Mellors

You have my every sympathy. I tried the lot and both of mine were 14 days over, lazy little buggers!

My mum used to do us in the kitchen sink! (which I have resorted to with mine whilst on hols). Chuck 'em outside naked in the rain? Hosepipe?

I use mine with my normal board.

I am so glad you agree Keef - I thought I was the only one being soft lol. I don't know who finds it worse - me or them.

I thought it was bad enough watching my little one have one jab, let alone letting the nasty nursey with the big needle stick it in her three times :( Are you still having to have two sets a few months apart round here as well? Six needles - ouch!

If they only wanted to change the name they would easily have done this without liquidating the company. Its a standard lease term that if the tenant enters into liquidation the Landlord can forfeit the lease, and are quite within their rights to do so. They are right that it has probably invalidated their insurance as well (which a big concern given the type of business). If the tenants have "withdrawn from discussions" then the Landlords needed to put up the Notice (distressing though it is). I can't believe this is about a name change/re-launch....they should have come to me for legal advice :S

It really is - its only a few doors down from me, and I passed all the amazed parents dropping off their poor kids when I was setting off for work this morning :(

I would assume that if they are being kicked out of the premises (or in technical terms, the Landlord is taking re-entry) they must not have been paying their rent, although entering into a voluntary creditor's liquidation would normally be enough to put them in breach of the terms of their lease anyway. They would have known this.

I recommend Simply Childcare to help finding a nanny. Look at their website - you put up a job ad saying exactly what you want (they will help you write it, in the nicest possible way), and then you can contact/be contacted by suitable nannies. The do a great info pack, and a blank contract as well. I found them to br so helpful over the phone when I was in a fluster about what to do. www.simplychildcare.com This also works for anny shares etc as well. (PS I am not in any way related to them - they were just a lifesaver when I had to do it, and have had positive reports from other friends who have used them as well).

I chose a nanny for the following reasons: 1. The prospect of getting other people dressed, breakfasted, out of the house and to anywhere in a morning frazzled my brain. I can only just manage to do that for myself, let alone them. 2. I can't get back for 6pm when nursery finishes. 3. The prospect of coming home then having to get them back to the house, bathed, fed, pajamed etc after a long day frazzled my brain. 4. The child sickness/time off work issue mentioned above. 5. I like them being in their own home for sleeps etc when tiny, and having one person who is soley dedicated to looking after them. Not such an issue when they are bigger (say after 2) I dont think, but for my baby I wanted sole care and for them to still go along to the same groups/activities as they did with me. 6. A nanny does all nursery duties at home - cooking, children's washing, tidying up and mine have always been happy to take in parcels/pop for a pint of milk etc. Re sociability - my nanny does playgroups/activities/playdates etc every day, so it doesnt worry me. It is more expensive though if you have one child, but I had two close together and now its cheaper than two lots of nursery fees. Just my view, hope it helps.

Paye for Nannies - seem fine and they were the cheapest (?115).

Theres one on in Forest Hill at 10am Saturday as well: Forest Hill 10 a.m. Forest Hill Methodist Church & Centre, SE23 2DS

Quite often by the end of the day I think the "best age" is when they are grown up and leave home....

I've put my name down, looking forward to meeting lots of interesting ladies. Sadly I fear there is already a glut of cakes in ED if my waistline is anything to go by :S

I just remembered my food lifesaver - always have a banana stashed about your person/in your change bag/the car. Babies generally love 'em and dont mind if they're squishy.

Sounds like he is definitely ready to start exploring. In my experience they all do it in their own way/time though. No 1 son roled everwhere (the freak!) until he was about 18 months old then one day he stood up and walked. No 2 did what your boy is doing and then went onto proper crawling by about 8/9 months. Shes nearly one and cruising round the furniture, but no sign of steps. Time to get eyes in the back of your head!

Or just take food with you - no problem if you are with other mums getting the bib and pot out, and even easier if you are baby led weaning cause you can just take rice cakes/bread sticks/fruit/peppers/carrots/mini sandwiches etc etc and let them help themselves. Don't worry, it just kind of sorts itself out somehow (I have never managed a routine yet, or at least not intentionally).

By the time they are onto proper food (6 - 9 months or so) they should be able to last the morning. I used to go to morning activity, take a bottle (or give a feed if you are bf) mid morning to put her on, and then get back sharpish at 12 or so. Lunch at 12 then straight to bed with another feed at about 12.30. She zonks till about 2.30 - 3pm though, so afternoons can be a bit tricky. Its all a bit hit and miss at 18 weeks - I just used to drag her along anyway and let her kip in the car seat/buggy/floor if she nodded off, cause I still had no 1 son to entertain.

Do you think anybody there would like advice on property law - taking a lease of premises, landlord issues, buying business premises etc etc. I'm a mum/commercial property solicitor and would be happy to come down to one of your events if anybody would like to chat about it. (although I secretly want to run my own cake shop!).

For a super special lunch I would head over to Wandsworth to Chez Bruce (15 mins or so drive).

Stair gate so they can't escape?

I completely agree with FJ - I am afraid the HV would be my place of last resort. After No 2 was born I eventually rang them after a few weeks because nobody had been to see us, turns out they had no idea she existed. It was only because I wanted my red book for the immunisations that I bothered. When I did discuss a health issue with them (she was tongue tied it turned out) they fobbed me off, and it was sombody else who spotted it (by then too late to do much about it). I think they add to the stress. Weigh the baby on your bathroom scales, and ask your friends for advice!

Me too, see you there at 10am :)

Bojangles on Upland Rd does half days, but they are a bit longer than 2 1/2 hours I think so you have to pay the difference. Blossoms Montessori on Dunstans do full days 10 - 4 or some such, so you could use your free time for 2 full days instead of 5 mornings?

I can recommend Little Dippers if you can get in. Also Beckenham Spa is good (and much cheaper). They do lessons at Peckham Pulse, but they may be booked up now for September - they're like gold dust.