April 2004 Babies part 6 (we can count correctly!)

[Yorkiegirl]

Message withdrawn

That's a good idea Chuffingoodtime!!

And another thing. Do you give Christmas presents to the nursery staff?
I was thinking along the lines of a big box of Thorntons

I've been trying to work that out too. I think it is the done thing but not sure what to get. My other thought is some nice body shop/lush hand lotions as they obviously are washing their hands on and off all day.

dp and I did all our xmas shopping in 1 day a couple of weeks ago - farmed the kids out to the grandparents and hit the Trafford Centre!! Had a fab day - couldn't believe the freedom of going round shops with no babies/toddlers/pushchairs!!

Hand lotions is a good idea. Original, I think

yes you know the packs with a couple of different flavours.

I give the nursery staff chocolates or biscuits even though I know they get it from everyone and are mostly on diets anyway. other ideas are book tokens or M&S tokens or similar - but we have several carers per room so it would add up to a lot.

I think there's a posh name for a box full of natural and household junk, to make it sound more impressive. "discovery box"? "sensory experience box"?

It's 'treasure box' isn't it? I want to do one for dd.
Any ideas what Christmas name I can call myself?

Oy Fennelandtheivy .. what about GoldFennelsenceAndMyrrh .. just thought of that one

but the one you've got is fine too

Blimey Hewlettsdaughter - a Christmas name for you...ummmm based on your current name that's something of a challenge. Will have to get thinking caps on.

Re Nursery staff, I was wondering about a crate of bacardi breezers or vodka ice's etc. Not to be consumed on the premises or whilst in charge of one's precious offspring of course, but for each member of staff to take a bottle or two home with them.

Would this be totally inappropriate do you think? (Be honest)

Oh, and I do agree with you all about the babies not being able enough to appreciate real toys. Wouldn't be bothering myself but have 'politics' to consider. DD is very protective of her brother's interests and if I give her something, she usually prompts me to give him the same thing. I think she would get quite upset if he didn't get a 'proper' toy come Christmas day. I'm thinking of a rocking horse for him - he is a bit young yet, but there is one that is suitable from 12 months old (which scarily isn't that far off for our babies now is it)

we've got ds2 a pat mat - the type you fill with water - and some stacking blocks that have rattley things in them - and that's it!! He loves messing with paper, so I'm sure he'll be happy enough on the day..!

we've been having quite considerable problems with ds1 being hugely jealous of ds2 - snatching toys away from him, not sharing stuff, the odd pinch/shove... So we've started a sticker chart, which is going reasonably well - a gold star every time he shares a toy or does something nice for ds2, and one taken away every time he's horrible to him! 5 stars = a present... He's already earned himself a Thomas train (all he ever wants!) and ds2 is suffering less as a result! My only worry is how do you get them to do it without the chart/promise of presents - he'll be bankrupting us soon at this rate...!

WMF (would that be the new short version of HMC ? I gave each nursery room (one for each dd at the time) a box of biscuits and a nice bottle of wine on the basis they probably share out all the gifts - so I would say vodka would be appropriate.

theHollyandtheTwiglett - have considered FunfenNoel or Fennelincence or FEstiveNoel but prefer my current one!

HD - am challenged by your name -do you have one yet? how about (....long pause and no inspiration...) hmm. no sorry.

the xmas names thread is so distracting. am still wondering about HD with no success.

tHEwLETTSDAUGHTerofchristmas
ReindeersDaughter
HollyDays (cos could be HD still)
Hewlettsmaid(a dancing)

hmm. must stop wasting my morning especially as not very good at this.

Have you posted on the Christmas thread and asked? They are very helpful , particularly tammybearingifts.
I should go, I should be teaching in 10 minutes.

lambda has just come up with YULEtsDaughter as MrsD put a request up on the post.

I thought that was good too, so did spacedonkey

hello all

very good, YD.

have just been addressed as FATI on another thread - hadn't realised how my new festive name might be shortened. a bit too close to the truth

I bet that's not true. Isn't it awful that almost all of us have such a negative perception of ourselves.
Has anyone else had what could be called a baby tantrum yet? Had one last night while trying to get dd dried and dressed after her bath. She was huffing and winging and moving and wriggling, took me about 4x as long as I needed to get her out of the bathroom.

dd isn't submitting to nappy changes at the mo - my childminder told me she gets very cross when she tries to change her too.
dot - when ds went back to school in Sept and had a bit of a wobble the first couple of days, dh bribed him with a spiderman toy if he could be brave all the following week. I was a bit dubious about this tactic, but it worked and he's fine going into school now!
Off work today with a cold - there's a lot of it about, isn't there.

Turkiegirl, enjoy your meet-up. Hope dd2 has improved.

DD2 is better today, didn't give her any solids at tea time so she wasn't sick like the previous two nights!
We've got DD2 a set of those Tomy eggs (she liked them at a friend's house), some buggy books (tasty as far as she's concerned) and DD1 has chosen a telephone on wheels for her. No doubt she'll get lots of other things from family. She's getting one of the Baby Einstein series from DB and SIL.

Is that a Baby Einstein video/DVD? I have been wondering about those. Saw a great Baby Einstein book the other day called "Neighbourhood Animals" - lots of really clear photos of animals in - cats, dogs etc.

The neighbourhood animals one is what she's getting! It looks lovely, she has seen it once and enjoyed it!