Jan 2008 - I´m 3 and I own the world

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

It was getting desperate and since MrsMCJnr suggestion came in last and I was being lazy I just went for that - hope that is ok.

Thanks for party ideas.

S is a social butterfly. I've asked three different people at nursery no and they all say, 'Everyone.... well, I suppose Molly but Everyone.' So I am no further forward. I'm thinking of splitting it in two and having a few friends at home nd then a smaller group for lunch at softplay. Or just going for it. Hmmm.

Have you seen this BTW. Looks good to me.

Sounds good Simpson. At least they're acting on it.

Madmouse - (and anyone else!) Wow toys on flash sale at Amazon here Just scroll down

Also most parents at our nursery LaT just turn up about 30-45 mins before pick up, set up some tables with treats and snacks and send a party bag home - no one is left out, no mess, no stress and very little in the way of cost.

Gosh that sounds good. I don't think I've heard of that round our way.

wish they did something here like that too

If your DC has their birthday when at nursery then the tradition is to stand at the doorway with a bag of swets and let the kids pick one out of the bag on the way out.

LaT - am in town on friday so will post parcel to you then

I don't think it would work for us anyway as S's birthday is on 1st January. Never mind. I still haven't decided what to do.

Thanks Simpson. Don't forget to put your address on the back. I'd like to send a card.

Remember me?

Sorry...I last posted 6 weeks ago, just about the time I got promoted at work, then it all kicked off and life has been hugely frantic ever since....its probably better that its my MN time that slips, rather than time with the dcs, but I do miss you all....

Been doing lots of travel, of the not-very-glamorous variety: Glasgow, Dublin and Southend (sorry JKS !) have all featured. In between, I've had to deal with a very clingy and tearful Tamara, who is still very cross with me for going back to work and has decided to take all my absences personally :(

I know she'll get over it, but the worst thing is that the times when I am at home and can do the school run, she now really plays up...whilst I understand the psychology, its bloody frustrating as I want us to have a nice time together when I'm with her, not me telling her off,or her being in tears....

Birthday party is looming and I'm as stuck as you (been skimming back through thread)....we have to have nursery class (15) plus about 5-10 friends from the parallel classes and I can't work out what to do.

Opinions please:

We're moving house the exact weekend of T's birthday (Sunday 29th) and going to stay at my parents for a few weeks, as there is a gap between completing on selling our house and buying the next one :( :(

So, i could either
a) Have her birthday party at home a week or so early, just when I'm trying to clear the house
or
b) Move her birthday to a week late & have a party in a rented hall or something on 5th Feb.

Either way, given my stupid workload, we're going to have to get an entertainer....but they're all horrendously expensive....

And DH has said I have to buy a birthday cake for her this year :( :(

Either way I have to pretty much cancel her actual birthday, as dh and i will be doing 20 car trips to my parents that day. Thankfully my mum has offered to take A & T out for the day....hopefully MIL will take Mia at the same time.

Any thoughts?!

LaT - I know its a while back, but I loved S' comment about Daniel being oppressed

Too much stress Filly, definitely hire a hall, entertainer and buy a cake. It may be expensive but if you really want her to have the party then I think it would be just too stressful any other way.

E has decided to take his 3 closest friends (possibly two little girls as well) to the farm across the road from our house, they do pony rides and he is desperate to try riding but has to be 4 and this seems like a good way to let him try. They do have a room we can hire very cheaply but it is quite large but I might do some sandwiches or something if the girls come too or walk them down to nandos or pizza express after.

Luckily S only likes having his close friends too so about 5/6 for his party and he wants to go bowling.

Filly - i think they are old enough to understand a party on a different day so don't worry about that.
On the actual day life will be chaotic but if you plan to have a takeaway (or whatever you might have for a quick treat) that evening, buy a small cake, stick candles in and call it a birthday tea with family, she should be happy.

Then, have the hall option a week later - home life will still be chaotic i imagine.

Next time you're down let me know and even if it's just a coffee we can meet up :)

No idea what we'll do for H's birthday, he has been invited to a soft play for one of his classmates next week which will be sweet but not sure we want to have the expense when he has no clue what's going on. His classmate is much more 'with it' than him.

Must dig out the birthday list soon.

I'm going to be brave this time and let Nathan have a proper birthday party with his friends. Planning to invite the other kids from his SN school and will ask mainstream nursery which kids he plays with most. (Apparently Nathan knows names, but due to his speech delay doesn't talk about his friends or what he does at school). Planning to book the SN adapted soft play centre in Coventry. DH hesitant because he doesn't like parties. But that's his problem really.

Filly - I would hire somewhere too, much easier

Bit of a chaotic few days....

Finally got M's assessment today.

Won't put it all on but it basically says:

When talking to M she rocks from side to side or one foot to another, moves at all times and finds it hard to stand still.

Positions herself awkwardly on carpet, unable to cross her legs and uses diamond position.

Observation at painting easel: feet apart, grip hold on paint brush, rocking from side to side. Would swap hands to paint the side of paper she is painting. Better grip with left hand.

Tends to trip over "thin air" inside and out.

Outisde: unable to pedal a bike

stiff when using hula hoop

struggles on climbing frame. Takes a lot out of Molly

scooter - finds it hard to balance and v slow. Tends to fall over after a few feet.

Also don't know if I mentioned that J has been put on G&T for reading, handwriting and spelling His teacher has been fab in setting extra work etc and has lent some of her own books from home for him to read. But found out today she is leaving at th end of the term

Soooo just hope I am not back to the beginning in terms of what the teacher thinks of him iyswim. His teacher last yr said yes he was ahead but tbh he was allowed to coast a bit as teacher concentrated on the less able kids....

Lat - posted parcel today

Thanks Simpson

Bum about J's good teacher leaving. We don't have G+Tin Wales but it sounds good! Is he enjoying the extra 'work'?

You mention that they think her mobility is unusual. From that assessment, how unusual do they think it is? Quite a alot of that sounds quite typical? What have they told you? You see, I have Sabela who won't do anything she's not completely confident of, learnt to jump only quite recently, doesn't like the scooter, has only started going on cimbing frames at all willingly very recently. Then I have Danny, who walks on tiptoe, almost jumps, uses the sofa as a rocking horse, climbs on chairs only as a way of getting on the the table etc. I have two quite extreme examples of behaviour in my house, so I find it difficult to judge what they've said.

And, more importantly, how are you?

Filly, I'd hire somehwere too. As for it not being the day, don;t worry. S's never is as hers is !st January. We have her presents and a cake onthe firts and her party about a week later. Don't cry when she's delighted with her cake will you?

Madmouse - sounds good . He'll have a whale of a time.

JKS - I was tempted to have just a few friend round for musical bumps and jelly but our house just isn't big enough. We had one like tht at a friend's house recently and it was great. Would H like that?

I think I've decided to do a soft play party but limit it to 12. I'll just be praying that some people never find out . I can't face all the expenses of Dec / January running into Febrary. Now, is the 12th place taken by the new little girl friend she insists she wants or the one she really does adore and who loves her (they throw their arms about each other on seeing each other regularly) but 'can't come cos he's a boy.'

He seems to really enjoy it but has only had it for a week so its hard to tell

There is no extra work to do at home (apart from the extra books she wants him to read) and to think of 3 extra words for his spellings each wk (they all have a sound in ie this wk its aw so words like draw, strawberry etc) which he does easily.

Bit about M really as there is definately a problem as she cannot stand still and tires v easily and I really notice a difference between her and others at her dance class.

She is getting a bike for Xmas (from my parents) so that will help her learn to pedal

Simps - does she have a referral to a physio? and/or OT? It's one thing to be told all this stuff but you/M need to be told where to go with this info & what to do with it.

LaT - not sure if he'd like that tbh, he's not great with others coming into 'his' space. Will have to keep thinking. Our fave soft play place has closed down which is unfortunate as H isn't very confident at the other places. THough we are going to one on Mon so I can see how he is there.
Or we could book a church hall - i know a friend who organises a sensory/small soft play playgroup who might be able to help out.

I am self referring her to the local child development centre hence the school/OT helping me.

Waiting list is 8wks am hoping it will be less than that....

That sounds lovely JKS. What about a day out with a couple of friends or even his siblings? This is what a friend of mine does whose child doesn't like big gatherings. We've had a couple of lovely days at the local petting zoo with them.

Simpson - Glad you're getting help. Round here, they will often ring if they have a cancellation. If you can drop everything and go it works pretty well sometimes. Hope something like this happens to you and M.

Do you think I can dothis myself? I thought I could make it in 'Very Hungry Caterpillar' kind of colours. (why oh why can I not just let her be pink? Well, there are boys coming too.)

She wants a princess but I don't think I can face it.

Simpson - the ladybird arrived yesterday and we tried it out today. Thank you so much. She loves it and my back isn't mangled. It worked far better than I thought. She calls it her handbag. I think she has tried to put every toy in the house in it. She very sensibly settled for some food from the shop set we've got in the end in case her baby doll got hungry.

Bless her!!! Glad she likes it

Its bag bit is the perfect size for little girls (and boys!!)

Simpson - that sounds like 'classic' hypermobility....I don't know if that helps at all, but all the things you list fall into what I understand to be quite 'normal' spectrum for this - and are mostly things that M will overcome with time. In particular the constant wiggling and physical clumsiness both get easier with time, although I'm sure that some SN/Physio support will help - and they definitely will with the fine motor skills part. We were recommended lots of plsydough/plasticine play, and lego (duplo at this age) as being great at getting some of that going.

LaT - yes, Tamara is also much less confident, physically, than A was, even though in her case she actually can do much more.....at this age, A had only just worked out how to jump etc whilst she can jump brilliantly, hop and so on, but won't/can't (for example) run and jump into a paddling pool - we had a comedy playdate in the summer with a little boy from her class who was doing brilliant running leaps into our paddling pool whilst T would come running up at full pelt, then stop, stand still and then try to 'jump' in. She kept at it for over and hour, and couldn't work out what it was she was doing different to him....bless :)

Birthday parties...ok, I give in....we will go with the hall/entertainer/bought cake (and heaps and heaps of mummy guilt) if (and this is the big one) I can find some time to locate a hall and an entertainer for 5th Feb. The handful I have spoken to were all busy already and I can't really deal with this from the office....

Might need to work from home tomorrow....

Good luck Filly - and try not to feel too guilty :)

After all the party talk I have spoken to a friend who is in the know & got a phone number for a hall for H's birthday. I must try and ring it today as like you say Filly it may be booked up. It comes with lots of soft play stuff & other stuff so I think it would be a good choice.

Had H's first party invite yesterday. Blimey was it a stress. Luckily MIL had stayed on from the weekend or else we would all have headed home before the party even started.
Major meltdown from H at taking his shoes off.
Then finally calmed down and was playing & all seemed hunky dory.
Then he tried to climb up the slide just as a big lad came down - big bruise on his cheeck & tears but he recovered.
Then the birthday girl took some of his crisps! Which set him off and he didn't really come back from that. So we left a little bit early.
T enjoyed it though.
M was happy as long as she had food, lol.

Another 5.30 start from H, yawn. At least he was in bed early last night so he actually had enough sleep for once. Not me though. Never mind, it is all because he is going through another development spurt (I think) so we can't really complain, just wish he'd make it to 6 at least!

LaT - thanks soooo much for the parcel it arrived this morning

Molly was so chuffed with them she wanted to get in them straight away (at 12 midday!!)

She is wearing them in bed now....

Thanks for the card too. I have strict instructions from Molly: "mummy I want you to put it up there (notice board) because I love frogs and I want to look at it when I have my breakfast tomorrow!!"

Also feeling really positive (long may it last) as I helped out at the reception Christmas craft club tonight (20 reception kids there) and have come to the conclusion that the teaching assistant course I am doing is the right thing and I really enjoyed tonight!!!

One bad thing though is a really good friend on mine (the one whose daughter is M's best friend who has diabetes) they live on a boat but have come to the conclusion that they need a house now as their kids are growing up are probably moving away They (her and her hubby) are so much help to me (and I help them out too) They are bidding for a house in Norfolk tomorrow on auction (a wreck which they will do up) and then move there in the summer

Yay Simpson - that's good news about your course. Must feel great. I'm glad M likes the pjs. I tried to find something for J but I'm clueless about big boys and I couldn't find any nice looking animals.

Sorry about your friends. Do keep in touch with them if and when they go. Lots of people didn't bother when I left London, and it made me very sad.

Filly - believe me, a four year old can survive a party and shop-bought cake Did you find a hall?

I have done all my Christmas shopping bar one for my brother but I am starting this month with only about £70 after food and bills etc. Still not sure what to do about S's party.

Hello! Hope all well and looking forward to holidays and Christmas and of course our LOs turning 4 ! in the new year. No news really, just that life is really busy and I have been getting stuck in to my marathon training in addition to the usual juggling work and home etc.