New in Notting Hill

[MissMuffet]

Hello.
This is my first attempt at this, not entirely sure what i'm doing but fingers crossed!
I have just moved to Notting Hill with my two little ones, a 2 and 1/2 year old boy and a 6 month old girl. I would love to hear from fellow mums in the area or mums who like to visit this neck of the woods.
We are great fans of the Diana memorial park in Kensington Gardens and also Holland park and would like to hear about more fabulous things to do around these parts.
Here's to new friends and an action packed Spring/Summer.

Hi MissMuffett
I live in Paddington which is just up the road from Notting Hill although nowhere near as nice! I also spend time in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park and can make it to Holland Park when I am feeling fit or driving.
I have a 6 month old girl and a 4 year old boy. DS goes to school so in term time I have quite a bit of free time with the baby.
I used to live on Ladbroke Grove so I know the area quite well.
Where were you before Notting Hill?

Hi Seahorse2
Before Notting Hill i lived in a flat in Golders Green (North London) whilst trying to buy a house in Hampstead, which never came to fruituition. We are now in another flat, only this time in W2, whilst trying to buy a house in W11... fun and games!
Wow, you have a 6 month old bundle of pink as well! Aren't little girls different to little boys? Who would have thought they/we learn to play the cutie-pie card so early on.
My little boy is only two but he is about the size of a small four year old! He is starting nursery in May (afternoons) so i will be having some more baby time too.
Can you explain to me what DS means? I'm new to this and have not yet cracked the code!

Hi MissMuffett
DS stands for "dear son", I think. At least it is an abbreviation for son. Likewise DD for daughter, DH for husband. There is probably a list in the archives somewhere.
You are right about girls. My DD has the most amazing smile which she uses on absolutely anyone we meet and she completely charms them. She even manages to have a cute hairstyle whereas my DS was bald for ages.
|I'm going to try and send you a "contact another talker" message so I can tell you some stuff to do in the area without swamping your message. It'll be later on as I have to feed my DS some green and orange goo and then cook Sunday lunch for visitors. What happened to Mother's Day. My DH is in the garden with our DS having a lovely time and I'm inside doing chores!

Well today i have been to Kensington Gardens where my DS used up absolutely none of his excess energy sat on the swing, and i used up the little i had left pushing him. We then fed the swans and spent the next 40 plus minutes on the underground going no where in particular! DS is fanatical about trains and it is not unheard of for us to go on long train journeys only to turn around and head straight back again. We can also be observed lurking around stations, cafes and benches, just sat watching the trains go by. I don't really mind so much, at least i get a sit down and it's a good way of getting him out of the park without creating a scene!
DS is having a well deserved nap now, i'm trying to convince DD that she should have one too so that mummy can read a magazine, but i think it is destined for the 'Waiting to be Read' magazine pile!
Sunday Dinner, haven't cooked that for a while, about six months actually tee, hee! Good old Indian left overs for us, yummy.

Happy Mother's Day by the way

Hi - I live in Ladbroke Grove MissMuffet, with my DH and 5.5 month old DD. There's so much to do around here - the Electric cinema does mother and baby screenings, there are loads of baby friendly cafes, aquababies at kensington leisure centre, gymboree at whiteleys, parks now spring may be around the corner...

I'm always up for making new friends, if you want to meet up let me know. My email is my MN talkname at hotmail dot com

Yay, another potential pal for my DD and i, the more the merrier i say.
Thanks for the info', i can't wait to try out some of your suggestions.
It really would be great to know of a few place you can take a buggy and an over-tired child without raising eyebrows or bumping into tables and people's legs! We decided to go to The Ledbury on Ledbury road funnily enough, for sunday lunch (this was after my little Underground expedition!). We had both DS and DD as well as the buggy and the morning's shopping, and after peeping in the window, decided we were better of eating at home.
What did you do for mother's day novadandypowder?
Chat more later, DD is protesting at the lack of attention i'm giving her.

well mothers day was a pretty quiet affair as my DH is away working in LA at the mo. He did get some flowers sent to me though which was lovely. Apart from popping to High St Ken, I spent the day in my jammies eating nice food from M&S. Also took my chances by putting DD to bed at the 'new' 7pm at it worked!!! woo-hoo Had visions of her waking up all night wanting to play as it was still light.

Have been to the Electric, Osteria basilico, Lazy Daisy and Carluccios for lunch with DD. Carluccios on westbourne grove is great, always full of mothers and children with lots of room for buggies. Progresso on portobello is also worth a look but is expensive.

hi MissMuffet and Novadandypowder
My mother's day turned out much better than anticipated as our friends turned up early before I'd done anything about lunch and suggested we go out instead. So we had pizza and pasta at Ask instead. They are so relaxed with kids and there is one at the end of my road! We like Carluccio's too but isn't the service always so slow?
For boys who love trains, have you tried the DLR from Bank to Canary Wharf? We went on it with my DS and he loved it. You can sit right at the front with the driver and then the driver gets off after a couple of stops and the train is automatic. My DS was amazed when the driver got out! He talked about it for ages.
We've also spent many an afternoon hanging round Paddington Station, watching the trains come and go. Maybe we won't have to do that with the girls?

Hi again
Just found out you have to pay for contact a talker!
I was going to tell you about the playgroup at the orangey/yellow church on Kensington Park Road which we used to go to when DS was younger. It's on four mornings a week 9.45 to 11.45 I think. It's very big and has lots of stuff for them to do. There's also a little one in church at the top of Ladbroke Grove hill/Holland Park end on Tues/Thurs afternoons. DH wants to use the computer so got to go now!!!

Seahorse - I never worry about slow service when I've got nothing else to do In fact I prefer it as it means I don't feel like they want to get me out! My email is my MN talk name at hotmail dot com. Think my LO is a bit too young for the playgroups so I'll have to leave that one to you guys.

I think I took my ds to playgroup as soon as he could sit up on his own! More for my benefit than his I suppose. He's now too old for it. My dd can't sit up yet she still just capsizes to one side. So I'll be waiting a few weeks before I get back to it.

p.s I,ve just caught my DS in the bathroom playing with my make-up (i thought he was using the potty) he's got blobs of concealer all over his face.

DD's weaning is going ok so far, I'm taking it slowly as she's not quite 6 months yet, but she's taking 2 ice cubes worth of puree at her 11am feed. Next week I'll start to introduce food twice a day, as I'm following the Annabel Karmel book (first time mum and I have NO clue about weaning). It's funny seeing carrot coloured poo!

I'm up for a meet, but it will have to be after 1.30/2pm otherwise DD is a nightmare. Any good time/place for anyone? Mondays and tuesdays are good for me, wednesday and friday afternoons are out as DD is with a childminder, and thursday we have swimming at 1.30-2 (although this may change time/day)

can't believe your dd is talking missmuffet - mine is blowing raspberries again at inappropriate times e.g when someone looks in the pram and says "Ooh isn't she sweet"
The weaning is going very well. She gobbles it all down. But she was always rubbish at bf and underweight so she's probably been starving for 6 months and is now making up for it. Our friends who came on Sunday had a 3 month old who is about the same size as my dd. Funny when ds is already too big for age 5 clothes and he is only just 4 next Weds.
Yes, weaned poo is bizarre. You wonder if they actually digest it or if it passes straight through?
My schedule in term time is I have to collect ds from school at 3pm, leaving home about 2.40pm so we could have a quick meeting between 1.30pm and 2.30pm! To see if we like the look of each other! Otherwise hols start next Thurs but I'm not sure if we want a 4 year old hanging around. Depends what we do I suppose.
Of course we haven't seen Missmuffet's schedule yet!
we never seem to be online at the same time do we!

might be able to do a morning say 10.30/11ish? I just need to make sure DD gets a good nap in at 12/12.30 otherwise she is a right cow in the afternoon.

I'm online... but only for the next couple of minutes, i've got to give DD a bath. I expect your little one is all tucked up in bed novadandypowder. Mine goes to bed at 11-12 shock horror, but then she does sleep through till 8ish and then only wakes for a feed before sleeping on untill 10ish, which suits me. Does your DD wake at some ungodly hour going to sleep so early at night?
My DD is also fluent in raspberry Seahorse2. I wouldn't go as far as to say she is talking, i think da da da just happened to be one of the first sounds to come out of her mouth and it got such a joyous reaction she just kept on making it. She is 7 months tomorrow so i think she is a little older than your DD as well.
My diary's really hectic at the moment. We're out of the country from Thursday till Monday, and then travelling again on the Friday for 2 weeks. If all goes to plan, when we get back on april the 22nd we will be moving into our new house. I could do Tuesday 4th. Maybe we could meet in the morning for coffee and brunch (providing we like the look of each other... did i mention my tattoos and piercings... I'm joking!) Then when i get back from my trip, the weather will have improved and we could go to the park and such like. Do you think your DS would mind an almost 3 year old tagging along behind him Seahorse2?
Do you know? I would love to take a picture of my DD under water. I think she is still young enough to intinctively hold her breathe! Not sure how one goes about taking such a picture but i could maybe give it ago at your swimming pool novadandypowder.
Hmmmm, I wonder what Annabel Karmel would say to my DD munching on my chicken drum stick bones when i'm done with them!!!

I'm away Thursday to Monday too! Where are you going Missmuffet? We're off to Tuscany, tralaa.
I could do Tues 4th and my DS will still be at school so I would have a chance to concentrate on conversation.
I am ashamed to confess I have a Gina Ford baby. I think I am permitted to leave the house at that time now dd is 6 months but obviously I will have to check the book first, just to make sure . She does wake up pretty early but I have to be up to get the other one to school anyway. Still, I still long for a lie in...

lie-ins are a distant memory. We're of to Florence for a shopping and sight-seeing break. First holiday with both children... wish me luck!

p.s Does Gina Ford know that you have her baby!!!... I know... rubbish joke (brain hasn't engaged properly yet!)

You must be flying in to Pisa too. We are BA from Gatwick Thursday evening. How about you? If you are there at the same time, look out for us - remember I have a giant DS and a mini DD! Both stunningly gorgeous children, of course, and really clever and advanced .
I can't believe this is DD's third overseas holiday already! Three holidays in your first six months is a bit excessive. I blame my DH for dragging me away from my domestic chores all the time. That must be why my house is a tip. We should be spending money on cleaners iinstead of holidays.
Just a thought from earlier on - do you have an underwater camera, missmuffet?

Another belated thought - I'm sure DS won't mind a small playmate. He is very good at sharing toys and quiite laid back, not an aggressive little boy, like some you meet, more of a crybaby in fact. He is fascinated by makeup and jewellery too so they should have something in common.

We are flying to Pisa from Gatwick with BA tomorrow at 18.55, how funny. I will look out for your stunningly georgeous, clever and advanced children. Look out for me, i will be the one going up to anyone with a buggy saying "Seahorse?" and getting lots of strange looks! It might be a better idea to look out for my DH. He is 6ft 7 and usually head and shoulders above everyone else.
My DD has been to Paris and West Africa while still in my bump, does that count? Maybe not.
Will need to source an under-water camera from somewhere... mmmm, i haven't thought this through!
DS is not an agressive child either, very gentle and kind. He is however lacking a few social skills and is only just beginning to grasp the concept of sharing, now that he has a little sister. I don't think he is shy, more stuborn, if someone he doesn't know trys to talk to him he just frowns and refuses to speak. It's a shame because he would love to have a fellow play mate but doesn't seem to know what he is suppose to do/say when he meets one. Maybe your DS could give him a few pointers. We're viewing a school tomorrow afternoon and i'm dreading what they will think when DS gives them the silent treatment. When he visited his new nursery school one teacher asked "does he speak?". Hes very articulate in the confines of his home.

I don't suppose you will be at Gatwick tomorrow evening novadandypowder?