June 08 - 118 (and counting) sleeps till Chistmas, but don't tell Deb!

[EddieIzzardismyhero]

Welcome to our new, cosy thread. Log fires, big jumpers and Christmas shopping .

What do you mean it's still August?!

An academics research is rarely wrong dewin

Yesss! I never guess stuff like that usually! So I am cool and with it after all!

Just to make a random judgement on a woman I've only seen in photos, she looks like the uptight type to me. Is he ok though? He looks so mild!

I guessed too!

Oh, James McAvoy - he's my not so secret celebrity crush. We went to the same school. Not at the same time sadly.

S still asleep! Thanks for thinking of me Dewin. I've been quite touched by all of your good wishes and thoughts this week.

Good luck for E (and you) for tomorrow H&S. P still loving pre-school but afternoons are a bit fraught as he seems to be really tired and really stimulated and can't handle the come down if that makes sense. This is despite having a good sleep.

Impressed with the sleb neighbour story too.

I have a morsel of non-sleb tittle-tattle. My pilates teacher who I rate as v discrete and professional warned us this evening that next week a new lady is starting: "She's v nice, just a little older".... "She's 61!" I think she wanted to let us know so we could arrange our faces ahead of time. So the class now contains one Olympian and and OAP, and 2 plebs. Crazy hey!

Most importantly H&S, what was her DH like? I didn't know they were married.

at your pilates teacher Spider, I presume it isn't an antenatal pilates class then.

DG - good to hear that evenings are improving.

I've started thinking about Christmas, mainly because I was in B&M Bargains yesterday (classy ), and they had replaced all the gardening stuff (which I had gone in for) with toys. Including lots of Peppa Pig, Thomas, Toy Story etc. I like the look of this, which they had for £15, although the Amazon reviews aren't great. I started my christmas shopping and got him one of these for about £3, he's very into torches at the moment and disappeared under our bed last night with a torch . They also had this for £50, which caused a lot of excitement to emanate from the pushchair but you would need a lot of space to fit that in.

Right I'd better go and shower before H wakes up and I miss my opportunity.

Spider I thought that was preggo yoga - please tell me it isn't!

Domestic - how did it go in the night?

H&S - Keeley Hawes always looks like a cow on TV. I saw her once when I went to the Jonathan Ross show and she got on my nerves so I am not surprised. James McAvoy on the other hand....

Dewin - How I laughed at Baa Baa Blackski - PMSL is not strong enough! Brightened up my morning no end reading that!

Good luck today Deb!

Thanks all for the great messages re my sister. I have cut and pasted them into an email. I never thought about her being a higher risk of pnd so that has opened my eyes a lot and I'll keep a good lookout for signs.

So far we have not had a problem with Luke and his sideless bed. I think the bed guard is so big he probably doesn't think he can get out but it makes the world of difference to me as I'm too big to lift him over the cot now and I can sit on the side and sing my songs now instead of standing up and holding him (which is now impossible). Found a great programme on Home and Health called multiple mums so I am recording them all. Hopefully will give me a bit of help! Got my 20 week (ahem 21 and a half) scan on Monday which I am mega looking forward to. Once that's out of the way I am going to spend spend spend!!! The programme yestererday said you should have everything ready for 28 weeks.

PS KTpie - that ride on looks fab - my only doubt would be that it may get ridden on loads for a few days and then discarded. I am deffo gonna get the torch though. Luke loves torches!

It is definitely an ante-natal class

OMFG!

Wait, its an antenatal class and she is 61!!!!!!!! No way!

Maybe there is a lovely story behind it, like she is being a surrogate for her daughter or something. Still, I'm impressed that she is 61, pregnant and still has enough energy to go to yoga.

Ooh, what is this B&M bargains you speak of? That ride on looks fab - expecially for £50!!! S was playing with one of those peppa pig cars at the w/e at my BIL's and loved it.

Play.com have loads of things for a fiver just now. I got a Thomas magnet set, some gruffalo stuff, a die cast Postman Pat, mr potato head and some other bits for £5 each for S's stocking sack.

I can't put in words what I think of 61 year old being pg!!!

Is it the same as BM stores? Have just googled and found there is a store in Edinburgh.

now I get it! I thought Spider's pilates teacher was being weird and ageist, but now that I know it's an antenatal class,
I have strong views, but let's hope it's like Sybil suggests. Spider it is now your duty to find out. You have got to get her to go for a coffee (tea!) with you and get all the details. It's your duty.

Any suggestions on how I would start that conversation?

The teacher said this lady is very nice but didn't know the circumstances of the pregnancy. However she wants arrange for drinks to find out (there is a flaw in her plan though is booze is off the menu for the pregnant ladies).

LOL @ Sybil - I seem to have awoken you from your Internet-free exile, or are you finally connected?

I would just come out with it. I am very rude though.

I tend to ask straight out as well: better than beating around the bush!
Arrange to meet for tea! You owe it to us all, Spider!

ooh Spider, I can't wait, when's the next Pilates?

Glad nights are getting better Goddess

Stefan got on OK today but he looked so small compared to the 18 year olds!!His form teacher turns out to be a friend of a friend and also his English teacher which is very handy!!In school here parents have to provide all the materials. Stefan's had 3 lessons today and so far he needs 2 files, 3 exercise books, lined paper, 2 folders, an atlas, and various stationary bits. Then the Gym teacher spoke to them and apparently he needs 3 pairs of different shoes for PE!!I have spoken to his teacher and she has reassured me that he won't get into trouble if he doesn't have everything!!Bus timetable loks tricky, he has 10 minutes between buses on the way to school but 40 mins sometimes on the way back!

Spider, you could just ask, "is this your first?"

B&M bargains DG, it's like a downmarket poundstretchers if you can imagine such a thing, looking at the website it is the same as BM stores. Ours is very chavvy, I fit right in . Now I'm concerned that I was reading the wrong price label for the train and leading you on a wild goose chase!

Spider - Blooming heck, she must be nearing record breaking. We definitely need details.

Deb - what are your plans now, how long do you think you will be over there? I'm stingy and it would annoy me having to shell out for only a short time.

Just switched on the TV and the pope is on, a lot of people have turned out.

There used to be a B_+M bargains near my Nan's house and I loved going in there as a child.You can get some bargains there and you can also get a load of tat!!

Ktpie , still waiting for our buyers to exchange on their house in the UK but when they do it will be all go, looking like 25th October at the moment for us to move. We know where we want to live but at the moment we have no house, no schools, no car etc etc...

She would have some way to go to beat the world's oldest mum sadly .

at your pilates teacher wanting to find out her story though - not v professional of her IMO . Doesn't stop you from finding out for us of course!

@ Deb re: needing to provide all the children's books etc! Is this my cue to start on a "children in this country don't know they're born . . . " type rant?

While we're on the subject of presents (as some of you were!), it's M's first birthday in a month's time. Any suggestions? Bearing in mind he's the NSC, he has toys coming out of his ears thanks to having an older brother, and enough clothes to clothe half of London. Anyone?

yes go on Knitting!!

am still thinking about the present ideas...

What kind of stuff is m into now? That may help knitting with ideas.

Spider am intrigued by your newest class member.

Deb glad went ok . E was fine- no tears and first words were nursery is good mum so that was pleasing.

Also potty training- or lack there of- e aware of what it's for, when she is doing things but zero interest in using potty (and only marginally better on trainer seat). Have been trying to sit her on morning and night. Do I just persist?

knitting - my pilates teacher said it in jest, more to explain that she didn't know anymore than the lady's age presumably from the registration form, she met her the week before when I wasn't there.

So, did any of the Scottish ladies turn out to see the Pope today?

Deb and H&S glad first days went well.

I'm still in a huff with the Pope so I didn't go

S went down well again tonight - yay! DH still having to sit with him till he drops off, but that's ok (for now). We're going to let things settle down and then try and gradually bring bedtime forward by 10 minutes over time to try and eventually get him off at a reasonable time. Fingers crossed.

Knitting - are you not tempted to wrap up some of A's old toys? What about the this Bobby car? I remember Deb mentioning it and soon after I saw one at a toddler party. S thought it was brilliant. Or what about extending stuff that you have already? e.g. new bits for a wooden train set etc? Do you have this learn and groove table? S still plays with his now. More happyland? Quite a few new things out at ELC in their Autumn/Winter catalogue.