reren

I owned the freehold on my last property - got quite expert on it - feels free to pm me

I think it's the other way round Etta - the deadline was for refusing - you automatically accept your place if you haven't rejected it by 30 April (if I've understood the website??)

Help! My eyebrows are disappearing - anyone else experienced this? I have a thyroid condition (underactive) which I take medication for and my levels always seem to be well within the range they should be - but over the last 6 months or so I suddenly noticed my eyebrows getting by sparse - especially on one side. My hair on head thank god seems fine and has always been very thick - but I also think I have a lot less hair on arms and legs (don't mind losing that!). I have two small children and am exhausted all the time - but my husband is great and does a lot of the night time wake ups so I do often get a full nights sleep. Does this sound familiar? Anyone experienced? I am wondering about seeing a dietician - or trying to find someone who knows about thyroid conditions - so also if anyone has experience of that please let me know!

Just wanted to recommend Nick Follet 07966 285679 - nice guy, came quickly and seems to have done a really good job!

Sorry if this has been covered already - but I'm really confused about whether you need to attach proof of address &/ or date of birth documentation with your application. I've done the application - and have now gone in and attached some scans of documents with my address on - but what documentation does one need to supply? Does it need to include your child's name (the documents are in my name and I have a different surname from my son) And most importantly - do those need to be up on the system before the deadline (which is tonight I think??)

I have a new au pair from Italy starting in September - I'd love to connect her via email with other au pairs also starting in September - if you have just arranged an au pair please get in touch and we could get them to exchange emails. We have had au pairs before and it helps so much once they create a network Of local friends.

Just wanted to post and congratulate boulangerie jade for their shop on barry road. The staff are the loveliest people - they are efficient and make you feel very welcome - even with a buggy in such a small shop! Often staff are on their own coping with both customers sitting in and taking away - must be a challenge but they are unfailingly courteous and helpful. Hugely recommend - and thank you to owners for choosing and training up staff so well.

Truly brilliant pre / post and during (not sure if that's the way to put it) natal care. I've experienced both amazing community midwife support as well as a great hospital experience. One thing that i loved after having my first baby at kings is that as they wheeled me out of the labour ward at 3 in the morning after a long difficult labour we passed various cleaners, nurses, and other staff working in the hospital - every one of them called out a heartfelt congratulations - and it was one of the most touching things I've ever experienced. Considering how run-of-the-mill it must be to them to see yet another newborn I was so touched that they took the time to congratulate me and make the experience - which of course was anything but run-of-the-mill for me - even more special. This continued the next day when every member of staff I encountered congratulated me (ladies who brought my food, midwives, etc). I assume someone must have encouraged this as a policy and I thought it showed a very well run and thoughtful institution. I will never forget that aspect of giving birth at kings and will always treasure it.

Ah mellors I feel your pain! Was just castigating myself for not enjoying my son more at the moment - apart from finding 'challenging' behaviour exhausting - I also find playing cars so boring! We do have lots of moments of joyfully playing together and I mostly adore him and he is increasingly very funny as his sense of humour develops - but I spend quite a lot of time counting the moments until I can put on cbbies and collapse onto sofa (whilst rocking baby with foot) and read something/ do something other than push a car or train around. I seriously don't know how stay at home mums do it - I am full of admiration (I'm on maternity leave and am really starting to miss trips to the loo by myself and lunchtime with no one to feed but me). And people who bring up children without TV deserve medals.

Reckon definitely worth doing it face to face - people find it harder to be greedy in person! But go with an idea of what you think is reasonable in mind - then you can nicely but firmly come to an agreement. Awkward and i think cheeky of this neighbour! But putting some money his way probably worth it to keep relations sweet.

Bugie - please say its true!! I just came onto the forum to post the question 'when does threenagerdom end' and found this thread. I remember saying to my mum about 6-9 months ago that my son was never anything but a pleasure - now i find myself thinking practically the opposite! I think its been made worse by arrival of baby 2 about 3 months ago and dropping his nap. The link says girls get emotional but i think that is what is happening to my son - its like he has PMT!! Terrible crying and rages at the smallest things! Sometimes its funny - mostly its wearing. And i find the rudeness/ ignoring me really irritating! But then i feel guilty cause it has co-incided with arrival of a sibling (no doubt a factor) but i miss my lovely little boy!

Have a look at philadelphia - its a great city. Very attractive and great size - plus much more affordable than boston or ny - yet 2 hours from ny and washington dc - similar distance to the beach. Good climate (except summers which are hot and humid). It also has a good international airport - easy to get back to uk. It grts overlooked on the east coast for some reason - but really nice and improving city. On the west coast - portland oregon is supposed to be a great city - and the coast line along that bit of the us is gorgeous -but the time difference is tricky if you are wanting to keep in touch w uk - and its very expensive to fly back.

Such an interesting / difficult subject - i just recently hd a wonderful 2nd birth - very positive and all that i'd hoped for. I did hypno-birthing and it helped a lot. But ... Im very mindful that i was lucky. A good friend just had a second birth which wasnt the text book perfect birth she's hoped for (despite doing amazingly well). I feel really sorry for her having got her hopes up for a cosmic experience that never came. Seems to be difficult to balance the preparing in a positive way for a birth and not getting too attached to a vision for the birth you are expecting (and then feeling let down if something unexpected happens). Still i suspect the majority of people who prepare positively are fortunate enough to have their dream birth so on balance worth approaching in as positive a way as possible - whilst trying not to get too hung up on outcomes...

Recommend oat milk - my son swapped to it after bring constipated on cows milk and immediately liked it.

Another thumbs up for Dave from down the drain - came quickly didn't charge too much and was really nice guy. Recommend

Thought i'd do a quick update as i now have an 11 day old baby asleep on my lap. I can report that my second was a world of difference from the first and was an amazing experience. As with my first my waters broke before labour started - and i was briefly worried the rest would follow like the first (which was really slow, long and painful with lots of postnatal discomfort and anaemia). But couldnt have been more different. I had a lovely day with fire on watching films with my husband - getting some twinges but nothing painful. In the evening after i lay down in t the dark for an hour listening to hypnobirthing mp3 they started to come regularly (but still only uncomfortable rather than painful) - we rang the midwife and then everything seemed to happen really fast and about 3 hours later my baby was born. Last 40 mins or so did hurt but once he was out it was over and didnt seem like it had been that bad. Didnt have any pain relief in the end. What i cant get over is how well i feel post birth. Really is amazing how different you feel without epidural / ventouse etc. in my case it was worth it to suffer thru 40 mins of pretty intense pushing to feel perfectly well and not sore 24 hours later! I am a convert!

Really happy with the gardens - think helena has moved away from area now and may be a little out of date - they have improved loads in terms of reception staff in recent years - and always have been able to see my son immegiately when he is ill.

Also interested from january!

Ooh good i saw this - dodnt occur to me - is this standard practice? Can see its a noce gesture!

You ask why the bank needs to know whether you are renting it out or living in it yourself? It is always worth bearing in mind that when you have a mortgage the bank effectively has the right to take your property away if you dont pay your mortgage (im simplifying but this is the principle at work). If you were to stop paying your mortgage - they have the problem of getting you out / the tenants out and they want to do that as swiftly as possible and get their money back. Since tenancy laws give people different rights - the bank wants to know what its dealing with in the case of non payment of the mortgage. It is also worth being aware is illegal to lie on a mortgage application - so if the bank were to find out you had rented it out without letting them know - there could be vety serious consequences.

I know what you mean buggie - hospital bag is last thing I've done - partly I think cause hoping to have home birth but somehow just couldn't get down to baby related organizing for ages. I found the last week though the nesting has kicked into overdrive and I've cracked on with those things ... Bonfire2010 - thank you for best wishes will let you know how I get on (lots of twinges currently but no sign yet on eve of due date!). Do explore the hypnobirthing - one of the things I liked about it is that despite the name it really isn't very hippy dippy (at least the way Suzie teaches it) - a lot of it is about understanding the physiology of birth and how to work with what your body naturally knows how to do. Made a lot of rational sense to me that the deeper the level of relaxation and the more oxygen I can ensure gets to the uterus - the more efficiently it will work. Also recommend (the wonderfully named) Grantly Dick-read's 'Childbirth without fear' - really interesting read.

Bonfire 2010 - i really recommend doing a hypnobirthing course if you have the time / money! It is such a great way to prepare - sounds like you might find it realy helpful - try suzie - her email is: [email protected]. I am now 2 days from due date and not dreading it at all - feel very prepared and ready for the experience which is largely down to suzie and all the practice i have done to prepare!

My very sweet au pair, guilia, is leaving us in january and looking for a new position - i am now on maternity leave and dont need an au pair from jan (though i may well rue this decision!!). She is italian, 21 years and a lovely girl with lots of experience with children. My son (3 years)has had a great time with her and will be sad to see her go! She has just put a post in the family room classified section so respond to her there or send me a message and i will pass it on.

Thank you so much for all the responses - this is great! What would you say your top tips are - did you find focusing / thinking about particular things really helped? I'm feeling confident and hopeful that the experience will be a positive one - just trying to absorb as much as I can about ways that I can prepare for the big day! Keep the great stories coming!

Really recommend hypnobirthing - whatever route you choose it might make a world of difference just not to feel too anxious for the remainder of your pregnancy? It is kind of miraculous how confident it makes you feel - im actually looking forward to the birth now (due next week!)- not something i would have thought possible before.