June 07 - From babies to toddlers to Little People; my how the last two years have flown by!

[LackaDAISYcal]

A big Happy Birthday for the weeks ahead.

And to remind everyone......the birthday honours list:

Natty's DD - 24/05/07
Lilkel's DD - 25/05/07
Norty's DD - 02/06/07
Izzybel's DD - 02/06/07
Daisy's DD - 05/06/07
Derlor's DD - 08/06/07
FairyFay's DS - 10/06/07
Trace's DD - 11/06/07
BadZelda's DD - 12/06/07
Jammy's DD - 13/06/07
SeansGirl's DS - 14/06/07
Motherhurdicure's DS - 14/06/07
Sputnik's DS - 15/06/07
Tallulabelle's DD - 16/06/07
Ria's DS - 19/06/07
Bumper's DD - 20/06/07
Fury's DS - 21/06/07
Andiem's DS - 21/06/06
Holly's DS - 23/06/07
DKMA's DS - 01/07/07
Justbeme's DD 10/07/07
Annobal's DS - 10/07/07
Foxy's DD - 12/07/07

Lots of missing posters from even a year ago....if anyone is lurking come and say Hi and let us know how your LO is doing

and I can't remember what name motherhurdicure is using at the minute, but where are you?

This is a no potty household. Ds has decided that he doesn't like them, so it is toilet training for us. He asks to go to the "coilec" and sits there and wees. Poos are a bit more tricky. He doesn't tell me he is doing them until he is actually pooing, then it is a race to get to the loo before he touches cloth!! Actually it is not training, he has decided to do all of this himself. I think having an older sibling helps, he wants to be just like dd and do what she does. Obviously he will have to master the standing up wee, but that is daddy's department!

I hosted an NCT tea group this morning, I'm farking exhausted! I thought it was going to be about 5 of us, but about 15 turned up! Luckily it was a lovely day and we all sat in the garden and had cake, I didn't even have to let most of them in my house! Result! I don't know what I would have done if it was raining, I barely have room in my living room for 5 let alone 15!

Just went to dd's big school and met her teacher. She seems really nice and dd liked her classroom. Unfortunately she is not in the same class as her best friend, so we had a few tears about that. Poor little girl. It's a lot to take in without being split from her best friend too .

that disobediance Jammy - gets worse. I could be an alcoholic by the time she starts school! I feel like a stuck record sometimes and she just looks at me like i'm off my trolley.

perhaps I am?

I'm definitely off my trolley. Neither of my dcs listen to a word I say, so I end up yelling and they just laugh at me! Mostly I have given up trying to make them do stuff they don't want to do. If they are doing no harm to people or property then I just let them get on with it!

Ok, seeing as you 2 expert ebayers are here, I was wondering do you start everything at 99p?

I kind of take that approach too Holly. The main thing DS gets told off for is pulling DDs hair (mainly after provocation)

Mostly. I only put stuff on for 99p though if I am actually prepared to let it go for 99p. If I would be really pissed off at it going for that I would rather pay for the listing and put a higher start price on. Tomorrow is free listing day though. Do you list on ebay.co.uk?

I do with most things Sputnik as listing is free then. depends what it is. But another tack is to start it a bit higher and offer free P&P. Although you then pay listing fees, its more attractive to someone as they think they're getting a bargain. If I do this, I always label it as sellers standard rate and send it as cheaply as possible.

If it looks like its going to go too cheaply you can always get someone you know to bid it up - totally not allowed though!

Yep, ds does that too, but she does usually deserve it. The main thing dd gets told off for is screaming and shouting at ds. The noise goes right through me! Apparently she is allowed to play with ds's toys, but he is not allowed to play with hers !

I do that too norty! One of dp's friends bumps stuff up for us all the time! It is bad, but it works!

Items with free P&P are put higher up the search listings as well. i decide what I would like for it, add P&P and use that as my starting price.

It certainly does work a treat. We are a bit careful on what we do it on these days - and who we use (ie I don't use my sister ALL the time )

OK, thanks, that's pretty much what I thought. I've got some stuff on italian ebay and some on UK, eg the boden stuff. Italian ebay is pretty crap on the whole. For small things like clothes the postage is not much different, but paypal take a bit more for uk stuff.

You have described my DS and DD's relationship exactly there Holly!

Interesting about the bumping. Someone was offering to bid for me, I told him I would waive the P&P if he won

Interesting about the P&P too, I shall ponder that....

I sold a lot of dd's clothes to various European countries last night. I went to the Post Office earlier and I kept getting odd looks..."this one is going to Latvia, this one to Estonia, this one to Finland..." Do they not have children's clothing shops in Europe? I was quite surprised at how little difference in price there was between UK and EU postage rates. Not much in it really.

Can't keep up tonight, but if someone bumps your listing for you and no-one else bites, so the bumper wins it....what do you do then?

oh and is the listing fee based on the start price then?

well if you need some bidding done Sputnik....

Right, off to bed for me - been on here all bloody evening - again!

night x

Oh really?
Maybe the low exchange rate is making a difference. Also, as children's stuff is VAT exempt in the UK I find it cheaper to buy new stuff in the UK, maybe that reflects on the used prices?

Daisy, you complete the transaction and pay by cheque, leave feedback and no exchange of money / goods. relist later.

Hmm, we could set up a bumping circle

That would be hypothetically of course Norty, should someone try and do that....

Just go for it Daisy, it's easy once you start!

Oh definately hypothetical....schilling bidding is strictly forbidden you know!!!

If the bumper wins then you both agree not to complete the transaction and ebay refund your fees. Ebay charge you more the higher you starting price. 99p start prices on auctions are free. I have found their new fees structure really good for small things like clothes, free listing and they take 10% (better than the NCT taking 30% IN THE NEARLY NEW SALES). However, for expensive items it is shit. Remember to take into account Paypal fees too. These can really add up!

I'm off to bed now. Dp is asleep on the sofa, so I may (fingers crossed) get the bed to myself tonight (well apart from having to sleep with ds, but he is cute and small and doesn't snore)!