May '09 - We've had our first tooth!!

[Grumpyoldcaaaaaaaa]

Here we are, in honour of baby O and the first tooth through.

Highchairs we won't be splashing out on this one

We do have this one which converts into a little table and chair which DS1 uses for snacks.

Hi Everyone,

sausage Hope you're having a bit of a better day today and hopefully your dp will be a biet better behaved today too.

unwanted presents I'm lucky enough to have a MIL who isn't a giver. And from the b'day and christmas presents we get I know it's just as well. I've recieved lace baskets, 'beautiful' christal vases etc... The dds each have recieved some lovely sparkly/frilly outfits, but I forgive her. At 70 years old her taste in baby clothing is bound to be different from mine. We don't see them often enough for it to be a real issue either. My mum on the other hand has the annoying habit of passing on all her unwanted rubbish things. I've got tons of little rucksacks, kitchen gadgets, containers, ribbons and other useless things lying around. In fact, I think the vast majority of stuff I took to the charity shop while packing was originally my mum's.

high chairs We've got this one waiting in the loft for when C's a bit older. In fact I've asked DH to bring it home as it's still in the other house. Last time I had an all singing all dancing adjustable height/reclining/removable tray... one like this, but it took up soooo much space. I hated it after a while, but because it was so expensive I kept it for both dcs. This time around I wanted something that folded nice and compactly so I can have it against the wall somewhere out of the way when not in use.

I've got in touch with the child benefit people again and apparently it's still not 12 weeks since I sent my reply (for once time seems to go slowly), so my request wont have been processed yet. The CTF usually comes through around your 2nd child benefit payment apparently. I still don't understand why they sent my the question in the 1st place. They asked me if C was my child. Well I also sent a copy of her birth certificate, which would have had my name on it, so I presume it would have been clear

In fact. Why do I keep writing in fact . Sorry if I hadn't name checked everyone. I'll get back later to do see who it was I forgot. Now I need to get out and dump the recycling so the house isn't too much of a mess when my parents come tomorrow.

Good moaning (a la 'Allo Allo') (bum, its after lunch)

Well. I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets all these bloody awful things from MILS. She also brought a pink coat which dp had hidden but I found. Hmn.

Grumpy - thanks for the virtual arse-kick for dp, he deserves it. I do think that the wearing of housecoats is mandatory for my virtual hen night

Spangle, thats a good one re saying I have limited space... except we don't.... but we will be moving to a smaller house in the new year, so could save that excuse up...

Ses jeez, that clock sounds awful!!

Reebs - a ferret? On a lead? Nooo. I knew some people once (Well, they were friends, the bloke was the friend first... they are divorced now... he was the one that wanted to take me to that place where its all pretty and cottagey outside and inside its some S&M dungeon with paddles and whips and things....) Ahem Anyway, they kept ferrets. But you're right, maybe dp is stressed about the wedding. Have offered to go to Waitrose today and get posh food and make something nice and swanky this evening. Will also, for the first time, put M into her room (v brave mum emoticon) and dust down some swanky undies)

Sophietom - ooooh the accidental 'breaking' whilst dusting is a good idea too!

LadyH - yes! NCT gang HAVE got back to me, am meeting up with them. So that will be nice. I hope.

Am not going to look at the Dizzymare thread, I can't cry again today!

ANYHOO. The long and upshot of it all...... scaryteddyclock (it has a squint, you know) has been taken down and put away, and we are left with 2 mahoosive hooks on the wall, which I shall hang cardies or something on. I have relented and said that it can go up when they visit, but if she asks me if I like it, I will be honest and say it's not my cup of tea. Have given strict instructions to dp to tell his Mum not to make us things anymore, so hopefully he will. I also went into the spare room last night so HE could do M for a change. Well. I didn't get bottles ready or ANYTHING, just left him to it, kissed M goodnight, and off I went. I cried myself to sleep with her not next to me . Still, I put earplugs in. Dp came in at 2.45 and said 'I've fed her now, please will you come back to bed?' with lots of kisses and cuddles. All very lovely, but he kind of missed the POINT of me going in the spare room to SLEEP. Harumph.

Anyway, I could go on forever, but I'm hogging space, so will shut up and go and watch Home and Away or something.

Oooh and Llare - have emailed you on facebook

Oooooooooooooooh SUN!!!!!!

Oh and llare that highchair looks like it should be in Star Trek or something...

Belgian sounds all a bit ropey re the child benefit thing! Keep on at them. Also, just to add, though, is that they do backdate it, so you will get a nice wodge of cash to spend at Boden a sensible shop

Right, I'm now showered and dressed! No where to go but may take O for a walk to Starbucks later as he usually falls asleep nicely then. (We have a really random Starbucks by the side of the main road but not near any other shops or anything. It's about a 20min walk away but isn't really far enough to burn off the calories of a hot chocolate, cheesecake or anything...!)

Thanks for all the high chair comments. In a good way, it's confused me more... Thinking I need one with a tray and easily wipeable...

saus - glad scaryteddyclock is gone (LOL at squint!) As for your DP, I guess he was well meaning but sometimes they just don't see the obvious do they?! Surely sleeping in spare room = sleep!!

ses my SIL has got my highchair from IKEA (£10.99 + £4 for the tray) as she has one and said it was fab, and easy to clean

however I really liked the baby dan one too

Hello folks

High chairs I've had a few. My favourite is the BabyDan as it's a cheap copy of the trip trap, and lasts for ages. It doesn't have a tray, but I think unless it's a removable tray, then they never properly get clean. Be careful,some high chairs say they have removable trays, but they are bolted in position, and only removable when you want to start using the high chair as a booster seat for a toddler. If you're doing blw then there will be a mess. We have a PVC table cloth from Dunelm, and a tiled floor that gets wiped down BEFORE the meal, so that any food that falls on the floor, can be picked up and put back in front of them. I think if you need to be strapping baby in, then they probably aren't that ready to be eating anyway. They aren't big enough to try and climb out, and if you have one of those cheap insert seats from Mothercare or the like then that should be enough support. You don't need a reclining thing, and have NO idea why on earth some highchairs have this feature.

high chairs again We've had a similar chair/table ensemble to the East Coast one linked, but it knackered before we got to the stage when dd1 could sit at it. It has lots of nooks and crannies for food to get stuck and takes up loads of room.

I had a second hand one of these which was fab for folding completely flat and compact. Perfect for those with caravans or relatives as it took up no space in the car, but as with many highchairs, the back rest pointed back so baby lolls in it and is very slightly reclined.

oops one of these

I'm off to make a bolognaise and a moussaka.

My goodness, BLW is messy! Step-mum brought a lunch round of lasagne + salad stuff so I just sat H on my knee and let him get stuck in. He didn't actually eat anything as he couldn't get the food to his mouth, but I'm sure he wanted to as according to my Dad he was doing an excellent impression of a goldfish at the plate [that's a goldfish] He had fun though grabbing handfuls of salad, trying to get it to his mouth then dropping it on the floor... some I managed to catch, some was smeared into my jeans and a generous scattering on the floor. Never mind a tray, I think a dog must be the best BLW accessory

Oh, and H is also loving trying to drink out of a cup. His particular favourite is a spotty mug I have my tea in at breakfast. I've just got him a doidy cup but he prefers the mug

We are having un nuit du swank ce soir. Have gone and spent a small fortune in Waitrose on crab, steak, champagne, chocolate pudding, you name it. Am banning telly and computers, in favour of candles and nice music. I have decided it's time for M to go into her own room tonight, I know I am being very brave, but needs must. She really is too big for her moses basket. EEEEEEEEEEEK. So it's a sort of mini celebration / nice evening to make me feel good about doing something I'm sort of dreading - it will be weird not having her shuffling about next to me

(am even making my OWN peppercorn sauce! With HOMEMADE chicken stock. I thank you.)

Oh and btw, thanks Belgian for suggesting figleaves - had a peep earlier and have definitely found a few bits and bobs! Hurrah!

Dandy! Yay! Will email you on facebook! Hope you are feeling better!

Am off out again tonight....things are looking up! I'm out for a curry with my old NCT group. I've also decided not to go back to work (scary) but I feel so relieved.

Dandy Good news about your SIL and DN. Are you feeling better?

sausage have a great night!

Llare - v jealous you aren't going back to work! We are toying with this - well, may have to go back for those 3 months, but then leave and become a fulltime student (if I pass this thing I've got to do again....)

Got to go and defrost the stock! Shit!

"expensive silk fripperies "

sausage have a lovely eve. Sounds great.

dandy hello there. Good news re your SIL. Must have been a horrible time for her.

llare you have a good night too and congrats on your decision.

spangle I loved your description of BLW. Sounds just like I imagine it to be. Messy but kinda fun and cute too.

Am knackered after today. Got home from from the fair at 3pm and then pretty much straight out to Socatots. DS1 was a real monkey at bath time too and refused to eat his tea. Grrrrrrr. We are going out tonight too and would much rather be staying in! But a friend is off to the states for a month for work and so its a farewell dinner. He is not looking forward to it and I believe him! It sounds an horrendous month of training with exams and testing all the way through.
So am sure we will have a lovely eve tonight its just that right now I could quite happily rest my head on a fluffy pillow and doze off.

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llare of you going out for a curry - and of not going back to work. I know it must be scary but I bet you feel great for having made the decision. Did you say you were going for public office? Would that be locally? I realised the other day that my Mum was chairing a council committee when she was around my age. She lost patience with local politics years ago now (as has my Dad) but likes to get in the odd ruck through her resident's association every now and again.

Dandy hope you're feeling better.

saus good luck with your diner a deux - and the rest of the evening I think you should post a pic of the clock on your profile

high chairs we did originally think about the posh one llare linked to as they do it in orange & white to match our dining room. But I think we'll end up with the babydan/tripp trapp (in cherry anyway as our floor is cherry) or maybe the Ikea antilop one as it's mega cheap and easy to clean. I'm going to get a cheap shower curtain to cut up and put under H's chair so I can either pick stuff back up or just tip it in the bin.

We're in most active convos again. Bunch of gossipy old mares that we are!

Evening all, please can I invoke the power of the namecheck amnesty this evening? Am v tired after a week of training A to go sleep in her cot... which seems to be working

Interesting highchair chat this avo. We've gone for a plastic strap to dining chair contraption as our house is tiny so another bit of furniture would be one to many AND it reclines (sorry Jennster) so that A can join us at the dinner table now even tho we have NO intention of weaning anytime soon but as she can't sit up unsupported yet and she is a complete nosy mare it means she can be at our level at dinner times without one of us jiggling her on our knee

Hope everyone is having a lovely evening xx

Hi all,

Name check amnesty here too please.

Just popping on in the hope of some advice.

My sister is struggling with BF- her DS started at 10lbs, and is nearly 3 weeks old and is 9lb 2 and lost a couple of ounces in the last few days. She has been advised to bottle feed and they said it was because her milk wasn't the right "texture" - this is second hand via my mum. Does this sound right? I know she will be disappointed not to BF, and i am trying to encourage her to mix feed, but i feel like i don't know enough about it as i assumed that as long as the latch was ok, baby should gain weight?