June 08 - a Coalition for all (even those with May or July 08 babies).

[DomesticGoddessInTraining]

Abdn liked the title so I just went ahead!

Eddie, sympathies on sleep. B still hasn't managed a whole night at the age of 2. He was still feeding during the night at 9 months, I can't really remember how much at that point, but I do remember weaning him off, and dropping night feeds by the time he was a year old.

Poppy, hope you are ok. I don't have any experience, and not much to say really, but I'm thinking of you.

Quilters help please! DSD would like to learn how, and I would be quite keen too, we could learn together. Where on earth do we start??!

the banana made a mess of his sleepsuits and bedding but we didn't care because he was actually sleeping - we just washed things a bit more often and ignored the stains...

slings - I'm a huge fan of the close baby carrier but that's far from cheap...

poppy I'd like to see the stickers We've got Fraser in a toddler bed but DS1 went right into a single bed - it's just space that made us get the toddler bed this time. By the time he's grown out of it, we'll want bunk beds anyways for that room!

quilting - the best place to start would probably be a simple block quilt - can you sew with a machine? I can look out for instructions etc...

Abdn, I can sew with a machine, but it's been a looooong time, instructions for an idiot would be excellent!

I want to see stickers too!

We're planning on converting the cotbed to a bed for S. We're constrained by space (he's in our third smaller bedroom). If/when we move we'd put him in the 'second' bedroom and probably get a single bed then.

Have just heard the Vatican's announcement on women. Am very and more than a wee bit

What is the announcement DGT?

A few quick ideas needed for a 5 year old girl's birthday present. Needs to be easy to pack as they are flying back to Canada. She is a v clever little girl and her parents are both academics, so they don't allow TV etc. I normally get books, but could do with a change. Thanks.

all the five year olds around here are into the Sylvanian families - which are tiny. There's also these little puppy figures (tiny) that have nappies and when you put them in water the nappy changes colour to pink or blue. I don't understand it, but it's a huge huge hit....

Thanks AH. Will have a look.

DGT in my bid to find Sylvanian Families in ELC I stumbled upon this Happyland offer and thought of you and your Xmas shopping.

Poppy, that makes sense about the bed, we didn't go in the end, Dh was home late from work and we didn't have the energy.

Bugger - I have a (scanned in) pdf of Quilting for dummies, not read it, so don't know if it's any use (or readable) but I could email it to you if you like.

I remember Sylvanian families from when I was a kid, my friend had loads of them and I was jealous!

Spider - is she a girly girl? of so what about a pretty little bag or a bracelet/necklace

She's quite girly (pretty dresses etc), but the adjective that springs to mind first is precocious! Things she's v smart, bosses others around. I've not really seen her playing with toys this summer as the kids were all outside in and out of paddling pools, so not sure what she is into.

But yes, bags and accessories might be good. At 5 are they still into dressing up? I have definitely seen photos of her dressed in a nurses outfit feeding her baby sister.

Deb - Monsoon is a good idea as I know her mum likes to shop there when she is in the UK.

Spider jewellery or stationery are always popular with 5 year olds, ime.

How about story CDs? Or an Audible gift voucher or subscription? Or music like Peter and the Woolf, the Nutcracker, Swan Lake?

Agree that jewellry is a good idea for a 5 year old. I've bought some of the girls stuff from monsoon before and it's quite good value for money I think.

Spider - we got the happyland last year at that price . S loves it! DOn't tell Deb but I do have a couple of presents in already and already looking out for others .

The Vatican announced yesterday that women priests are a grave crime against church law, and although they made some changes to church law in relation to paedophile priests they haven't gone as far as to say they must be reported to the police. I'm actually really struggling with catholicism at the moment. I'm not especially devout - (in reality, I'm catholic because that's what I've always been iyswim). For the first time I'm seriously considering looking elsewhere. Any recommendations for a spiritual home for disaffected catholics ?

Thanks all for sling chat btw.

DG, saw that announcement from the Vatican - appalling .

What about here for a new spiritual home - we're very friendly .

Will catch up with everything else later - off for a sleep as been up since 5.30 .

DGT I grew up in the United Church of Canada - lovely and liberal and full of people from all sorts of other denominations including many people who grew up catholic. We're Church of Scotland now which is great, but not totally home IYSWIM. I agree that the Vatican announcement was rather crap - apparently in the USA they've announced it in two separate press conferences to try to separate the issues as it's the comparison between women priests and child abuse as similarly bad that's the really offensive part (to most people).

Thanks for the present ideas. Popping to the shops later on so will have a scoot round.

Interesting about the Vatican. Seems so duplicitous. On paedophiles, women priests, and gay priests, I dont get how various denominations feel they can re-interpret their Bibles as they see fit. Either God says its ok or it isnt. I am especially staggered by the Anglican Church being in knots over whether women priests can be bishops. Surely if they can be ordained, then they should be able to be Bishops. If they cant be Bishops, then why permit ordination in the first place. This moral revisionism seems wholly hypocritical to me.

I had a v Anglican upbringing and was one of the religious people at school. Then I completely lost my faith when I was on my gap year and am now an Atheist, so no helpful churches to recommend I'm afraid DGT.

Well, that was crap. Twenty bloody minutes and M's awake again . I'd just fallen into a really deep (and much needed ) sleep too. He's not in a great mood either as he's tired - god knows what woke him up .

Neenz, I did at your ! M is having one or two milk feeds a night - three on a bad night. The Soreen is an interesting theory! Maybe will try to up his cereal intake - he does have lots of protein but could try increasing that too. The HV is coming round next Thursday to talk to us about sleep and get it cracked (hopefully!) before I go back to work.

Bugger, I don't know you cope for two years - really hoping it improves for you soon.

Can't help on the girls' birthday present - all my friends have boys!

Got to go, M crying again - he's so tired, as am I. It's going to be a loooong afternoon .

we had a crappy night here too. J was sick and has a high temperature. It wouldn't be so bad if we could give him something for it but he absolutely refuses all medicine and is deliberately sick if we manage to force calpol etc in him. It makes high temperatures like this very stressful, especially as ds1 was prone to convulsions.

spider, have always liked this WW clip on interpreting the bible.

For those who don't know WW, the POTUS is a Catholic.

sybil, that is v hard . Poor J.

Eddie, I guess you just get used to it, as much as you can.

We still co-sleep - it's not great, and has probably caused as many problems as it's solved, but at least I get half decent sleep most nights. B goes to sleep alone in his cot (one of us has to sit with him til he drops off), but I fear he's now firmly in the habit of waking up around 10.30-11, when I go to bed, to come in with me. Well, it won't be forever (and I do love his sleepy cuddles).

When he was younger, and I was on mat leave, I used to take him off for an afternoon nap with me - which is how the co-sleeping thing started really, so you might not want to try that. But at least both of us got a good nap.

Sybil, hope J is ok.

ktpie, that pdf would be great if you wouldn't mind. Your initials are KB aren't they? I'll message you on FB if that's ok?

I usually avoid religious chat, and have never rated the Catholic church anyway, however they've outdone themselves this time by lumping women in with paedophiles and rapists.

bugger, I used to love co-sleeping with A - and in fact he's been in our bed a couple of nights in the last week and it is a joy to have his gorgeous little cuddles in the morning. I never mastered co-sleeping with M though, and don't think I could do it with both of them together!

My friend co-slept with her DS (an only child) until he was about four when he made the decision to knock it on the head himself around the time he started school. She was a single parent too though so perhaps easier?

Still going with ear infection but better; Iestyn has diarrhoea (he did this time last year too - graduation ceremony today!)

DG 'a spiritual home for disaffected catholics': why, isn't that the CofE?! The CofE took me in and I'm a Congregational nonconformist (i.e. for all those who don't know what that is (probably everyone ) we're the worst kind of nonconformist who won't conform even with the other nonconformists )
As an ex(?)-Catholic, I'd suggest a more middle-of-the-road Anglican church, rather than the very evangelical or charismatic types and you might find the Anglo-Catholic ones too Catholic for your liking. Seriously! Our church (in London) once had a list of 10 great things about the Anglican church, and no. 3 was 'whatever you believe, there is bound to be at least one other member of the church who believes it too'...

Spider being nonconformist I don't care at all about bishops because I'm against them anyway (not so much these days though - anther long story!) but Congregationalists have had female ministers since the 1920s. I'm all for female bishops, and have been very very annoyed at all the men who are against it - the bishops/priests threatening to leave. Er, isn't it a calling, from God? And if yes, is it really a limited calling 'Follow me, unless you find that women are being made into bishops because women should just stick with the ordinary jobs and not get promotions'. I think not...

Anyhoo...

Presents for girls - agree with Deb on bags - little girls love bags. (I did!) Maybe an old-fashioned satchel? (Again, I'd have loved that...) Also love Rolf's idea of Peter and the Wolf. (Get it for your Peter too because he's called Peter and it's lovely. ) I'd add Britten, Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra as well.

Sorry rambling post - had champagne...