snowboarder

Resurrecting this - any new ideas for a close by first (and prob last for a while too!) night away? Only likely to be able to do one night so kind of fancy somewhere as near as poss to minimise travel time. Somebody mentioned Nutfield Priory to me but not sure if good or not.... Kind of need comfort and nice food. And nice views.

Oh dear so sorry little snowboarder just had major 45 min long tantrum after waking up super grumpy. Am administering smoothie and cbeebies which seems to be working but can't see us getting out this afternoon. Sorry, rubbish!

Oh yeah sorry! Am an architect too! (well, was before babies wiped my brain)

We did ours 2 yrs ago (just before baby!) - I think for the floorspace you actually get side returns ARE expensive as they are often quite complicated (depending on what you want to do). All in all including new bathroom, putting in downstairs WC and new heating system, plus kitchen fitting and decorating ours too about 3 months plus irritations at the end (ordered wrong cooker, snagging bits etc!). We used a local builder/developer but I did most of dwgs myself and managed the build etc. Not sure what new permitted development rules are as know has all changed but we did not need planning approval. You might have party wall issues too. Have to say level of disruption was HUGE and I was glad I was working full time!!

We can come but will be more like 3.30 I think - small one having a late nap...we have a blue maclaren buggy and will have sturdy blond boy in tow...

See bestest double buggy forum ever. Am addicted: http://community.babycentre.co.uk/groups/a3859035/the_doubletriple_or_more_buggy_review_board?

I have a photo too but think it looks like lord voldemort from harry potter. Husband loves it and thinks it looks like Z (tsk - he's being weird and soppy). Not sure how much you can see when the baby is bigger though? I had a scan at 38wks last pg and it was hard to identify anything!!

I think the images look CREEPY! The sonographer at Kings at my 22 wk scan briefly turned on the 4d. Like plasticine....made me shudder!

I hear crying babies all the time. It's why I keep the monitor on but on silent and hidden - so I can check the lights and make sure I'm not losing the plot.

Not wanted to post as may give you no hope....but I do believe children permanently ruin your sleep! Little snowboarder woke 3+ times a night until 11m, is now 18m and sleeps through till 5.30ish, but I have not slept a full nights sleep since he was born. I do the same - collapse as soon as I go to bed, then can wake anytime from 2ish to 4ish, and it takes ages to get back to sleep. And now pregnant, so wake for the loo too! I think I posted on here asking whether I would ever sleep again - the answer seems to be yes but it takes AGES. Not helpful I suppose, but it bothers me less now - I've stopped getting stressed about it and just catch up on boring emails on my iphone or something. Going to bed later seems to help, but not always - sometimes I prefer waking around 2/3 as it least there is some hope I will go back to sleep before the toddler wakes - 4/5 no hope at all so that's it for the day. Someone suggested piriton to me which I didnt try but think you can take while breastfeeding. And rescue remedy. And chamomila.

Ryedalema - I used to cycle ED to Hatton Garden and it was FINE up to Blackfriars Bridge where you just have to be a bit more feisty. It's a fab cycle but I'm not sure the winter evenings would be a great time to start. I used to follow a cycle route through Bellenden to Peckham Pulse, along the old canal path, wiggle to Tower Bridge Road round the back of Bricklayers arms, then cut through past Borough tube to Blackfriars and straight up to Farringdon from there. Would be happy to show you on map....

Oh no nightmare F. I hate the telephone consultation system they run at DMC - had to book one a couple of weeks ago to get some test results - set it up - the window for the call is HUGE (11-1 or something - told them it was lunch and nap time and would prob miss the call!) - anyway answered the phone - then line went dead - bad mobile connection. Got a msg to say call back - did - no response at all. SO useless - had to actually go in and wait 30mins for proper appt. I understand that they trying to save time blah blah but they certainly use much more of MY time with this system, and all the faff of calling and pestering etc. rant, rant...

Sorry, tedious 'lost in action' post. Anyone see a little brown clarks shoe abandoned at goose green swings yesterday? Got super muddy so whipped them off...and only one in the buggy now! So annoyed! Will go down myself this afternoon but even if there it's prob wrecked by now...

We see my parents pretty regularly - they often come over once a week for lunch and to see little snowboarder - they are also our childcare if/when we need, although they still both work part time. My dad also does most of our diy!! They only live half hour drive away - so handy, and I like that we never have to go and stay for entire weekends - it's all pretty relaxed and lunch/dinner/day visits. Most of my mums family are also close by. We rarely see my husbands family in Devon though - will be interesting to see how our children's relationships with both sets of grandparents differ.

I think I heard that having cold hands doesn't really bother little ones and is not an indication of their body temp - you test how warm/cold they are by touching their neck. Could quite easily be wrong! We only have the heating on at night in proper cold sub zero snow type weather. Monitor currently saying its 20 degrees in small one's room. Never can decide whether he needs a vest under his jim jams or not. But he's certainly staying imprisoned in a grobag for as long as possible.

Good plan....could do the 12th?

Clare - no no not met yet - congratulations! - meet next fri afternoon for chaotic plus toddler meet at Goose Green playground...

Gulp. Yes think at end of day it is all about personality. Oh crap.

Have kept thinking about this thread this week. We're not having fun yet at 18m - maybe 3m makes a big difference but I'm learning not to count on it. Communication still v limited (although he can say 'Noooo' A LOT). NL I'm with your hubby - 2 yrs sounds good - this bit is particularly trying. What with cutting about 6 teeth all at once (I know this because he screamed through most of this mornings swim lesson and I got a good view) and him not wanting to do ANYTHING I ask I'm near to pushing us both under the no. 40 bus.....

Tsk he has a doll which he obviously ignores. Mind you it's a clothed rag doll - E's dolly was more naked baby realistic wasn't it?!?

Thanks for starting SW - I have no tips but need them. Wasn't quite the same topic but this thread also helpful. Have started to read 'there's a house inside my mummy' to my 18m old but he remains clueless....

HI we used Night Nannies too. Happy to tell you more about them if you want, but the only thing I would say if you are looking for outside help make sure you are fully signed up to the philosophy or method that will be used - if your heart's not in it it just wont work. Good luck - wish I'd done something at 5 months - I muddled through ridiculous extremes until 11 months. But I don't think I was really 'ready' until then.

Perfect I can do the 29th too. 3pm? Meet by the baby bit (not so mad?)?

Whilst it's great there are lessons elsewhere for me it's amazing to just walk 10 mins up the road rather than 15 mins in car somewhere (and inevitable unwelcome sleeping on way home!). First lesson today and we had fun - glad little snowboarder wore his mini wetsuit though - the temp was absolutely fine for grown ups but a bit chilly for little ones.

Littleedf - where have you moved out to? Still in this dilemma ourselves but we are lucky enough to have 3 beds so can manage for a bit...