July 2016 #3

[primarynoodle]

Hello all! Can't believe we're on thread 3! Let's kickstart with a then and now photo :)

Here's Annie at 4 months 4 days

Hello, sorry I've been bloody manic! Going to try catch up properly!

Firstly I don't look like Gigi hadod I just wanted her hair colour. Based on the Victoria secret show this week I'd give my right arm to though!!!

Low in cake!!!! I'm obsessed

indians wow! Your poor dad and family. That's quite a week. I'm glad he's ok physically. I can't believe all this abuse stuff, I can't wrap My head around it at all. I hope those responsible get caught and locked up. Their victims will never recover I'm sure but having them bought to Justice must help.

juflin good for you for your night in the pub! I actively encourage it as there comes a time when babies don't sleep well out and about and have meltdowns in the evening! We used to do it with DD1. The locals loved it
Re writing I work in marketing and a friend asked me to help to do some web copy. I've loved it and the company wants ongoing help so I'm just drafting a proposal together now!

Happy belated birthday rolly! Sounds lovely. I'll join you in the crap sleep club with cheery . Gracie is full of cold so she's waking up constantly! I just give her saline, a feed and a cuddle and repeat six times a night!!! Zzzzzzzz

Ha ha becks so cute!!!

The meet ups look fab! I'm sorry I couldn't make it. Two little on my own travelling into London is way too much for me. So pleased you guys went though.

very you have my full sympathies! DD1 is dairy, soya and gluten free still and when little egg, tomato and a lot of fruits too! She's two at Xmas and slowly we are working up the milk ladder but it's taking a while. Her tummy isn't a fan! Luckily Grace seems ok but I avoid uncooked dairy out of habit now! There is a fab FB group that I used when BF DD1 are you on it? Also Tesco has really upped its free from range, so many amazing things in there. The chocolate is pretty good! The low fat Brussels pate has no dairy too! Awful at Christmas though I know.

beaut I'm sorry but you're perfectly entitled to moan!!! You poor thing. How are you doing this?! I guess you just have to as no one else is going to do it for you. Is DH around for Xmas? Do you have any family or friends that can help?

primary wow to the hair!!! I wouldn't have time to was mine if it were that long. Barely wash mine now

cheery love a good haircut. Just so nice to have time for you. Plus great little biscuits at my salon....how did it go? Did m take the bottle ok?

cookies no teeth here! But she's starting to teeth. We barely noticed it with DD1 but Gracie is much more whingy with it!

tams biscuit diaries love it!! Yeah she's been rolling a while now. She hates being on her back so wonder if that motivated her? As soon as we out her down on her back she flips over! Makes changing her fun!!!

sunday yah to 5lbs! That's awesome! Mine stalled last week as I've been so knackered I've needed sugar. It's also so hard this time of year with Xmas and cold weather... we've just introduced a dummy with success!!! Gracie was using feeds to go to sleep and I didn't want that so worked to get a dummy in. Glad I did as I rock her and she drops off really nicely with it! I'd got for it!

Re weaning... you can do it one if two ways. Baby led or spoon feed starting with baby rice and purée. I think the advice is 6 months but if you Google it there are signs they're ready. I don't believe one size fits all and you go with your baby's lead. DD1 was on solids at 18 weeks under GP advice as her reflux and tummy were awful. She was definitely ready. Grace is not ready yet so I'll be waiting at least a month I think.

I think that's me caught up?!

Been so busy. Went to London last weekend with DH and the girls. Loved it! They were both so good. Met with uni mates and I had a couple of lovely gins! Also been doing this work which I've now finished but they want more! I really want to do it as means I could use the money to keep DD1 in nursery which she loves! Does anyone know about going self employed when on mat leave?
I'm also thinking about going freelance rather than back to my work. I like the flexibility of it and the money can be really good. I guess it's just a risk, but nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that!

In Grace news we are sitting up unaided a bit! She also loves being in the jumperoo and playing with her sister. They giggle together, it makes me heart burst!!!

In biscuit news I'm enjoying tunnocks teacakes this week

My little munchkin at 17 weeks...

anna yes I'm in the Facebook group. I've been on TED until recently and now back to df sf so I am relieved that I'm not on TED anymore! DD was df sf ef but has outgrown all three thank goodness. I don't normally miss dairy too much as its been years now but get a bit sulky at Christmas. Everyone's indulging and eating out ! :(

Gosh all these allergies you poor things it must be so difficult! Since the cold has come in my sugar consumption has gone through the roof!!

Weaning talk was ok actually and we were gifted a free toothbrush!
Mostly just a talk through BLW .I didn't know however that you can use full fat milk in food from 6 months. I was thinking of early weaning but I think I will wait a bit longer.

Blue so funny about the book group, that is what birthdays are normally in this house however the big 30 and pressure from DD made up him his game :)

Beaut you are a superhero!

Anna good for you on the work and the freelance stuff sounds fab you should go for it!

Primary my hair is super speedy growth wise as well, I am desperate to fit in a haircut at some point and thinking of a bob chop to make my life easier.

Sleep is still rubbish but it is mostly R not being able to settle in a comfortable position. Last night was better though and I know he will sleep eventually!!

R is so chatty at the moment getting louder, its very lovely even with a snot face and horrible cough he is still a happy thing.

Tried to get Adele tickets for me and DD earlier but only the £100+ seats left when we got through and as it was mostly the experience of a wembely gig I didn't get them!

It's December! I love Christmas although I do think it all starts too early these days!!

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone :)

Also lovely lovely photos everyone! Anna Gracie is so gorgeous - she always looks so happy!!
Loving the meet up photos - would deffo be keen for a July birthday meetup!

Hi Beaut, I can't even begin to imagine juggling four children. I've never done anything as difficult as looking after just the one baby. You're an absolute hero, so please don't apologise to us for having a grumble! I'm sorry to hear that you and your DH are arguing. It must be so tough for both of you when you're not getting any quality time together - either as a couple or as a whole family - so it's not surprising if you get frustrated and take it out on each other, particularly when you're both exhausted from work/childcare too. I know it's to see the other person's perspective when he's being an arse, but I imagine he wants to be there with you all as much as you want/need him there. When he's back next Monday is he likely to be at home for long?

Anna - I just exploded with laughter again at "low in cake" 😂 I think it's one of my favourite parts of this thread ever.
There are no biscuits at my hair salon! Harrumph. Maybe I'll switch salons...
That's great re the web copy. (I had a job for a short time post-uni where I was writing the blurb on the back of DVD cases (mainly documentaries). I really enjoyed it.). And that's brilliant that they want your ongoing help.
Jasper hates being on his back too. Unlike Gracie he's not quite rolling back-to-front yet but he seems to have developed a very strong interest in the (plain white) wall beside the changing table, which he examines closely whilst contorting onto his side, so I'm guessing it won't be long...
Sitting up unaided - woo hoo, well done Grace! And what a stunning smile!
That's great news re the soother (I hate the word dummy. Also pacifier 😳). I'm about to reintroduce one too. I bought some tommy tippee Ines yesterday - which brand did you go for?
I don't know about going self-employed whilst on maternity leave, but I'd recommend searching on the gov.uk website. Re freelance, I love the idea. The couple of people I know who do it love the flexibility of being able to do a wide variety of different work and being able to adapt their work to suit their lifestyle (i.e. working at what time of day suits them, in an environment that they enjoy). Re it being a risk, I think it's manageable as long as you're sensible about it and allow for potential dry spells.
Ooh, tea cakes! We had fudge from the Christmas market yesterday.
How's Gracie's cold today?

Rolly - yes isn't the chat-chatting adorable?! I have lots of fun interspersing it with responses ("Oh really? And then what happened? Gosh, did you?!"), to make a pretend conversation 😀
Yes I'm feeling Christmassy too. Most years I'm too busy at work to spend much time doing Christmassy stuff pre-Christmas, so I'm enjoying the markets etc all the more this year.
Glad you're up for a July birthday party meet-up. Where's central, easy to get to, and nice? Maybe Nottingham?

I did a two-hour NCT-run lesson on Introducing Solids this week. Waste of time/money actually - I should've just read up about it. For those who haven't yet looked into it, these two website are useful:
http://www.tensteps.org/pdf/Start4life-introducing-solid-foods.pdf
And
https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/first-foods

I was feeling a bit sad this week. I was mainly sad about going back to work in Spring. I love my career, but right now I just love being with J and I'll feel I'm missing out on him and on seeing/helping him develop. It's fairly likely that he'll be our only child (unless we both change careers for bigger income, and also depending on whether DH continues to warm to the idea), and I feel sad that I might not get to do this again, and time is just flying, plus I feel I missed out on those first few weeks with J when I was unwell. My reason for returning to work in Spring was purely financial - we (well, me mainly) want to be able to buy a flat at some point so can't really justify losing my salary. Anyway, DH and I had an initial chat about it and we've sort of agreed that I might extend my mat leave. I've got lots of annual leave saved up, which helps salary-wise. I'll do a bit more thinking, but as soon as we'd had that conversation I stopped feeling sad, so I think perhaps I should listen to my heart.

I think my low mood might have been exacerbated by my periods resuming. It had the feel of pre-menstrual sadness. Hard to know though, as my new Pill means no bleeding.

My mother bought J an advert calendar and I've been taking a photo of him with it every day so far. Quite fun.
I'm thinking of getting some 2017 calendars made with a photo of J for every month, for the grandparents for Christmas.

When I was shopping for soothers in Boots yesterday, the feminist me got very angry at the sexism in some of the baby items they stock. For example, there were some two-packs of bibs (can't remember which brand) with a girls' design in pink or a boys' design in blue (which I don't really "get" anyway. It's a sodding bib - why does it need to be genderised?!). In the boys' two-pack, one bib had blue cartoons of boys going to school, and the other had tractors. General impression was that boys get educated and then get manly jobs. In the girls' two-pack, one bib had pretty pink houses with mummies (aka housewives?) and little girls next to them, and the other had mummies and little girls at a funfair with candy floss etc. Enough said?

In other news, I looked up the word "tuffet" (as per little Miss Muffet) and it's totally not what I'd thought it was for the last 3 decades. Absolute shocker. I thought it was a tufty grassy mound. But it's a little stool. Mind. Blown.

I just read in a baby-rearing book that PND is most likely to develop when the baby is between 4 and 6 months old. It surprised me that it was normally so late (i.e. after 4 months). Common symptoms: feeling tearful, irritable, anxious, guilty, lethargic or worried that you're not a good mother, or thinking that life has become a long grey tunnel.
Thought I'd mention it so that you / your families can keep an eye out x

Lovely pics from the catch ups julfin and bluebell! Sorry I didn't make it. I've now come down with the lurgy too. Also bluebs that's really thoughtful of you to not put up a photo of H just in case. It was something I'd been a bit worried about because dh and I have agreed not to put photos of M online. Unfortunately the sniffles made that worry inconsequential but even so it's lovely of you.

cookies how are you feeling now?

Lovely to hear from you beaut. I'm sorry you're struggling. You sound like superwoman managing with four children and a sick/absent dh though.

anna ooh a tunnocks teacake. They don't last long in our house. I think dh inhales them. They do manage slightly longer than the caramel wafer though. Grace needs to slow down! She's growing so quick and now trying to sit too!

julf shocked and appalled at the lack of biscuits at the salon. Maybe you should take your own (posh ones of course) in a brown paper bag and munch your way through them without offering any around. Maybe they'll get the hint. I'm sorry you've been feeling low about work. It sounds like you know what you want to do but need to work it out. Is there a possibility of doing a phased return with your leave? Two minds blown now. I don't remember seeing a stool in the picture books. I'm sure Little Miss Muffett was on the grass. Thanks for the PND info.

Hope everyone has had a happy Monday. I'm feeling the need to get on with Christmas shopping now. I don't really fancy dragging a four/five month old around the shops closer to Christmas.

P.S. It's tams but I've had a little change of name.

A stool??? Little Miss Muffet sat on her POO?

dats that comment has made my evening.

Beaut Lush pic of M-B. I am sorry things are crappy. Julf says wise things - your DP probably is also knackered and unhappy with the situation, and it is really easy when you are both tired and grumpy to get snippy with one another. I really hope that once this last week is over you are able to spend lots of relaxing time together - well, as relaxing as it gets with four boys, anyway!

Anna Grace is so cute! That smile! I'm really glad that you have enjoyed the freelance work. I'm afraid I don't know much about going self-employed while on maternity leave, as I was already partly self-employed when it started - but I do remember looking up whether I could take on freelance work while still being paid SMP from my teaching job, and I'm pretty sure the answer was yes. (Hope so anyway, because I've done it now!!!)

MrsR I didn't do the book group! DH made me butternut squash and gorgonzola ravioli (I helped a bit with making the ravioli - pasta is hard with one!) and chocolate fondants for pud, so it was worth skipping the book group ;) Has the sleep continued to improve?

julf sounds like you've made a really good decision about work. I know exactly what you mean - sometimes you just don't know what the right decision is until you've made it and then you realise that there was NO other possible decision because it is such a bloody relief.
Your comment about Jasper and the plain white wall made me laugh. Ruben does stuff like that. Sometimes he seems to be specifically avoiding looking at actual interesting things in favour of the intensely boring things right next to them. I do the pretend conversations too. (Really? Oh my goodness, he never did. How shocking!)
I think Birmingham is nice, but I grew up near there so may be biased :)
The sexism in baby clothes is pretty awful generally, but the examples you've given are very depressing! I have to say I have generally been quite disappointed by the lack of gender-neutral, brightly coloured clothing available. I so much wanted to not give Ruben gender stereotyped clothing, but then again as the majority of our stuff has been hand-me-downs it would have been hard to avoid anyway.

Ooo posting because my laptop is running out of battery and I don't know where my charger is!

Lan im not looking forward to the Xmas shopping either, trying to do most online, must start writing the cards too.
Anna Grace is so cute. What a smile!

Beaut M-B is a cheeky chappy. I love how there personalities show more and more each day.

Decided I'd better start getting ready for weaning as I can't put it off much longer. I got a load of stuff in Aldi today. Tried Ben with a rusk at tea time. He devoured it, it was like he'd never been fed!!! I suppose it's time to start!

Anna thank you I do love a good moan . DH will be back for Christmas at least thank goodness. We have booked to go to Dublin on the 30th December until 2nd January child free. Well I say booked I've booked the flights yet to sort accommodation .
What is it that you are doing freelance? I think but I may be wrong that you just have to include your earnings from self employment at the end of the tax year. I'm pretty sure it works a little differently to being employed during maternity leave. In employment you are only allowed 10 KIT days.
Well done Grace on the sitting up. She's so cute. Monty-Beau isn't there at all with sitting up. How do you encourage it? I'm always a bit rubbish with the sitting. He does love the jumperoo though.

MrsRolly definitely not a superhero. I feel like the children are all rebelling. The older two have gotten really cheeky and the toddler keeps having shouty tantrums.
M is chatty too he really screeches though like a girl. Haha he's learning fast that you need to be loud to get heard in this house.

Julfin thank you for putting it all into perspective for me. You are right it's probably harder for DH not seeing us all. Next Monday as it's so close to Christmas he will probably work locally at the office so will be doing 7am-5/6pm days so the latest he should be home each night is 6.30pm. Even just that little pressure taken off at bedtime would help.
I too am thinking about work and how I don't want to leave MB as he's my last. I'm loving maternity leave and being able to do school runs. I'm also enjoying the time I spend with T on his non nursery days.

Tams thank you. Sorry you are poorly now too hope you feel better soon. There is so much going around at the moment.

Bluebell thank you. I'm the same with clothing. I love brights. MB is on his second rainbow stripe polar fleece from JoJo I love it. Girls and boys wear them. I sold his last one to the mum of a little girl. I regularly get his sleep suits from the girls section in shops too.

Beck's he is cheeky. I think I'm going to try weaning soon too. He stares at every mouthful of food we have and it makes me feel guilty. I'll just get some baby rice to start.

Weight loss continuing slowly. I've lost 81/2 lb and get weighed again tomorrow. Feeling disheartened as it's taken me five weeks to lose that and yet my friend has just lost a stone in two weeks on the Cambridge diet.

MB is sleeping well even a little in the day now. I fear the teeth are coming as he chews on everything he can get hold of although mostly chomps on his own thumb. Also dribbling everywhere with constantly rosy red cheeks.

Oh and on the subject of tuffets - I always thought it was a grassy mound too, but I think that is a combination of a) conflating the word with a 'tuft' of grass, and b) the fact that all illustrators of every nursery rhyme book ever have always seated Miss Muffet on grass. Probably there was one illustrator who did it once and then everyone else just copied :)
Thanks for the info on PND. I too had no idea it could develop so late.

tams - lana! - hope you are feeling better now. No, as a seriously paranoid wreck, I totally get the online anonymity thing. I got very stressed shortly after Ruben was born because my school wanted to post a picture of him on their Twitter feed and I desperately didn't want them to. Obviously I have relaxed a bit about this now - thus the pictures on this thread - but I totally understand that everyone has their own feelings on the matter!

DH is working A LOT at the moment (including the whole of last weekend) and I am struggling to find time to do anything. I get about two hours each evening between Ruben going to bed and me doing likewise, which I know is quite good, but by that point I am far too knackered to clean or do anything nice. However, a DOOR BOUNCER arrived in the post today. I am beyond excited. It's secondhand so I've popped it in the wash... Can't wait to get it together!

And, okay, this is a weird one, but does anyone else get movement sensations in your lower tummy that you didn't get before? I've just noticed it this week, and it feels a bit like Ruben's very early kicks (!!!!). I'm pretty confident it's not a stealth baby, as the first time we dtd was only thirteen weeks ago, and protection was used. I'm wondering if just that my muscles are so shot down there now that I'm feeling digestive stuff that I didn't feel before?

becks good luck with the weaning!

Beaut please don't feel disheartened on the weight loss - that is a really good amount of weight to have shifted in five weeks - it's far faster than I've been losing weight! Remember that people who crash diet tend to pile it back on again. Slow and steady wins the race, my lovely! Also, thanks for the JoJo tip... Off to the website now to have a nosey!

I arranged a "half-birthday" party for Jasper and his NCT friends, for next week. Then I realised they're only turning 5 months, not 6 😂

Tams/Lana - who needs posh biscuits when there are fig rolls and Nairn's oat biscuits in the world? 😄
I don't think I'll do a phased return, but I'm really hoping to do a 4-day week, and ideally I'd like to take Wednesday as my day at home as it breaks the week up nicely into two delightfully short weeks 😊

Tams & Bluebs - I'm delighted to have sparked such interest 😉 A tuffet can also be "a tuft or clump of something", but that doesn't really make sense in the context, as she couldn't really sit on a single tuft, plus it doesn't say what it's a tuft of, which seems weird. Bluebs you're right re the illustrations in nursery rhyme books always showing grass. Babytv, on the other hand, went off-piste with a footstool, which is what led me to look it up in the dictionary. But only after scoffing at their ignorance.

Dats - HA HA HA re the stool!

Bluebs - I cracked up at Ruben's "intensely boring things" 😄
We were lent a door bouncer a couple of weeks ago. Jasper loves it! And one of the great things about it is that (unlike a bouncy chair) it fits under the pushchair. So I took it with us when we went by train to stay with a friend up north this weekend. And I left it there 😫

Becks - ooh that's exciting re the rusk!

Here's my update/summary of what Jasper's up to.

Jasper will be 5 months on the 14th.
He's a very active and sociable boy. Can't sit still, and likes to be carried everywhere - and I mean everywhere! He desperately wants to walk and can do so if he grips my thumbs. He seems less fussed about sitting or crawling - although he did sit for a few seconds on his own for the first time yesterday.
He loves being outdoors, meeting new people, and going on trains. He loves being sung to, so I spend most of my days singing! He also seems mesmerised by our Christmas tree lights 🎄
He sleeps well at night and has three naps a day, but totally refuses to go to bed in the evenings - our usual bedtime is around 11pm 😱😂
I gave him a cucumber stick the other day - he didn't seem to understand the concept straight away - see final picture 😂

Dats - this one's for you - the Bristol stool chart

Julf that picture of Jasper and the cucumber is solid gold. And the picture of him peeping out of all his winter clothing... Ahhhh. So lovely.
Top work BabyTV!
Door bouncer was a bit of a disaster. He loved it, so I turned my back to start tidying up, and within about thirty seconds there was a 'thunk' and a crying baby... I think he hit his head on the doorframe! Had a red mark and a slight lump and everything, so I whacked an ice pack on it right away... Only I don't have an ice pack for kids, only one of those solid freezer packs that you put in cool bags... So I then worried that I had possibly FROZEN HIS BRAIN and rang the GP. The GP possibly thinks I am a nutter. Oh well! Ru seems fine, anyway. I need to tape some padding to the doorframe.

Straw poll: when do you guys put your Chrimble decs up? I put up a little (85cm) tree yesterday, and DH got all grumpy and Scroogey with me, and said it wasn't Christmas yet. I was just excited for Ru's first Christmas :( And we never normally put ANY decorations up, because we never spend Christmas at home, and also because we have been DIY-ing for years, so I was just enjoying having a nice, almost-finished house to decorate with lights and shiny things. Sigh.

Got Ruben weighed on Tuesday and he was 17lbs 14oz, which isn't outrageous for 21 weeks but is certainly on the larger side of things, and explains the pains I am starting to get in my back and hip on the side where I carry him. Booking in to see a physio next week! On the plus side, he does seem to be literally sucking the weight off me and onto himself, and I am now a pound lighter than I was at booking-in. Despite the fact that I've done shat all exercise in the last ten days. And also despite the fact that I've eaten quite a lot of advent calendar chocolate and chocolate coins that I bought for people's Christmas stockings. Obviously I feel that gives me the green light to carry on chocolate eating... Dangerous!

Beaut - I know the feeling with hormones emerging from older DD, I can feel the fear building in me suddenly at 10 the teenage years seem scarily close.. A teenager and a toddler. I will have no escape

Julf, I am glad there is more noise and chatter now stops me looking completely mental as I narrate my day to a sometimes sleeping baby ;) I think the chatter downgrades me to either just mental or maybe a wee bit odd ha ha. Good thinking about work it was bothering me too but ever since I went and confirmed they were happy for me to do three days I am feeling much more chilled about it. Plus with my leave and bank holidays will be end of May I think but I may try and negotiate with the ol boss that I'll come back beginning of May but then use the leave I technically should have used in May half term and the summer holidays. Quite fancy popping into work for three weeks then having a week off ;)
Love your bed times we have similar here some days - Raffy does exactly what he likes in terms of naps and sleep no routine at all. Now the 6 month is approaching which is when we began a routine with DD I am starting to worry slightly about the fact he seems to hate sleeping aside from when he is right next to me ;) going to blisfully ignore it for a month or so though!

Bluebell, We love a bright pattern here.. We are lucky and live very close to the Frugi Warehouse and they do two warehouse sales a year so I have got lots of amazing bargains and bright clothes. My other favourite is Little Green Radicals but again they aren't cheap at RRP but because it is all such amazing quality if you don't mind a second hand bargain can normally pick up some amazing bits.
Our decs are going up tomorrow any longer and I think DD would be walking to the christmas tree farm herself and dragging it home!
Yes I get those weird tummy movements too have done for years - brought many an unnecessary pregnancy test in panic mode ha
Reubs is a similar weight to Raffy and I feel you on the pain. My left rotator cuff is pretty pissed at the moment only to be joined by my right elbow so neither side is comfy! Both are previous injuries just aggravated though RSI style I think!

Raffy is showing all the signs that he is teething again... but he has two through already so not sure if some more are just moving around under the surface!!
oh also the HV said about vitamins once weaning begins at 6 months for breastfed babies.

Becks good luck although sounds like a good start!

That stool chart and Dats your comment made my morning!

The lack of gender neutral or less stereotyped clothes frustrates me too. Some people love it but I'd prefer a variety. Some shops are worse than others though. Asda feels like I'm walking into a marshmallow it's so pink!

Thanks bluebell. I've always been very paranoid about online stuff (hence the name change and no photos). I'm sorry your dh is working so much at the moment. Glad the door bouncer was a (partial) success. Maybe Father Christmas will come bearing a helmet! Decs wise - ours usually go up when dh insists it's Christmas in a few days so we really should do something. They may be earlier this year because I'm feeling less Scrooge-like. I probably would have put them up by now if things hadn't been so busy here.

julfin good point on the biscuits. I thought in that scenario the posh ones might add a certain je ne sais quoi. Loving the cucumber exploration by Jasper.

Blue our decs went up last Friday. But will come down quickly after Xmas. Feeling really Christmassy now as I've just finished buying for DD's Xmas stocking. It's going to be full of sweets, pink things, glittery things girly things, frozen and my little pony. She'll love it. It's her preschool nativity tomorrow. I'm taking loads of tissues and I've baked for the fundraising cake sale. A lemon drizzle and American style cookies.

On the subject of weaning, we tried Apple,carrot and parsnip purée today for lunch. It was a hit and he managed 3tbs before he lost interest. At dinner he had half a rusk to keep him quiet while me and DD ate our dinner.

Ben clunks his head when he's in the door bouncer it's because he spins himself around instead of bouncing!

I'll add a pic of my preschool cookies. They are massive. (they are calling to me from the cupboard under the stairs!!!)

They look amazing becks!! Love the nativity it's so cute! Enjoy what part is she?

Rolly she's the inn keeper and her line is 'sorry, no room'. They are singing lots of songs too and every day she comes home and practices them. It's so cute. Proud mummy moment coming up!! She's my little

Ah so sweet enjoy! My Dd is too big for the nativity now they do a more panto style play in the juniors but I love the nativity so much. I bloody love Christmas time! Dd is the leader of the minion gang and gets shrunk with a lazer gun she can't think of anything cooler ha I can't wait to watch next week :)

This will be our first experience, she's usually shy but seems to have really embraced the nativity and baby 'cheese-us' I love hearing her singing the songs when she doesn't think in listening! Your DD's performance sounds really cool rolly. My junior school always did a play each year and it was great fun. Minions are cool!!

Hi everyone sorry for long absence hope you are all well! Annie's gone nuts recently and isn't sleeping so I'm frazzled!

bluebell frozen his brain! That made me laugh so much bless his little head! We put our tree up last week, dp's young siblings came over and did it - tree looks like Christmas threw up on it but they had a great time!

rolly how long from signs of teething to the first tooth for you? I'm sureee Annie is teething furiously but nothing yet...

iana/tams garrrrrr I bloody hate most girls clothes, even the effing vests have itchy frilly edges and yes to Asda and their horrifically pink coloured selection

becks I let Annie lick my orange yesterday, her face was a picture! Cookies look awesome

I'm really missing the school build up to xmas and nativities - gets me right in the festive mood normally! This is what I went with for the handprint bauble in the end, it was much harder than it looks to get the bloody handprint!

Annie is sitting up unaided for a few mins at a time now, has found her feet and is chewing like mad on anything and everything she can get her hands on (and her hands)! But is still not rolling... she is generally a happy little thing but is deffo more clingy

Any tips for the hell that is town centre Christmas shopping tomorrow? I am almost 99% sure I'm not gonna take the pram but will she be ok in the sling for a few hours? Unfortunately we've still got the bjorn style one til after Christmas so I'm worried she'll get really uncomfortable - think the pram will be such a nightmare though especially as we are getting the bus in!