I don't know if someone having a go at her is going to change her behaviour though is it?

the list is endless. off the top of my head: sampled his dad's unripe tomatoes in the garden; pulled up busy lizzies by the roots; pulled folded up (heavy) pram on top of himself whilst lying on back having nappy changed, seized new 'baby' felt-tip and drew over himself, once I was distracted, grabbed nappy full of poo and flung contents all over himself, me and sofa dialed one of my husband's clients and left a voicemail went round to friend's house which is most def not baby proof and upturned cat's water and food, grabbed guitar and nearly broke it, ate all our afternoon tea goodies and then got chocolatey fingers all over the nice sofa, tried to pull wine bottles off rack chewed temp sensor off monitor so that it now constantly flashes on alert prised lid off sudocrem, plunged finger in and licked appreciatively ditto metanium and aveeno cream god I must sound like the most permissive, unwatchful mother in east D! but seriously the boy is fast.

sorry duplicated my own post!

me too

It's interesting - there was a big public outrage when first Kate Moss, and later Kate Garraway were photographed smoking during pregnancy. I admit that like many people I did instinctively flinch when I saw the pictures - and whether or not the outrage that followed was justified is a whole other debate involving fame and what goes with it I guess. But I do think ultimately it is nobody else's business, just as others have said - just as it's nobody's business what her birth plan is, what she's eating/drinking, and when the baby is born, what she will feed it. I remember being at work functions when I was pregnant and really wanting to have one of my two drinks of the week at them, but being embarassed to be the pregnant drinking lady in that setting. Ridiculous really.

yes - met the person who used to live in her house on camberwell grove once.

Tuesday nights at esph gym are v gd.

re pilates - just started doing that and really enjoy it. ryedalema - obv i know nothing about fitness given this thread, but i do love wii fit, might suit you in terms of trying to fit it all in? guess the other thing - if you can bear to run which i'm not sure I can right now - would be to do a quick run at lunchtimes? though can imagine it's the hassle of changing, poss showering after. sigh. no idea how people do fit it in! I do entertain ideas of doing wii fit during my son's naptime but as his naps are unreliable it's never really come off. plus which I usually end up either doing the chores or sneaking in something I've recorded on sky plus when he does sleep.

yep we stopped at 9 months, don't know why bothered for so long considering what all went in his mouth. though they say it's because of the particular nasties you can get in the way of milk bugs I think.

and oaktree (melbourne grove, I really liked it when we looked around). they're the only two I've found in the immediate area really, unless i'm missing something.poss some of the montessori ones? But think they're from 2.5 up.