catgirl

Does anyone have details of the Alleyn's or Ivydale ones? Do Jags do one as well?

I went to this earlier and it's great. Well worth a visit, is on for another hour or so. Amazing cakes, good coffee and beautifully laid tables and very friendly.

We had a similar issue with our son who was fine in cot bed but too big for travel cot by the age of 2. We had a summer holiday and a long weekend away coming up so ended up moving him into a bed at home about a month before our first trip which was just after his 2nd birthday so that he'd be ok in a ready bed when we went away. We wanted to go through the pain of 'wow I can get out of bed whenever I like' at home rather than on our holiday! In fact it was a very easy transition as he was so excited to be in a bed and then our weekend and holiday were both very easy with him in the ready bed (which is the inflatable bed with raised sides). Planning to do the same with just turned 2 year old before this years holidays! Had no idea you could get temporary cot beds delivered- wow!

I believe the new rules started on jan 7th

Booking direct with campsite is even cheaper and usually better accommodation again, especially on larger sites or chains like castels. Does mean you can't access the kids clubs if that's important to you although lots of the campsites have their own. Also a few other peculiarities to Engkish preferences like a coffee machine but no kettle. During summer hols we've found booking direct to be about 2/3 of the price for much larger/ higher spec accommodation.

Marmite? You could try breadsticks or rice cakes as an alternative to crisps? Little pot of sweetcorn or cucumber etc. quicker to eat than carrots!

Broad beans. Yum!

I did this last week with 3 children and a buggy. I got 63 bus to southwark tube where there is a lift. Jubilee line to bond street and central line to queensway. Is a bit of a walk (and maybe a few steps can't remember) to transfer lines at bond st but overall the journey was v easy. When ou get to queensway you literally just come out of the station and cross the road and you're in the park.

My daughter hates tights and always wears leggings (blue, grey or black) which has never been a problem.

Harris girls on homestall road do parties. You get a big hall with bouncy castle and lots of bats and alls etc and a classroom for tea. Up to 30 children

Check the finish time of the PUmphouse - it may well have changed in the 10 years (!) since we looked at it for our wedding but seem to remember that we discarded it as the finish time was very early.

You could always have the ceremony and drinks / canapes at Horniman and then go elsewhere for meal / evening reception.

We've had 2 childminders and for both we've paid them half for their holiday (and of course full pay when they're working but we're away or don't use them for any other reason)

I did get through eventually but Had to try numerous times over the space of a few hours and it was ringing literally 60 or more times each time before I had to give up! Crap!

If anyone is going to forest hill road group practice today please ask them to check phone system. I can't get there today but need to speak to them and all the options (enquiries, appointments and prescriptions) are just ringing and ringing with no answer. Very frustrating! Alternatively if anyone has an email address for them would be much appreciated.

cafe rouge is pretty good - they do a children's menu for ?5 - 6 which is main course, pudding and drink and has some nice choices on. Lots of high chairs and they give the children all an activity booklet and pack of coloured pencils and usually a balloon too.

Science museum? Boat trip on the Thames? London eye?

We've had a couple there and they've been really good. Loads of space to run around and tunnels, bats and balls etc to play with as well as bouncy castle. Not sure about conact info, think I got number from website. Apparently the mars den road wildlife garden now do parties on Sundays which I think sounds great.

On here and other local forums. Think there are similar forums for west dulwich, herne hill, forest hill at least. Otherwise gumtree? Not sure what their property section is like. Your house sounds fabulous, I love the houses in Marmora road. If we had the money would be beating your door down for it!

Fry chopped garlic and some chilli flakes (to taste)in some olive oil. Add prawns, tin of tomatoes, bit of tomato pur?e and a splodge of tomato ketchup and black pepper until heated through. Serve with rice and green salad Takes 5-10 mins for the sauce, so easy and if you buy lazy cheat chopped garlic is no prep either. But super delicious, esp if you like it spicy.

If you want central then there's a lovely veggie place just off regent street. It has a huge buffet of amazing and varied food and has a play area for children downstairs. http://www.tibits.co.uk/e/about-us/

Starting at 7am? I was walking along there at 10am yesterday and although the traffic controls were already in place, the workmen were only just starting to set out the barriers and no work had actually started.

hi Juno I've had 3 sections. First was an emcs. Was hoping for vbac with the 2nd but ended up with an elcs when I got to 42 weeks and still showing no signs of going into labour anytime soon. 3rd was then automatically scheduled for an elcs at 39 weeks because of 2 previous sections. As Vanessa says, risk of scar rupture during labour is significantly increased when you've had 2 previous sections so the medical advice is to have an elcs (rather than after 1 previous section when advice is usually to try for vbac). My 3rd pregnancy and section recovery were completely fine. I found recovery from both the electives was a breeze in comparison to my emergency section the first time round. During my post birth contraception discussion with my midwife, she talked about a 4th child. I said I thought this would not be advised as I'd already had 3 sections and she said 'ah you'd be fine if you want one'. Am not planning on testing out this advice but thought it was interesting! Good luck whatever you decide.

We have driven to the Loire and Dordogne - leave early to get a ferry about 8 - 9am (chunnel is quicker but we like the change of scene and wandering around potential on the boat). Loire is then about ?4 hours from Calais and Dordogne more like 8. We have driven down straight to the Dordogne but also stayed overnight in Loire area. When we went to south of France we flew to Nice and hired a car there. Have never really thought about it but yes, I guess we've been more surrounded by French and Dutch when we book direct but we tend to spend a lot of the time at the pool / playground / other communal areas which is where the children make friends anyway. We've also not found any problem with the accommodation - the Castels site we went to in Loire (link above) had brand new mobiles which were fully equipped and amazing and we didn't have an inventory check or to do huge clean before we left. I've noticed the site we're going to this year offers end of stay cleaning as an extra so guess that implies they expect it to be left super clean in which case we'll just pay the 30euro for that which is still a saving of several hundred pounds from going with eurocamp to the same site. Also the chalet we're in has a covered terrace (quite a few sites own chalets have these) which is great for shade and also to enable eating outside even if raining! Have to say sites vary greatly on shade and is something I always worry about. We always request a shady emplacement and you do always get an umbrella and can usually request an extra one(with eurocamp or sites own) but does seem quite hit and miss. Will post later with site details

Actually snowboarder, I meant to reply to your glamping thread as well and suggest camping in a mobile home in France. In June you could get a cheap deal and lots of the mobiles / chalets have 3 bedrooms so you could have both children in their own room. We have stayed in both the Loire campsites and the Dordogne one in that article and are going to the Vendee one - La Garengoire this year after rave reviews from friends about it. We stayed here 3 years ago in Junewhen ours were aged 4 and just turned 1. Great facilities including a bouncy castle which both children spent ages on every day! We hired a 3 bed mobile home direct from the site. http://www.camping-castels.co.uk/camping-domaine-de-la-breche-id253-id_camping16.html