The Full Cupboard of Pregnacare, Brazil Nuts, Grapefruit Juice...(No1 Babies Detective Agency pt4)

gilly have emailed you back

crikey - you lot were up late last night
MT you DS sounds adorable I agree P.ed is so much better equipped - I have done visits to various schools and there is such a difference in what equipment/ toys/ computers etc they have - all new (or fairly new) and plenty of them. I'd love DC to have that start in life but don't think it's an option money-wise for us
Knitting is going ok - I was going to tell you I'd cast on, knitted, purled and cast off all by myself [smug] thanks to the videojug lady Am going to try and attempt the hat in BKFB it's very cute and whatever size it comes out (am aiming for the 6-12 months size) I'll find a baby with the right sized head to give it to....I think decreasing looks easier than increasing, that's why I've skipped the boat neck jumper. What I'm not sure of is how you start a new ball of wool?

Oh MT ((huge hugs)) - I'm so sorry - life is so unfair for you!!

I hope so. We're going to do everything we can to help him.

He was insisting upon playing the violin (I do) - so we have bought him a very small one. It is improving, but we really need to make it an everyday occurance to get any significant progress (don't want to push though!) - it is improving !!!!

I think good state primary (probably church) then private is the 2nd option - but the junior school looks so fantastic that we would really like him to go there.

The art also looks really great - and lots of music - both areas that I really want him to be given the best opportunities (as well as the accademic side of course)

He had a bit of a panic in the bath - 'the dragons are coming!' - but Freddie and Jessie monster will scare the dragons off won't they? Big grin !

Hmm I think it would be state primary (preferably RC) and possibly private secondary depending on where we were living at the time. I'd have a fight on my hands with MIL though, state primary teacher and against private education!

Your little lad sounds bright and with that imagination of his he will go a long way!

I've heard of people doing that and then being effectively biased against in terms of schools. Might be different if you private education.

Mind you, we are looking to ped - we want to do the best we can for ds, and, although there are some good state schools near us, we feel that he will have more opportunities and encouragement if we opt for pe.

Ds and I went to an open morning last weekend - we're first on the waiting list - we went round when ds 18 months old and all the places already taken We got stuck in the music room (again) and ds listened to a 'composition' in progress with great interest. We then went round several other classrooms and he examined books in various rooms. In the lower kindergarten he found the computer with a drawing package which entranced him - associated moving and clicking mouse with things happening and was choosing colours etc. In the kindergarten he found some 'maths' cards which required you to match the right size and colour teddy onto the picture - teachers very impressed that he was doing this correctly - then had a play with the 3 little pigs. I had to go and talk to someone re dates - ds didn't really want to leave so suggested he stayed and played with the trains (teachers happy with this and no visitors - I was in the next room (I think they were also surprised that he might be OK with this)) when I came back he was still playing with the trains, then discovered the whiteboard and had great fun playing with the different colours and the eraser. He even managed to do the first letter of his name (more or less (or more)) and a double 'O' for owl (which also impressed me - I know he knows the letter, but he hadn't really had a good try drawing them before)... I'm really hoping that someone ahead of him drops out as I think that he'd do really well at that school.

Do what you feel is right for you MT and if you want to try again we are here for you Give yourself some time to grieve too.

The knitting is nonexsistant at the mo. Thanks for the link Nomore, how big are those needles? (ps I need to email you too)
How is DH coping with the rugby? Mine is not doing well so no chance of BDing tonight, he'll be pacing the flat mumbling about Jonny Wilkinson!

I must say I agree on the fact that summer babies do have a disadvantge. DH was born premature in mid August (due in Oct) and he struggled at school. He was always playing catch up and it was not until he got to uni that he was able to work at his pace and research and write essays in his way. He devours newspapers and current affairs and until he left school he did not have a way of putting this to good use. He did very well at uni and now has a great job; but he got into uni through clearing as his alevels were not brilliant.

My god daughter is one of the eldest in her pre-school class and my cousin's little girl is in the same class but 7 mths younger. The difference is remarkable, even taking into account different families and upbringing. My goddaughter is already playing letter games whilst the other can just cope with drawing and story time before she wants a nap.

Can you hold back your child for a year if he/she is born in August?

Dont give up MT. If you want another child then keep at it girl! I had a mc 5 weeks ago trying for no 1, and as grief stricken as i still am I'm not willing to let this beat me. Be strong - Im a great believer that if you want something bad enough you will get eventually get it.

I'm OK. In a state last night, and a bit messed up and mixed up today, but OK. This one wasn't meant to be. I've got one fabulous small boy who I'm really lucky to have. Maybe he's meant to be an only child, like I was (my mother had still born son after me - Rhesus neg problem - I was too young to know at the time).

Mt hope you are as well as can be.

The upside is the combination of alcohol and cough medcine meant that I slept through until I was woken rudely by ds at 5.40am - but I persuaded him to go back to sleep for a while after that (in his own bed!!!)

So, hows the knitting going? Encountered any problems? I've been knitting for quite a long time (over 20 years, on and off), so I've encountered a fair number of problems and solutions!

Shit happens. It seems to happen rather often in October for me... I was right not getting all excited though.

MT I'm so sorry to hear your news (((hugs))) There is a candle burning for you at church tonight.

oh (((((MT))))) so sorry
Came on to tell you all about how my knitting's going but that's horrible news

mc.

Dh out at a rehearsal last night, and has rehearsal and concert this afternoon evening.

MT what's happened? (((hugs)))

I know, but if you're a July/Aug baby you end up being the youngest in the class so, particularly at the start, won't be at the same level as some of the rest of the class - which could get them into the habit of not expecting to achieve compared with their classmates.

Ds April - no problem (apart from birthday being in holidays some of the time which can make birthdays a problem). Was anticipating June - not too bad. However, not to be. July, August - well, August really out in terms of birthdays - no one would come to parties.

September/October - start of accademic year - great. Means I might wait until the new year. Although it depends how things pan out. Might throw the towel in.

Ok.... I am officially lost

Personally I don't buy that whole July/August baby struggling at school. If a child is going to struggle they will.

I think I'll give it a miss until after CHristmas now. I don't really want to have a July/August baby - difficult for them in terms of school.

Mistlethrush - Did I miss something??? - how comes you are talking about alcohol?????

OK, so managing to go down in length even more... At least I can go back on the alchohol which helps my cough - and cough medicine...

Sybil - fringes are easy as long as you want a straight-forward version: cut a bunch of wool slightly over 2x the length that you want the fringe to be. Fold in half (- this now has a loop end and cut end). With the right side of the scarf upwards (and the scarf going away from you) push the loop end of the bundle down through a hole close to the end. Pull through so that you have enough length to easily be able to get all the loops round your 1st 2 fingers and thumb - grab the cut ends and pull through the loop, gently pullin excess loop back upwards towards the hole - but the aim is to have the loop curled round so that the cut end falls fairly straight but the loop end shows in a line just below the end of the scarf (does this make sense?)

Can't find who was having problems casting off - its not difficult, as long as you don't knit too tightly - to start with, knit two stitches, then (using the needle that has still got most of the stitches on it), pick up the first of the stitches you knitted (I do this through the back of the stitch) and pull it over the top of the second stitch, then knit a third as normal, pull over the 2nd stitch you knitted etc.

Feeling grotty. Had a lousy night - including getting up (sorry, TMI) to wretch because of coughing so much. That on top of the feeling slightly queasy is not a good combination. Then ds, also not feeling particularly well - cough has made his ear infection come back (first time since June which is fantastic but that its come back as the perforation in his ear drum had been headling up last time we went to the specialist) decided that it would be a good idea not to have a nap at lunchtime so he was whingy and whiney all afternoon and finally fell asleep on way to pick up dh - then didn't want to wake up for supper...

Umm, really need to think about nickname now you have all done so succesfully, not sure I want to be known as slimy... You were all busy today, glad to hear all the knitting plans.

My ds's scarf is coming on fabulously (well you know, for a scarf!) and will soon be casting off, then just have fringing to worry about - might have to get mum in for that bit!

I mean the panic feeling was bizarre, the instruction video is excellent. I better knit a few more rows and give it a go.

Ok. Noooomooore I swear - I got a cold-sweat panic when that video started - it was bizarre!!

PMSL at the thought of Nappy Valley mums abusing Gilly in the street