twinmummy

I am moving house and desperately trying to shove our lovely nanny out of the door for as many hours as possible tomorrow and Weds to allow me to pack without the children "unpacking" all those lovely toys they had forgotten they had! Any ideas for activities on tomorrow (Tues) and Weds of this week to keep them occupied. Is Peckham Rye 1 o'clock club running extra 1/2 term activities? Horniman 1/2 term stuff? They are 3 so too young for a lot of the holiday clubs I see advertised. Any ideas welcome - thanks! Sarah

Re VIP who have in-chalet nannies (I did a season as a chalet girl for them, eek, 10 years ago...) have a cheaper "sister" company called "Snowline" who also offer the nanny service. All the nannies who worked for VIP in my season were lovely and I have had friends use them since, all been very pleased.

Keen to join in, but need to arrange someone to watch my kids. Can you please let me know when you'll be starting in Jan? Sarah

Taking the twins to The 3 Little Pigs at the Albany (Deptford) tomorrow, so I'll post afterwards and let you know if it is any good. Sarah

Divas and Dictators v.g.

Sat 4th Dec, just checked the school calendar online. Went to Dulwich College one yesterday which was really good but tricky with a double buggy!

I'm on orange with an iPhone 3 - totally rubbish reception in ED. Pain in the bum as I work from home a lot.

Its a terraced house's front garden, so tiny (only about 3 foot stretch from the front door) but it's definitely private property. It could easily have looked like a freshly delivered parcel as it was a cleanish white cardboard box - about 6 foot tall with brown parcel tape around it in parts. Not "rubbishy looking" and it was literally propped up next to my front door as I'd popped it there to hoover the hall this morning and then assumed it would be fine there until I had a chance to stick it in my car to take to nursery later. I'm not really moaning so much as warning other people not to think things will be ok to stick outside for a short while! I leave my double buggy outside the front door for much of every day - might not now!

I've reported it now on your advice. Would still be interested to hear if anyone else has spotted same thing.

This van came down my road (East Dulwich / Forest Hill Road side) today and stopped, took a box from outside my house, put it in the back of the van and drove off. The man who got out of the passenger side to get the box was wearing a high-vis bib thing. In the box was a large artificial Christmas tree which I was throwing out and had intended to take to my kids' nursery later today. Couldn't run after them or shout as I was upstairs in the very early stages of dressing! I know sometimes vans pull up to ask builders if they want rubbish etc collecting, but this wasn't one of those. The box could easily have been a parcel that had just been delivered and left outside. I'm not unduly bothered about the tree, just concerned that these men are up to no good. Anyone else seen / experienced this?

I get furious when people park in the parent bays with no kids (and indeed Mums with no kids in the car at the time who seem to think its ok because the car has car seats in... grrr). I have 2 year old twins and frankly even with the designated bays and the double trollies its a *beep* nightmare! I had one particular confrontation with a lady in a convertible (top down - no kids) who sped into the space as I chugged along behind her in my "family wagon" - I said to her politely "hi, sorry, but would you mind letting me have this space as I have toddler twins in the car". If looks could've killed, I'd have dropped down dead... but she did begrudgingly move. Only a happier note, they've stocked up on double trollies I notice and they've got coin slots so not getting nicked my tight-fisted selfish idiots who want a free trolley! Am going to jump on band wagon and email Saino's to encourage policing as above. Well done everyone for being pro-active.

Milky way magic stars! Mine don't have sweets at all (they're only 2 1/4, so no need) but are highly motivated now that a milky way magic star is on offer following production!! In fact, my little boy has cleverly found a way of splitting wees into 3 parts to try to maximise his return "mummy more wee wee, mummy star!". My daughter is also a bit phobic about the poo side of things and we've just bought Princess Polly's Potty and Pirate Pete's Potty noisy books from Smiths which are helping. Good luck

thanks all (Fuschia - knew you'd know the score re double buggies)!

Brilliant suggestions - both are do-able and think will manage to navigate! Thank you.

I live on Ryedale and have family coming on Sunday for a birthday lunch - they are all bringing their dogs and hoping to walk off excesses after lunch. I walk my dog on Peckham Rye regularly, but being quite new to the area, haven't ventured further afield yet woods-wise. Should add that we'll be taking a double buggy (good off-roader) so couldn't be dealing with too many stiles etc (not that I imagine their are many in South London!?). Any suggestions gratefully received.

try babynest in croydon (purley way), we got our icandy pear there and it compared favourably price-wise with other stockists. this was 2 years ago though.

My twins are nearly 2 and I have just done exactly the same as you and am in process of moving in to ED (Ryedale). Would be happy to hook-up in park / try out a new group or 2 if you fancy a buddy! PM me if you like!

You can buy little velcro straps ready made by "velcro" from halfords - about 6 of them for ?2.99 - my twins are demon shoulder strap wrigglers and this has been our solution. Very impressed by the Blue Peter "one I made earlier" idea, just a touch short on time these days!!

Well done for posting this. If it was my kids' nanny, I would be so grateful to have heard from you. If anyone accuses you of being a do-gooder they need their head read.

Amazing - I have been so busy, haven't been on here in ages. Well done for sorting this. I am putting it in the calendar if I am not too late...!? Sarah

Hi, I had cervical shortening with my twins at 26 weeks (similar measurement to you), had pessaries (sp?) and steriod injections for their lungs (anticipating premature birth) and spent 10 weeks on bedrest (but wasn't as strict as I ought to have been on account of climbing the walls with boredom). The only reason my cervical shortening was discovered is because I paid privately to be scanned in Harley St by a multiple births expert (Nicholaides - mentioned above), I was regularly scanned and despite feeling at times that ignorance may have been "blisser", I am so glad of it now. Depsite the boredom. I delivered my twins by c-section at 36 weeks despite all the warnings and had 2 healthy and good-sized babies. Am sure you're really worried (as I was) so I thought it might help to hear a good news story. Good luck! You'll never regret all the scanning and intervention despite the inconvenience.

Me, I do! We are in the process of having some building work done on our house in Ryedale (so haven't quite moved in yet, but I've been spending a lot of time there). I have noticed lots of very speedy vehicles lately. I have two toddlers, so am obviously concerned about this as it's not easy holding 2 lots of little hands when piling out of the car etc. Would be happy to attend any meeting / second any traffic calming proposals you make, so let me know. Sarah

I am very keen for this! Ryedalema - our estimated move-in date is 20 April (subject to me continuing to light fires under my builders' proverbials), but before this is fine, I can stretch to a cab for a chance to meet everyone in my new hood! Can't wait.

I've just registered with Cinderella agency. They are local to ED. They charge a fee (pretty reasonable), but I figured the value of my time going through all those replies on au pair world and filtering out the dross - far better to get sent a few options suitable for your particular requirements. The lady who runs it (Trisha) was very nice on the phone and went through everything with me which saved lots of online form-filling. http://www.cinderellaaupairs.co.uk/

My 2 had the hib and men C jab (only - not MMR) last Tuesday (late - was due at 12 months and I allowed it at 18 months because of fear of bombarding them with jabss when they are little. That evening they were both very crabby and had high temps. Since then both got a cough (a bacterial throat infection) for which my son (the worst hit) was given pencillin. He has been horribly poorly ever since (tuesday evening to monday) and is only just through the worst of it - temps up to 40, cough, sweats, moaning, screaming, sleeping all day and so on. I had the Dr on the phone 3 times over the weekend and am told I am a very "un-neurotic Mum". Oh - and they both got a (probably unrelated) eye infection that began on Weds night... I am absolutely convinced the viral-sounding parts of this were linked to the vaccination. My little girl had a horrific reaction to the 4 month jab (which I let them have at 6 months) - fevers for 4 days, head to toe raised angry rash etc. I have read Richard Halvorsen's book on vaccinations (worth a read if you are concerned about this area) and following this most recent nightmare I am more concerned than EVER about MMR, but all medical professionals you speak to (our GP, Paediatrician, hospital doctors) will tell you how irresponsible you are for delaying / deciding not to have it. It is a bloody mine field and I for one really don't know what to do about MMR.