July 2010: Warning, this thread contains offensive language; 1 wedding, --d--jogging and some Creme Eggs (although we don't know why). Oh and some babies who are nearly 1 year old.

[CakeandRoses]

See? Panicking works!

If he uses a lot of herbs and spices, maybe a mini spice grinder would be good? (Much easier than a pestle and mortar!) Or a fresh herbs storage pot?

Alternatively if he likes making his own oils/vinegars/dressings, you could get a collection of decorative glass bottles with pouring lids that he could make them in and leave on the side for ease of use, as well as looking lovely. :)

If he does big savoury meals for guests a lot, then nice serving dishes, including sauce boats and giant serving spoons might work? Or even a warming tray to put on the table for the food. I have some microwave plate warmers too that I use for special occasions, while my parents have an electric mat plate warmer that they adore.

Are you wine drinkers? A wine cooler for the table can be a nice addition too. Or some lovely salt/pepper mills. Or a fresh parmesan grater, if Italian meals are your thing! (Sooo much nicer fresh.)

... Now I feel hungry! :(

chul you're quiet. what have you been up to?

had a good morning - two lots of washing done, F & A fed, washed, dressed and down for naps, roast veg for lunches in oven.

cancelled two friends today as both their Dcs were ill - don;t want to risk catching anything just before hols. library, charity shop and cafe here we come

do you think we've scared dili, hotg, cherry and violet off again?

noisy any better now mlic?

about to jump in shower when F woke up - he just told me my pubic hair is my tail

Dh is off so he's taking us to the baby group where I am going to hand out birthday party invitations. Shiting myself and feeling pathetic about it. But we are new here and we have to make some friends.

Looking forward to reading all the survey results later.

ha ha cake!

I feel grim, got a stinking cold. Managed to take J to his swimming lesson this morning (and half drowned him while ducking down to pick something up from the bottom of the pool - oops...). We swam a lot on holiday and J swam half a length all on his own, with one of those foam sausages under his arms! I was so impressed. That was also the day he finally started crawling properly, but I'm going to say he could swim before he could crawl.

Are all the babies now on the move now that M and J have finally figured out crawling?

Survey time!

Baby's age? (closest to 10.5m, 11m or 11.5m)
11 months on Saturday

Can he/she:

Understand simple instructions?
Yes - he can wave when you tell him to, or kick his legs in the pool

Understand 'No'?
Yes, I think so

Crawl?
Yes! Finally, like M, he's figured it out in the last week on holiday.

Coast/cruise?
Nope.

Walk with walker/walker-like object/holding your hand/s
Holding my hands, yes.

Stand unaided (clue: this means not holding on to anything )?
Nope, still needs one hand for balance.

Stoop from a standing position?
No

Bends over and picks up an object?
No

Take steps/walk?
No

Says Mama/Dada?
Yes

Say Mama/Dada to correct parent?
Yes

Says other words (aside from Mama/Dada)?
Don't think so.

Wave goodbye/hello?
Yes

Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo
Peek-a-boo yes, patty-cake no

Use pincer grip?
Yes

Indicate what he/she wants with gestures ??
Hmm, not sure! Don't think so.

Imitate others' activities?
Don't think so.

Put objects into a container?
Yes, this is endless fun

Scribble with a crayon?
No, straight in the mouth

Any other talents?
He can swim! (proud mum alert)

What's up tsc, anything specific or "just childcare"?

chul, albrecht and anyone with an in-date jar of tahini: I found the holy grail today, a palatable tahini recipe. It's tahini sauce/dressing and once made can last in the fridge for ages. We just had it with roast squash, aubergine and cauli, olives, pittas, salad and humous - all of us liked it. Interested?

Forgot to reply re tahini cake chul was it bread pudding consistency?

You're not really selling it cake! Go on then, I have a jar of tahini in the fridge as well. I must make another batch of homous, I think I have some chick peas (though I must also head to Sainsbury's as soon as DH gets in with the car.

Ha ha woodlands, I did really like it, it's like the tahini sauce in lebanese places. I'm not sure if its an acquired taste tho.

Will post recipe when home later.

Erk, that doesn't sound good tsc. Anything you can use to block the light?

Survey time!

Baby's age? (closest to 10.5m, 11m or 11.5m)
11 months yesterday

Can he/she:

Understand simple instructions?
Yes

Understand 'No'?
Yes, he normally laughs until I give him the angry face then usually cries and goes to my mum or DH to get a hug

Crawl?
Yes all the time, its quicker than walking eventhough ive just bough his second pair of shoes!

Coast/cruise?
yes

Walk with walker/walker-like object/holding your hand/s
yes to all of them, usually tries to do all of them ay the same time, forgetting he has my hand he wants to hold the walker or a toy

Stand unaided (clue: this means not holding on to anything )?
yes for really long periods

Stoop from a standing position?
yes touches his toes to shoes his shoes off

Bends over and picks up an object?
yes, he walks around picking up tiny bits off the floor

Take steps/walk?
Yes can walk length of house but its quicker to crawl and after bashing himself the other week only tends to do it more when other children are about as I think he then thinks oh they are ok!

Says Mama/Dada?
mama, mameeeeeee ,mummumumum, daddy is aaaaaababa no idea why

Say Mama/Dada to correct parent?
Yes

Says other words (aside from Mama/Dada)?
ook (look)
at (that)
ap (clap)
wack as in quack, everything with wings is a wack

Wave goodbye/hello?
Yes he waves side to side for hello and up down for bye, think he got confused with people waving different and its stuck!

Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo
yes to both but prefers patty cake

Use pincer grip?
Yes

Indicate what he/she wants with gestures ??
yes he points saying ook!! or at!!!

Imitate others' activities?
yes mainly the dog, crawling with toy in mouth or if I tell the dog off he shouts babble at the dog while flapping his hand around like he is saying why he is shouting!

Put objects into a container?
Yes

Scribble with a crayon?
yes usally the pen goes from the paper onto mummys legs

Any other talents?
He seems to do yoga positions?!!! he does the right motions for swimming! and like to help me cook by emptying the cupboards!!!

been busy with mum today, got new shoes for L as his feet have grown, got my car valued for px but it was a joke

mlic sorry no, it's wholemeal (plain) flour tho I have used all white plain before too

Evening all

Dont have much to input, just didnt want to come on tomorrow morning and have 100 posts to read!

Cloudy is the outlook for fri at the mo, hoping it changes for the better but anything is better than rain.
All pray for nice weather ladies!

Evening all

Had a nice day here, went for coffee and cake and the trampolines. M loves going on the trampolines. Older kids bounce and she bounces with them, then she tries to make it bounce and puts a lot of effort in but it doesn't move a bit. Looks very funny.

I'm not gonna do the survey. I would have to say No to nearly all things. I'm not in the slightest bit worried, M. is just taking her time and will get there eventually. I just feel a bit mean on her if I wrote down No so much.

Have finally picked up the courage to arrange therapy sessions about my anxiety. I always think the worst is gonna happen and someone I love is gonna die, so not the cheeriest thoughts. I've had it for a long time but am finally doing something about it cos I don't want it to affect my children in that they get all negative and scared. So have a therapy session in 10 days and feel already short of breath just thinking about it. But I'm glad I've taken the first step.

I've done a bit of cooking lately and there was no major disaster so am feeling all virtuous. Might even try WSS's impossible quiche again soon.

The tahini dressing sounds good cake. I'd like to try it too, please.

Hope everyone's OK. More tomorrow.

4.37am. I'm so over it.

Baby's age? (closest to 10.5m, 11m or 11.5m)
10.5 months

Can he/she:

Understand simple instructions?
He will come over to me or follow me when i say 'come on then'

Understand 'No'?
Defo starting to and sometimes will comply without crying!

Crawl?
Like hes been wound up!

Coast/cruise?
Defo.

Walk with walker/walker-like object/holding your hand/s
Really well now with the nasty Vtec walker, just wish he could turn it round when he reaches the end of the room!

Stand unaided (clue: this means not holding on to anything wink)?
Did today for the first time for about 30 seconds

Stoop from a standing position?
When holding on.

Bends over and picks up an object?
As above

Take steps/walk?
Very nearly but not yet.

Says Mama/Dada?
Mummmmmm but not to me defo daddiiiiiiiiiiii to him and over and over again where ever he is.

Say Mama/Dada to correct parent?
See above

Says other words (aside from Mama/Dada)?
Ta, nanny(why i dont know as he hardly ever sees her)

Wave goodbye/hello?
Yes but after the event

Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo
Instigates peek-a-boo and loves it when u hide and jump out

Use pincer grip?
Lots, very precise

Indicate what he/she wants with gestures hmm??
Hmmmmm not really

Imitate others' activities?
no

Put objects into a container?
Yes, loves taking them out and putting them back in.

Scribble with a crayon?
Just bashes and makes accidental marks.

Any other talents?
When hes talking with his toys he makes dramatic jestures with his hands kind of like alas poor yorick.....type of thing iyswim.
He points and finds it very funny if u point
he can climb stairs and brushes his teeth, he takes his own trousers off and is very good at locating and eating cat food!

Just booking final leg of hols - we're staying in two places, one with a grandstand view of mount etna and the other in a lovely old seaside town.

trudy sounds like you and M had a good day. sounds like therapy would be a great idea. what type is it?

the babies are all doing different things at different times so you're right not to worry

Tahini dressing

5 Tbs water
5 Tbs olive oil
5 Tbs tahini
Juice of 2 lemons *
Large clove of garlic *
1.5 Tbs soy sauce (i only used just under 1Tbs to make it less salty for F and A)

Juice the lemons into an empty jar (jam jar size is perfect)

Add the rest of the ingredients and shake to combine

Put lid on and store in fridge

This would be good on salads, roast veg especially cauliflower, falafels, potatoes

• The original recipe was only 1 lemon and no garlic but i felt they were needed, particularly with less soya sauce.

Thanks for the recipe cake. Sounds yummy and easy enough for me to try

It's a so called hypno therapy. A friend of mine did it and achieved good results. I'm a bit worried whether I will be able to relax enough but I spoke to the nice therapist on the phone about it and she said there is no pressure since we might get quite far with just talking and over time I will learn to relax and "let myself go" so to say. We'll see how it goes. I can always stop it if it ain't for me but for now I'm pleased I did something about it.