Post-grad Brookers, over here! We will Brook No Argument that all Mini-Brookers sleep 12 hours a night and behave angelically during the day

[TooImmatureTurtleDoves]

Over here!

right ladies I need some ideas. Ds's 5th birthday is in October and we are organising his party, most of it is sorted except the part where they play games. So far I have thought of either stick the googly eyes on the monster/ stick the mask/ cape/ gadget on the superhero, pass the parcel & musical statues. A possibility is putting them in 2 teams to find x amount of tokens per team which they then exchange for a bag of sweets each. After that I'm a bit stuck. There'll be about 10-12 4/5 yr olds and about 8 or 9 younger siblings who will clearly want to join in somehow.....

That seems like a jolly thorough selection Ninja - I can't think of anything else obvious. There's always musical statues / musical chairs that require little planning / equipment so can be used as a filler. Mind you if you're having c. 20 children I probably wouldn't have enough chairs for musical chairs

On that topic - TWENTY children! In your house! You're mental brave

It all sounds well thought out :)

Sorry I see you already had musical statues :)

They are not coming anywhere near my house biscuits! We live in a 2 bed flat, I don't think they'd fit!

Hide and seek, Ninja? Or What's The Time, Mr Wolf? No equipment required for those, although littler kids find it hard to hide.

Know what you mean at them getting frustrated by lack of ability during BLW, Biscuits. M just had yoghurt and started getting cross and grumpy, I think partly because she kept dropping her spoon and her fingers were all slippery. I don't think she was full - in fact, I know she wasn't, because she got very upset afterwards and wanted feeding. I think she'd just had enough of wrestling with it.

That sounds like a party game in itself Ninja - how do you fit 20 children into a 2 bedroom flat

ooh what's the time mr wolf - hadn't thought of that. If it was just the big kids I'd go for british bulldog too (showing my age here) but i think it's too rowdy for 2 year olds.

Loving the pics scream and rubber!

I might upload another one in a min...
A in her first settling in session at nursery. I took dd1 swimming. Was awesome to have some time together. She's now comatose in front of Dora!

Too - A's hands are always freezing too! She's in a vest, sleep suit, bag, room about 20 ish and I've been wondering about being cold too. I don't remember dd1's hands being cold (maybe because she slept through from 14 weeks?!). I'd been wondering about mittens!!!

I uploaded one of my monkeys. Monkey 2 did ok at nursery this am which is a relief.

Hi all!

Will have to figure out this MN friends thing and try and add some pictures..

Ninja, you're very brave! Sleeping Lions is always quite a good one? (then you can have a few minutes of peace!). There are also musical games you could play, like Don't Clap This One Back? (will elaborate if you've not heard of it before - one of my standard classroom warm ups!).

Too/Pomme - I've had the same thing with Iz's hands. She's been warm enough, but freezing hands. I'm guessing she just takes after me, as mine are the same - poor circulation. She's normally quite a warm thing though, like her father.

Scarlet, how are you and DS today? Have you talked to anyone about the potential AF? It sounds a bit worrying.. I'd get checked out if I were you.

Iz is still teething, poor thing. Took her to a baby/toddler group this morning - a new one - and met a few lovely people which was really nice. Looking forward to getting a car next week, and maybe being able to travel to a few other groups - and hopefully take her swimming too! Realised I haven't made any firm baby friends - haven't been to anyone's house for tea or coffee or anything - need to work on that (and invite people round!). Have met a couple of people interested in music lessons for their older children though, a few with childminder connections, and will be starting to run a choir later in the week.. I'm hoping that'll all satisfy my need for socialising (along with the groups I'm already at!).

Realised I started writing this about an hour ago and didn't press post.. oops!

What a beautiful photo Scream I looked at your "gut" with envy...

Things not so good here. After DS been puke free for 24 hours, he woke up this morning, asked for a drink then was sick again all over his bed

He has a hideous, awful cough. The sick seems to occur after a coughing fit when he's been laying down for a while so I'm wondering if it's even a sickness bug at all . As he'd not eaten anything it was only fluid but I had been hoping he'd be better today. I took him to the GP this morning who said the usual "viral" thing. He said it could go on like this for days/weeks . He then said they don't give anti-b's for viruses (which I know) but gave me a prescription for some anyway in case DS gets worse . So, is he trying to tell me in a coded way to get the anti-b's for DS now? Or does he genuinely mean to wait and see if he gets worse? And what does he mean by worse? All questions I should've asked of course, but didn't want to look thick.

The blood test results from Monday were back and they were completely normal. His glands have gone back down and scabs in his head have all cleared up a week or so again (think it was you who asked that Biscuits) so it's not related to that. Now, here's my next freak out. He's referring DS to a paediatrician but didn't really say why. DS is very slim, not skinny, just very slim. He said he wanted to get him checked over because of that and the fact that he's tired a lot of the time. So I'm not sure what to make of that....

Sorry for yet another me me me post, I'll be back later to catch up properly.

Oh no for poor DS being sick again Scarlet . Hope the cough clears off and takes the sick with it . How odd of the GP to be so vague and unclear. Either he needs them or he doesn't . I don't know what to suggest? If he's prescribed them you could get the prescription made up and then decide whether to give it or jot? Would the ABs help with the cough at all?

Odd about the referral too - I would have said your DS was just slim, tall and slim like my ds1 (and oddly our DHs ). I don't think he looked out of proportion at all. When will the referral come through?

Lovely pic of your DDs Pomme. I can't post pics from my mobile can I? I never go on the computer these days and do all my MNing from my phone but I don't think I can add photos on the mobile site, even though the photos are stored in my phone .

Lovely to hear from you Musical - sounds like you have LOADS going on - good effort for getting out and about so much . I've never heard of that clapping game? Would it be like clapping the rhythm of a song?

I've no idea really Biscuits. Surely they won't help the cough if the cough is viral and anti-b's don't work for viruses. Unless anti-b's do work for viruses really but doctors don't generally like to say so as not too many are dished out for things that usually clear up quickly on their own . He did say that if he starts taking them now they may end up making him more sick. I've no idea what to think. How's your DS1 feeling now? FWIW I've noticed a lot of under-the-weather looking children lately. DS could have picked this up from any number of places we've been to in the last week or so. Although his playgroup haven't currently got anyone else off with similar symptoms.

The paediatrician appointment is for a month's time.

No ideas for party games from me Ninja. I sadly lack imagination when it comes to stuff like that.

Too my birthday is the 3rd, so very near to yours.

Yes Musical I'd like to know Don't Clap This One Back. The choir sounds exciting, is that for older children or adults?

Thanks for all the AF concern. It does seem to have eased off today, but I will go to GP if it starts up again. I can't face seeing him again just yet!

Scarlet how is your DS feeling today? My ds1 never mentioned his throat again and seemed fine all day. In fact he was a really good boy all day which was nice as I was expecting him to be tired and a bit of a handful. And he didn't get up last night (although I'm sure I heard him talking while I was up feeding ds2).

How unhelpful of your GP though to say 'well you might want to give him some drugs but if you do it at the wrong time it might make him worse'

Have you tried any cough medicine type things with DS?

Hope everyone else is well

So far so good today thanks Biscuits. He's up watching tv and asking for breakfast so I'm hoping that's the end of it. I'll keep him at home for the next couple of days to give him chance to recover fully before we go away Monday. Are there any cough medicines you'd recommend? I thought they were supposed to be a bit useless for the under 6's? So relieved your DS is ok and that he seemed to sleep better.

Pomme that is such a cute pic of your girls.

musical has Iz got any teeth through yet?

I'm soooo tired today. DH was up and down all night stressing out about something and he's incapable of doing anything quietly. I've so much to do but cannot get going.

I don't really know any cough medicines Scarlet - I've never had to give any to ds1. You could try a pharmacy and see what they suggest? Glad DS is doing better so far - long may that continue (forever in fact )

Sorry guys, I hope I've not killed the thread! I will stop going on about DS and sickness now. Promise.

My Kindle has arrived! I hope DH doesn't mind the fact that I've already opened it, charged it up and started putting books on it already

Consider it packing for your holiday Scarlet .

I made ds2 a bottle of formula about 10am and he dropped off in his bouncy chair and is still asleep! I'm going to have to make him some more. And his lunch is waiting to go too. I need him to get going on his backlog as we have to take ds1 for his eye check up this afternoon.....

You haven't killed the thread, Scarlet, I'm still here!

of E's sleep, Biscuits. M napped for less than an hour (bloody dog barking at the postie). Maybe I can get her to have a longer second nap. I do need to walk the dog but I have no energy. Poor dog. He's going to get fat if I don't walk him, what with all the extra food he's getting atm.

Yay for the Kindle, Scarlet!

Scarlet, I meant to say that I hope your DS's paediatrician appt turns out to be nothing to worry about However, I find it appalling that your GP referred him to anyone without explaining clearly to you why he felt it was necessary! His first step should have been to explain what he thought the issue was and discuss it with you! Sounds like he's really shite at communicating - witness the AB weirdness.

How is your AF thingie? Has it stopped?

Any plans for your birthday? My sister pointed out that ours is the weekend after next and asked me to go shopping with her on Sunday so she can pick something for her boyfriend to give her (ie, clothes). I was a bit - it felt like our birthday was ages away, so I hadn't given it any thought. So far my entire plan is that I want croissants for breakfast. And a lie-in. And DH to generally do all the work all day.

AF thing seems to have calmed down, but I've still got period type pains and some grim clear jelly type stuff coming out. Proper boaky, sorry! I will go to docs after next week. I'll probably get referred to gynae which won't happen before my hols now anyway.

Re my birthday. We will be at Center Parcs so definitely not my ideal way to spend the day. But since a nice beach somewhere hot is out of the question I'll enjoy watching DS have fun. I've got a bottle of Bolly for the evening but other than that I'm leaving it to DH to make it nice. I will be on kitchen strike that day so he will either have to do it or we will eat out. Croissants sounds a lovely way to start the day. I might suggest that.

My GP is a lovely old Egyptian man who is very thorough and kindly but a bit rubbish communicating. I hope he's just being over cautious about the paeds referral.

Right. That's enough of me. I want to hear more about Scream's holiday and from everyone else who's been staying away while I've bored the thread silly.

May I ask a weaning type question?

Those of you doing non-spoon stuff for main courses, what sort of stuff are you doing?

I took my brood to blackpool for a day out god its a tacky dump . They loved the sea life centre.

All still ill, huge sleep deprivation ongoing.

That is all.

Well done Dream for such a brave excursion. Did you have them all on your own?

After me saying DS was fine yesterday he's come down with a big old temp this evening . He was tired when we got home and felt a bit warm but I took his temp when he went to bed and it was 38ish so I thought I'd hold off on the calpol if he was able to get off to sleep. But I've just taken his temp again when we've come up and it was over 40 . I woke him up and gave him some calpol but I can't go to sleep until I know the temp is going in the right direction. I'm paranoid that he'd have some kind of fit and we wouldn't know because we were asleep . DH annoyingly is asleep and bloody snoring

Eeek I typed out a long post earlier, thought I'd posted it.. thought I'd check the thread while feeding Iz and it's not here. Must have neglected to hit send. Argh... will type out Don't Clap This One Back when at the computer tomorrow.

Dream, well done on your outing!

Biscuits, hope DS's temperature is dropping.

Scarlet, glad DS is getting better - is he still improving? No teeth for Iz yet, but they look very close - then again I've been saying that for ages. We have good days and bad days.. today being a bad one, poor thing. She keeps trying to gnaw the cats, which will only end badly...

Right, she's asleep.. transfer time.