Mellors

Just a thought (my son was like this). Have you tried white noise when she naps? If I left a hairdryer/vacuum on next to the bedroom when my boy slept he would go for ages, it was miraculous!

I agree with you, I don't think the free entitlement should be pro-rated. You have 9 hours above your free entitlement of 15 hours, so you should just be paying for these. My nursery in Nunhead would just charge you for these @ ?5 per hour, so it would be ?45? No idea how you go about sorting it out though, sorry!

Don't know. I never see anyone going in and out of it at all?

I'd love to go for a coffee/drink for a bit of down time and not have to take my children, but there isn't actually a creche in East Dulwich, and not all of us have family around who can have them for an hour (and its really not worth the aggro/cost of a sitter just to go for a brew!). Maybe if somebody opened a drop off creche facility in ED then there would be fewer harrased parents toting their kids rounds everywhere with them? Business opportunity!

Thanks here as well, we're all booked :)

I am thinking of resorting to chopping my children's thumbs off, in manner of docking a puppies tail. Is this acceptable in East Dulwich? Or do I need to move to Honor Oak?

I live next to Sure & Firm. I have never seen any kind of building work or deliveries etc there since the sign went up a while ago?

Not during the week, but every other Saturday there is a dad's only playgroup at Ivydale Childrens Centre in Nunhead. You could mayber pop down and see if you can hook up with some of them there. As far as they go, the Ivydale playgroup (Mon, Weds, Fri 9 - 11.15) is the one I have seen the most dads at - there are at least 2/3 regulars (who are lovely and friendly). The group itself is run by a man. I think there is something for Dads only at Peckham library as well - if you have a look at the "Whats On" guides online at Southwark Coucil webiste it will tell you.

Somebody once told me (when I was expecting No 2 and worried about sharing the love) that its not that you have to split the love you have between your children, but that each one is born with its very owm package of love. So true (and very comforting to hear at the time! There are 19 months between my two (No 1 was almost exactly a year old when I conceived No 2). It was very hard when they were little. As Pickle said, 2 year tantrums + newly mobile/weaning baby = horrid. Now they are a bit older (2 and nearly 4) they love each other to bits and play nicely together. There's 4 years between me and my sister (I am older) and there was no way I'd play with her when we were little - when I was 15 and "cool" she was a baby (in my eyes!). I think about 3 years is perfect, but as everyone has said, you don't always get it your own way, and there are also other issues (for me being older and possible wanting a third). Whatever you get/choose, I am sure you will be happy with it. All babies, no matter when they decide to come along are marvellous :))

1st: 14 days late 2nd: 14 days late I am sure my gestation is exactly 42 weeks, and if I do have more will mentally count it as that!

Not a childminder, but Puddleducks nursery on Ivydale is fab (takes them from 2).

Yes definitely - some do young twins for example, so ity might be worth seeking out somebody with that experience. In fact I'd have thought a nanny is probably one of your few options with babies that young. Simply Childcare (if you google them) are great for finding people and for free advice.

We also had the Herne for R's christening and it was a nice space (and playground outside for the older ones). They will do a separate menu for you no problem (and don't forget you Mum can now do the cakes after she came to our Cupcake decorating workshop) :)) Mel

How about this morning's "Please stop riding your sister".....(like a horse).

The worst conversation today (with nearly 2 year old daughter): Me: Why is your nappy off? Her: Wanna poo... Me: Ok, lets go to the potty Her: No, DUNNA poo Me: WHERE??! (bearing im mind she is not yet potty trained) Her: Uppydairs (upstairs) Me: Frantic searching and sniffing round upstairs bedrooms/bathrooms. I finally found said log in......the washing basket in her brother's bedroom (quite handily if you come to think about it). Contemplated whether I could just chuck it in the washer but decided removal was best option. My life is officially GRIM. Where did the glamorous me go?

PS Consultant at Kings told me grumpily at 42 week check that the baby's head was still not at all engaged, and no signs of baby making it out on her own so they'd see me on Monday anyway. Codswallop. She eventually just dropped, locked and loaded and shot out :)

Baby No 1 born at 42 weeks for me (induction etc etc ending in awful emergency C-section to get him out "on time"). I stamped my feet with Kings re baby No 2 (they wanted to induce at 41+5, then seriously pressured me again at 42). I finally, with help from my midwives, managed to get them to agree to induce (despite their scare stories) at 42+3 (being a Monday as opposed to the Friday of 42 weeks). Thankfully she decided enough was enough and popped out with no fuss all by herself at 42+2, just in the nick of time! I honestly think my babies just take about 42 weeks to brew, and no matter what I try there's no shifting them before then. The post dates monitoring is great, and I'm more than happy to rely on that. No real help, I just wanted to let you know that with a bit of foot stamping a) you can wait for a late induction and b) there can be really happy outcomes as a result of it. You have my every sympathy and good luck - those last few days are miserable. Baby is nearly here though :)

I think we'll be there this Friday :)

Marvellous, I didn't know about the place in Sydenham, I'm going to check it out. I am SUCH a mean mummy. Cheap DK acrylic for the nippers, beautiful hand dyed silk mix DK/aran and cashmere sock wool for me! If you do fancy a massive treat then I Knit London at Lower Marsh, Waterloo is heaven (and they have a 15% off sale at the moment. Must. Not. Go.

They sell that Sirdar yarn in the John Lewis Oxfor Circus as well, can't remember if they have it at Bluewater.

You just knew I'd respond to this!!! Herne Hill = best round here, but I agree, expensive. I tend to use it for stuff I'm making for myself and want to splash out on rather than kids stuff. You really do not need Debbie Bliss for a kids cardie at ?5 a 50g ball. Fabric - does stock a bit but rubbish range, grumpy man and still dear. I've previously found cheap acrylic wool (which frankly is fine for kids cardies) in the big 99p shop on Rye Lane. There are a number of the African shops up there which sell it too although I haven't really ventured in. Maybe we need a trip together? John Lewis - might be easier to drive to Bluewater and park at the entrance (which handily is next to the wool/haberdasher bit - hurray!). To be honest I get nearly everything online as its cheaper and I don't need to leave the house, but I tend to know what I want (having felt it up in John Lewis or the like). For DK weight this stuff is great value: http://www.kandjcrafts.co.uk/index.php/cPath/93_94_99_512 (check around for prices elsewhere, this was the first I googled). its 100g balls, so you'll probably need two for a 2 year old cardie (and enough leftovers for a hat, mitts or small bag). although I have a nice pattern for a wrapover cardie you knit in 1 piece that only uses 1. It subs well for any other type of DK and is washable. Phew! I spend FAR too much time thinking about wool. And was caught out this morning when husband was still here when a massive delivery of new stuff arrived with the postie...... Mel (of MakeHQ!)

Oh, I have so much sympathy. I took my nearly 3 year old son to nursery for the first time last year (having always had a nanny or mummy) and went through exactly the same, it was quite heartbreaking. I haven't got much advice I'm afraid other than stick with it, and it will get better I promise. A good nursery will be well used to this and very gentle with him when he starts. I am sure he really does settle down once the nanny has gone. Our settling in period lasted a good few weeks - maybe 4/6 as I recall. Its not somthing that happened overnight, biut once he had got the hang of it and made some friends he was away. We're a few months in now and I get asked every morning "Is this a nursery day?" with disappointment if its not lol! Mummy is way more boring than nursery. Not much use, but I wanted to let you know that its normal, and that it will all be ok in a while. x

I doubt there's a mother in the world who shouts more than me (unsucessfully). Toddlers are utterly vile (I am currently ignoring a mental screaming 2 year old lying on the floor kicking her feet because she didn't get all her own way). I often pray for bedtime to come around sooner. It does get better when they are, say 3.5ish I think, but its a loooonnnnggggg haul in the meantime.

I agree with Snowboarder. I also used one (with two wriggly babies) and loved it. Mel

Or, if you are a bad mummy, you could do what I do and shout "NO!" really loudly and threaten a clip round the ear (and the odd small real one in desperation), That stopped B from chucking it all on the floor. BTW - any food chucking at my house means instand dismissal from the table, with no more food until the next meal. That solves the rest of that mealtime at least. God, I am dreadful, please don't report me to social services....