snowboarder

Drinking wine and going to a gallery sounds AMAZING. What to do with the 5m old and 2yr old is another matter as they would doubtless not comply...somewhere with a creche?!?

I have a 2 and a bit yr old - we like: Ruby Rhymes up at Herne Hill baptist church at top of red post hill - mondays and drop in Playgroups at St Faiths and Copleston on Mondays and Tuesdays respectively Swimming classes at Dulwich Pool Toddler World at Crystal Palace Tumbletots at St Faiths Little kickers on saturday mornings (daddy does it!) Keep meaning to give Diddidance in East Dulwich a go. And Rugger Beez is also on saturday mornings in Belair Park. Tried Little Bubbles which is on in East Dulwich but my son wasn't a fan - but it was ok! There is also Gymboree in Herne Hill and the playgroup at St Barnabus. And TIn Pan Annie music at St Barnabus too? Have a look in SE21 magazine for a good list. Whippersnappers have set up a base in Dulwich Park - mean to go and see. Much closed until september though and some of the sign up stuff gets full pretty quickly.

I had an elective C section first time round and whilst the birth itself was fine I found the overall experience pretty awful. With baby no. 2 I was desperate not to be in hospital - but the official Kings line last year seemed to be that vbacs were encouraged where appropriate, but were advised to be in hospital with constant monitoring. Seeing as the hospital bit was my bug bear, after a lot of thinking and discussion we employed some independent midwives. They were great in terms of giving a very personal service and were very supportive, knowledgeable and understanding, and I felt SO looked after. I didn't eventually achieve the home birth I wanted, but did feel throughout that everything was under control and I could trust my 2 midwives who accompanied me to Kings to fight my corner if necessary.

Ha - the double buggy or not to double buggy is SO tricky!! I think depends on your little boy's character. I have a buggy board for my now 28m old but he's seriously terrible on it and there is NO way we could use it as our main means of transport. But I have friends with similar aged children who do, just about. And you need to think about what you generally do - we zip about walking quite a lot to various parks etc and always in a bit of a hurry...so I need 2 children strapped in and happy (ish). I have a 23m age gap and initially got a phil and teds as our main buggy. And I did similar to your idea - sold my icandy and got a bee with buggy board which we keep in the car for nursery drop offs etc - and can plug the car seat onto it too so great. I don't love the phil and teds - and have just bought a mountain buggy duet - it's great to push and lift up kerbs (phil and teds is NOT!) but even though it is v slim I'm not sure we'd be good on a bus with it - haven't tried yet. There are alternatives to the phil and teds...the britax b dual/icandy peach blossom etc if you want a tandem...

We're still heading over there this morning....

Guys - anyone know if trains/buses getting through to ed please?

I need to go in again - her boys selection was not great the only time I looked. I generally like Merlins in Crystal Palace for interesting non clarks but well fitted boys shoes...

Hiya I think we will be around cafe/new play area/one o'clock club environs from 10.30ish onwards. My 2 yr old has a new SKATEBOARD he will be trying out - too much danger. Actually we'll probably be on our way yo A&E....

See this recent thread with very similar theme... It's hard to remember already but my little boy said very little beyond yes/no etc at that age - he is now 28m and had a real explosion in terms of language at about 23m...I would say he's still behind some of his friends but he does like to concentrate on action rather than words...

We are about on Tuesday but have monster toddler too! How about Peckham rye cafe area - then he can scoot around?

This seems a really common problem - even with babies that are not that huge! We got through it by squeezing youngest into the cocoon for as long as we possibly could (didn't help that he would kick his way up it anyway) then we just lined the lie flat bit with a lambskin and lay him directly onto that (no cocoon) - but this feels a bit odd and it's quite hard to get them in and out. We finally put him in the doubles seat at 4m (one of the ones that reclines ever so slightly) with a seat liner and head hugger. Basically - not ideal buggy in many ways!!

I think we bought the wrong clock....ours is a monkey asleep/awake clock but it ticks loudly, which annoyed him. He had it for 2 nights and periodically through the night updated us on monkey's progress...'monkey STILL asleep, mummy..' until finally, and at volume, 'WAKE UP MONKEY...' mettelw - it sounds like our children have very different attitudes to sleep!! Better bedtime last 2 nights but 5.15 wake. Sigh - but the early mornings have been a constant for a looong time.

Worth a visit yes - it's not amazing but certainly a way to pass the morning. It's in the sports centre and is kind of soft play without the climbing - balls/slide/trampoline/tunnels all on soft mats. I like it as you can lie baby down on the floor and 2 yr old can run amok....more relaxing than the park. Might go next week too if you fancy it?

Usually he just chats/sings/shuffles. It was the wailing yesterday which made me think MUST do something! When you are feeding the baby and toddler is crying for you who do you chose?

OK yep small one is requesting toddler world so we will head there after baby wakes and feeds....x

I'm blaming the heat for my 5 and a bit month old's grumpiness....and he seems to want to chase his big brother, which makes him cross....it is just TOO hot!

My 28 month old has mostly been good about his daytime naps for the last yr and a half. He still can sleep solidly for 2 hrs after lunch - and recently getting him up is like waking the dead - and there are often tears and grumpiness once he is awake. But he then takes ages to get to sleep (last night door shut at 7, I'd say sleep around 8.15). And wakes up super early (maybe 5.30?). But if I try to shorten the nap he's even more furious when I wake him and for the rest of the afternoon! Later bedtime not an option as I need him imprisoned before starting to get the baby down (which takes an hour or so so can't be done whilst he's up). Last night was v stressful as was feeding the baby whilst listening to him wailing mummmmmy..... Ideas please lovely people!

Quite a few of our bibs have mould on them (stuffed in cupboard waiting to be washed = manky bibs!) - is it bad I just carry on using them?!?

I can't decide what to do! Sun now seems to be coming out...

Here. It's in the Walled Garden - just next to the new water area. We parked up on the other side of the park on Brockwell Park Gardens by the top gate and walked over. It really was good (fro what could hear as was sat in shade feeding the baby for much of it!) - you start outside then go into the walled garden and move around the garden promenade style. Cannot believe Z concentrated on it and didn't belt off!! Not specially cheap (?7 ticket?) but quite an unusual thing and a treat and as enjoyable for an adult as a child!! (rare...!)

Ruth - yep sure just let me know...

We went to the new water play at Brockwell Pk today and it does seem a shame that something like that could not been provided within Peckham Rye (not nec. in the location of the 1 O'c club). Brockwell is really fantastic, fun and felt completely safe - only one gate that was easily and quite naturally policed - and children having so much fun it didn't seem to occur to them to escape anyway. Oh well. Is brockwell pk lambeth?

Actually don't know whether this works...Have to say I found this with the ergo too - the ones which you can criss cross over your back worked better for me...

Coolio guys - I have a soft structured carrier (the babyhawk) so a manduca etc are all fairly similar. I tried a ring sling on yesterday and think that or a pouch might work well - really just as something to pop baby in and out quick and give me at least 1 free arm to grab toddler.

Have you got that little attachment that when on back becomes the chest strap on? You're welcome to borrow my close sling if you like - easy peasy with littlies...