Mellors

It is the hardest thing ever, and just when you think you have it sorted they do something new to confound you (a myestery medieval illness, or the next stage like potty training or some such). HV's a rubbish, and just stress you out (I'm with Pickle on the weight chart thing). Best advice I got/get was from my tea group friends (good old NCT was a lifesaver, and you dont have to have done their antenatal to join a tea group). Or my mum/husband's mum (in desperation - we have quite different views). Everyone on here is more than happy to help I am sure - we are all in the same boat. One thing I have discovered since No 2: babies are really quite indestructible despite their frail appearance. Despite my constant fretting No 1 son has made it to nearly 3 without dying/being seriously injured/starving/never walking etc etc etc (apart from falling out of the window once, but we will gloss over that). On that basis I have been much more laid back with No 2 (barely gets a look in), and she still seems to be in one piece. We are doomed to spend the rest of our lives worrying that we are doing it all wrong though - thats motherhood!

Schools - Goose Green, Heber, Goodrich, Rye Oak, DKH. Probably some in Nunhead as well, but I'm not sure. What about Puddleducks, which is handy for you now its moved?

I feel your pain, there is the same gap between mine, although my older one is now 2 years 9 months. The 3 months or so from dropping his nap at about 2.5 until a couple of weeks ago have been hell for the same reasons as you. He just seems to have grown out of the horrors a little bit though - has a little bit more stamina to get through to bed time (although often asks if he can go to bed at about 6pm! I let him go at 6.30 if he is dropping). I try to get him to lie on the sofa and watch TV for a little while after lunch (Nick Jumior seems to work better than Beebies). I also give him a snack or two in the afternoon to keep his blood sugar up - if he gets hungry he is just intolerable. If I get deperate I kick him out in the back garden for a while to calm down. All of which probably makes me a bad mother, but you gotta do what you've gotta do! Hang on in there - it will get better soon, I promise! PS I have no idea how you do it with twins, I only have the one younger one and its driven me mental.

I'm afraid I have only heard bad things about this place (although haven't seen it myself).

I think the think which made me realise my own mortality was when friends/aquaintances of my own age (rather than parents) started to get serious illnesses or die. Making a will was just admin for me.

Good or bad? Obviously bad in the sense that we haven't had any post today, but overall are strikes which inconvenience the public a bad thang or an important part of the democratic process?

Agree with ?7 an hour, or another one of mine charges ?6 before midnight and ?8 after (although I always round up generously anyway).

Its pretty variable (you can use most fruit, and as its strained you don't need to be too fussy about preparing them thankfully): 2kg fruit 100ml water (for blackberries/soft fruit - use 600ml for blackcurrants, apples, hard fruit - 300ml for plums/stone fruit). Bring slowly to boil, and mush with wooden spoon or potato masher, cook gently till juices are flowing (may take up to 45 mins depending on type of fruit, but fast for blackberries). Strain juice through one of your babies handy muslin cloths (although even I try and make it a clean one lol) or a fine tea towel which you have scalded (immersed in boiling water). Measure juice in a jug. For every 1 litre add 700g sugar (or to taste - sorry about teeth rotting!). Heat to dissolve sugar then pour into sterilised bottles, leaving a 1cm gap for expansion. I also freeze it in plastic milk bottles. It lasts ages in the fridge though. Try it with half apple and half blackberries (saves you picking so many!) - no need to core & peel them, just chuck them in, or plums, damsons, currents, rhubarb etc.

It is in January (my son is 3 at the end of November). I have just been through the same search (settled for the schlep to Puddleducks despite being round the corner from you, although I drive). I also replied in the other section. You could try Blossoms Montessori on Dunstans Grove (although they don't do half days, but you could use your 12.5 hours for 2 full days?), or Bojangles (I think they do do mornings only). Both are a pretty quick walk from you. The problem with both is that they don't do term time only to my knowledge so you would have to pay during holidays (the Government subside is only for term time). Also try the free school nurseries - Heber, Goodrich, Goose Green, Rye Oak (although don't hold your breath for a place)? They do the 2 1/2 hour sessions a day 5 days a week term time only, so nothing to pay.

There seem to be loads this year. I am stashing the freezer full. I have a very nice recipe for home made Ribena to use them up if anyone wants it? Also blackberry & apple jam, crumble, pie, ice cream mmmmmmm.....

:D Chicken tikka masala and mushroom rice from Bombay Bicycle Club goot my little 'un going lol.

Is it wrong to be pleased that my nearly 3 year old has suddenly started to show an interest in TV? Has has never wanted to watch it (used to switch it off), but is now happily sitting watching Roary the Racing Car whilst his little sister has a nap, meaning peace for me. I feel guilty but delighted in equal measure....

My boy's fave presents were all cars/construction/trucks. Ride on car, books about trucks, trains, anything that involved a hammer. Or you could drive the parents loopy and get him a drum kit lol.

Have everything crossed for you Heidi xxx

It may be a better looking building. But I'd bet anything its not. I can't think that there are any other buildings of that size in the vicinity unless my memory fails me. Its hideous. On the upside, my two year old boy is delighted by the amount of different cranes and diggers, so its free entertainment for us at the moment. I am sure it will be somewhat less entertaining come September 2010... (I can see it from my back window as well, I bet half of ED can with the size of the b*gger!)

Funny, I was walking past it today and commenting on how enormous and vile it is. I am amazed they got planning for such a big building on such a small space.

Tricep exercises - lift biscuit with left hand, and cup of tea with right. Repeat. As often as you can. For variety, exercise fingers by changing channel on remote control and flicking pages of magazine. In all seriousness though, I found that combo of heaving progressively heavier baby up and down and pushng pram laden down with clutter/shopping etc about the streets seemed to do the trick. I always fancied powerpramming too although was too disorganised to manage it. Theres those salsa baby classes as well (you salsa dance with baby in a sling?) and postnatal pilates @ Dulwich Leisure centre where you take the baby in with you. From 3 months you can creche them at Beckenham Spa, and 6 months at Peckham Pulse. I found swimming was lovely, and nice to have an hour of "me" time with no baby!

Its really nice to see people saying what they did without the thread veering towards the "Whats good/bad" argument. It seems to me that everyone makes their own way with this - it depends totally on you/your baby/your house/feeding/sleeping patterns etc etc. Something you can't work out until the little 'un comes along. The main thing as ever is happy mummy = happy baby!

I sympathise. Son No 1 was a screamer - all the other NCT mummies would meet for lunch and I would come out in a cold sweat at the thought of another public meltdown. I once walked crying my eyes out from Camberwell home because I just couldnt face taking the screaming monster on the bus and everyone staring at me. Again. When No 2 came along and screamed on her first night I shoved a dummy in and she miraculously stopped. Why I didn't do that with No 1 I have no idea (too scared to admit it to the other mums I think, and had always sworn I wouldn't). She naturally started pulling hers out when she had hand control at about 5 months and hasnt had one since, but it was a lifesaver in those first few weeks/months. Its grim, but it will pass......get down the dummy shop!

I had intended to have them in with me, but in fact I couldn't sleep a wink with them in my room. They were both little snorers, and I was sandwiched between a snoring baby and a snoring husband, going mental. So, mine went into their own rooms at about 2 weeks old, straight into the big cot.

I just flush the liner (with the poo) in the loo, then stick mine in a nappy bucket with a mesh in it (no soaking or anything). No smell, no fuss. I fling 'em all in on a 60 degree wash every 2/3 days and they're done. I would have thought its easier than faffing about with a nappy service?

Useless, the lot of 'em. Despite seeing them loads for son No 1 to try and work out why he couldnt breastfeed they didnt spot his tongue tie. It was only when I had the sme problem with No 2 and my (private) midwife diagnosed it that I realised it had been exactly the same for No 1. Its such a simple thing to see - I could have a look now and tell straightaway if there was a problem, I can't believe I went through months of hell because they didnt notice it. The also failed to help me with PND, which as we saw from the poor lady who topped herself last week can be fatal. Stay away from them at all costs!!!

In my case I was silly enough to marry somebody who also works as a City lawyer. Only working 60 hours a week would be a miracle for him..... There is definitely something inbuilt that makes us want to do everything for the children though even though the chaps could do it, maybe its that "mothering instinct" thing. I have to bite my tongue to stop myself telling him how to do it (my way) or stepping in and taking over. The only thing I have tried to do is get as much help as we can afford as we have no family to help - a nanny, cleaner, and bon3yard off here who delivered meals when baby 2 was newborn. A network of good mummy friends is priceless as well. Its tough, no doubt about it.

Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- it's rather > unfortunate for the government that they ended up > owning the rubbish companies. But no real surprise eh?

I weaned No 1 son with purees etc and he seemed to take it it much quicker than my daughter who is BLW (much lazier 2nd time round lol). I was very worried about her not earing properly for ages, but by about 8 months she had got to grips with it and now seems to shove down more than the 2.5 year old. I think its just a slower start when they are BLW as you are asking more of them. If in doubt I shoved a couple of yoghurts down to top her up.