Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Post-natal clubs

Join our Postnatal Clubs forum to find parenting advice for newborns.

March 2010 - MMMM planning thread

327 replies

MummyElk · 29/04/2010 21:20

....where we ditch the talk of babies/lack of sleep etc and concentrate on some Salient Social Planning

  • where to meet
  • when to meet
  • what to wear
  • what to drink
Who's up for it then ladies?
OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BloodyMissIzzy · 15/10/2010 11:07

Ahem. Did I mention my predilection for jam and cream scones? Wink

BloodyMissIzzy · 15/10/2010 11:07

P.S. Arcadie did list some activities/eateries upthread iirc.

evitas · 15/10/2010 14:51

BMI your Portuguese is perfect Grin
York, scones... I'll continue to dream :)

itwascertainlyasurprise · 15/10/2010 20:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

siamesecatwoman · 15/10/2010 20:40

Mm I kind of agree IWCAS it is getting difficult to have a conversation and keep DD in one spot. We had some sucess today at soft play ;)
Do those kinds of places tend to be rammed or empty at a weekend?

Arcadie · 15/10/2010 22:44

Creepy Crawlies is soft play hell of choice.
here

BUT ist's a way out of town - only near Clifton moor shopping outlet and AWASH with school aged thugs children on a weekend. But they do wine if you'd like.

For civilised coffee, welcomed BFing and nice foodage The Spurriergate Centre is in the middle of town and GOOD. here No wine though Grin

If you REALLY want to do Betty's it's very nice and relatively child friendly but a little pricey.

Arcadie · 15/10/2010 22:45

And a repost of my earlier info....

things to do in York - do we want historical (Minster / Walls / Castle Museum/ Shambles)?

National trusty - Beningbrough/ Fountains Abbey

Shopping - urm city centre?

Coffee shop - Spurriergate Centre good for BFing and space for toddlys to play if nec.

Farmy places - The farmer's cart (not far from your cottage)

General tourism - the National Railway Museum (bomb scares notwithstanding)

Soft play - Creepy crawlies , wacky warehouse (although if no one's bringing a toddler then no need!)

I can happily bring over baby bouncers / travel cots/ activity arch to leave at cottage for your use.

Also I'm happy to do a big shop for stuff to bring over if that helps & make a cottage pie / big chilli or something. I know I'm not staying over but am hoping to persuade DH to let me out for a LOT of the weekend!!!

BloodyMissIzzy · 16/10/2010 08:06

Oh, I wasn't really serious about Betty's, that's just a personal fantasy of mine. Somewhere more baby-friendly is better.

sunshinesarahandco · 17/10/2010 20:31

Elliot and i are happy to go with the majority of people, we are not choosy, will have the car so can drive babies and mummies to location if neccessary too!

i cannot tell yo how excited i am, really looking forward to meeting you all and your gorge babies x

oh and bmi- i have had my letter(looks like its been half eaten) and cheque returned, will re send to u! lol

PacificWerewolf · 17/10/2010 21:26

Ooops, I forgot about your previous post, Arcadie Blush - it is all there, thanks!

Spurriergate Centre for coffee?

Betty's is fine as evitas gran will be minding all the babies WinkGrin!

spidersarahandco · 23/10/2010 19:09

cannot belive how close we are now! so excited!

siameseflesheatingcats · 25/10/2010 16:40

Sounds good Arcadie, as out of town not so handy without a car. Think will come by train as I remember parking to be a nightmare in York week or weekend!

BloodyMissIzzy · 27/10/2010 11:06

I woke up early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep; I was thinking about what to bring to York re: pushchair, car seat etc. These days Isobel doesn't like being in her carseat on the pushchair for very long, she prefers being able to sit more upright. But getting a pushchair and a car seat (and a suitcase AND a baby) on and off the train would be nightmarish, right? Also finding space for them on the train. Any thoughts?

FlipFantasia · 27/10/2010 12:14

BMI I've been experimenting with using pushchair while carrying carseat (we don't have a travel system but doubt DS would stay in car seat outside of a car for very long!). Wow, seeing that written down makes me think I am a boring sod should have a more exciting life Grin

We have a maxi cosi and you can hook the handle off the pushchair handle, bulky and throws the balance off, but definitely easier than holding the car seat and pushing buggy onehanded. We have a maclaren - this probably wouldn't work if you have a single bar instead of two separate handles on your pushchair...

On the suitcase front, is there anyway you could use a small rucksack/backpack? I myself am rubbish at underpacking (am actually embarrassed when I think of how much I bring when I go away for a weekend Blush - can't even blame the baby as I've always been like this!).

Lots of storage space on trains - luggage racks by main doors should take pushchair, car seat and bag easily.

Right, off to clean DS up after lunch (am MNing while he sits eating his lunch next to me - does that make me a terrible mother Grin)

BloodyMissIzzy · 27/10/2010 13:34

That could work, if I bring my cheapo Chicco instead of the iCandy as it has separate handles. I'm just envisaging the train arriving at York and me trying to gather up pushchair, carseat and bag whilst carrying baby, unfolding pushchair etc. I suppose it'd be doable if I give myself plenty of time.

And no, MNing while DS eats makes you a sensible mother. We've started giving Isobel more finger-foods, and it means I can eat while she eats (well, I say, 'eats', what I mean is plays with/chews and spits out again, mostly).

spidersarahandco · 29/10/2010 08:52

cannot beiver its only a few weeks away, bmi can nu face book me your address again so i cn get your cheque in the post! thought i had resent it but realised i havnt! doh!

Arcadie · 29/10/2010 23:15

Have double buggy and an umbrella fold which I can lend to anyone who needs.

sparklersarahandco · 02/11/2010 19:58

woohoo, counting down the days now ladies... feel better now BMi has got my cheque! i hate owing money!!!!LOL

so have we decided what we qre doing re food etc- i am willing to bring bacon, egg, bread, cereal, t-bags, coffee and milk- at least then that covers sat/sunday morning is that ok?

itwascertainlyasurprise · 02/11/2010 20:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

sparklersarahandco · 03/11/2010 07:59

OH ICWAS!!!!! GUTTED.....

i really will not tbe the same without you and Ramsay-boohoo!

i can drive you and R if you wanted..it will then save u the train fair.....

Arcadie · 03/11/2010 13:00

IWCAS..... Noooooooooo. Poor lovely lady - it is SUCH a shame we won't get to meet you. If there's anyway that you CAN make it I really hope you do but understand the need to not spend money you don't have. Can you come with Sarah? Can I buy you coffee and lunch?

BusyMissIzzy · 03/11/2010 17:18

iwcas :( I'm sure the rest of us would be happy to chip in to help you out. And if you really really decide you can't make it, I'll send you a cheque for the £60 back.

siameseflesheatingcats · 04/11/2010 13:08

No! ICWAS! Have you already got the train ticket?
What happens if I stay over and make the cottage cheaper for everyone?

MummyElk · 05/11/2010 09:48

Right. I've been thinking long and hard about this. iwcas aside (feeling your pain lovely, have sent you a message) I think money has already reared its head as a problem. So here are my thoughts about keeping the weekend as low cost as possible:

Food

  • Friday night I've already said i'm happy to bring something. I'm currently trying out a cornbread topped chilli from a nigella recipe. That would leave rice/garlic bread, salad and sour cream for others to bring. One meal = tick.
  • Breakfasts: i think we bring our own. I mean, i'm not talking about measuring out your own portion of corn flakes and woe betide anyone who touches it - but it would save a lot of hassle.
  • Baby food: Again i think we bring our own.
  • Sat lunch - can we stretch to a ten pound budget for random food somewhere (rkd to advise?) Or Ginsters pasty on a bench?? RKD's list of places give us some good pointers.
  • Sat evening: I truly think we could cater a roast for everyone on a very small budget - couple of chickens, bag of potatoes, carrots, a cabbage...
alcohol bring your own. (share it out once you are a few glasses down the line, obviously Smile) and I hear there are a couple of you who don't Actually Drink Much....Hmm so that would seem fairer for you lightweights Grin

Entertainment
Well obviously there's wine. And cake (we can rustle up a good selection between us surely?)
Soft play - well, for our age babies it seems like it's more like a selection of random toys. and cushions. Can we not manufacture this somewhere in the cottage?? Yesterday Thea spent about three hours on the floor playing with other kids toys - they were much more interesting than hers... So assuming we all bring various knickknack toys and we take rkd's offer up of the activity arch etc, then i think we could have a very nice time.
I can bring a Wii if we want to do something fun. if anyone has singstar that might be very funny.

Basically, as far i can see it - the weekend is about good company and good fun. We don't necessarily have to spend out to do that - surely the best way to maximise chattage is to spend time in the cottages where the babies will probably be happier anyway.

What do we think?? I can be more specific (and more arcadian Head Girlish Wink) if you like and start doling out the Things to Bring to people?
i don't intend (or have the means) to spend much that weekend as it is, so am hoping it keeps costs down for everyone so that this isn't a drag for people
Yours, bossily (but excited that it's only two weeks away)
Melk x

OP posts:
BusyMissIzzy · 05/11/2010 11:05

Good ideas Melk. I'm keen to keep spending to a minimum too. I won't have room to bring much in the way of food/drink on the train but I'm happy to buy bits and pieces in York or reimburse others who have car space to bring more stuff.

Two weeks. Eek! :)

P.S. iwcas I hope my last post didn't make you feel bad for not being able to make it. Reading it back it sounds less sympathetic than I intended. We'll all miss you and R though.