GinaG3

Waiting for a call back from admissions to see where we are on the waiting list etc, IF we are. Advised it could take a few days.. Got everything crossed over here!!

I'm a little more with it today so had a re-read of the thread. This has shocked my greatly, I didn't think that any of the schools I put were impossible at all. I doubted getting Horniman, but it was my first preference. Thought if I didn't get any I necessarily wanted I would at least be put into Goodrich or Heber. Dulwich Village was put on the list as a stop gap, to fill up a preference in final place. By the way, yes The Grove is the top of Lordship Lane/Dulwich Common where the Harvester is no longer. Langbourne I have looked into as much as I can, their website isn't even live (at admission time of year)! So little information found but I wont be taking the place anyway even if it means educating my child out of school for a while. On the road, it is a distance of 2.4 miles, to walk this with a 4 year is too much to me, 10 miles per day for drop off and collections and back is 50 miles a week! We don't drive and buses would cost me money I can ill afford as low income family. I have health issues too that would mean somedays I cant walk far, or very quickly without tiring a lot, I thought to try and get a freedom bus pass (in eventuality we got Fairlawn or Heber especially as up hill) through southwark but no-one understands the underlying needs of my medical conditions so cant be bothered with another argument. All in very unhappy and disappointed, trying not to think about it now as too much on my plate right now and hoping there is light at the end of this road.

We didn't get any of our preferred 6 either, have been offered Langbourne (2.4 miles away). What do I do now if I don't want to accept a place unless its in my top 6?! I did pick Horniman, Fairlawn, Eliot Bank, Goodrich, Heber and Dulwich Village. All perfectly reasonable if at the Grove, no? In a daze today, just returned from surgery and spaced out on Morphine. Will figure it all out tomorrow, struggling to even type. All advice welcome though. :-)

Just be honest, you can call the number and ask advice. I was called to the Old Bailey last year but got excused on medical grounds. I don't think I will ever get called again. I was really excited, I've always had an interest in criminal law but at the same time so glad I didn't have to do it. I have a feeling it was a very high profile case the media flooded for the same 2 weeks I was called. Eek!

I too recommend the panasonic one. I dont even have it yet!! I've done extensive research, and missed twice last year getting it on offer for ?59, most annoying thing ever. Watch out for it, it does come on offer a few times a year. Tesco, John Lewis and Currys had it on offer under ?60 last year and Panasonic also offered ?60 cashback on purchase directly from them making it ?60. Well worth it at that price. Im holding out..

They are NOT allow to accept any money at the door, tip or otherwise.. Its against the rules of their job and they could face disciplinary action if they are found to be accepting payments from customers. Don't feel bad about not tipping, your not expected to. Most delivery drivers are lovely, just like a little general chit chat and a genuine thank you!

http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/LatestIncidentsContainer_21031311.asp#.UUsm27cgGc0

I rotate 3 weekly meals plans, and only buy whats needed. I bake sweet things for the week when anyone fancys a bit of cake or biscuits. This really helps a lot! Knowing what your cooking, have to buy, avoiding spends. We get paid fornightly. I have a budget on the computer that gets updated when there is ANY shift in funds. The fortnightly pay is divided into 2 weeks, our shopping spends are budgetted strictly with a ?70 budget for 2 adults and a 4 year old, this includes all toiletries, laundry stuff, sometimes the odd miscellaneous like pack of glasses or new bowl or mug, maybe some candles. I never break this budget and usually come in under, the cost of meals tends to come to ?35 then I buy toilet roll, kitchen roll, cleaning products, fruit and enough milk to last the week to avoid going to the shop (also to avoid more unnecessary spends). Our bills are at the top of the budget with dates they need paying, we then set aside the money in the approiate week to make sure the money is available and isnt spent on anything else. If we are lucky to have any money left over we may have a takeaway, get things that are needed like clothes (although that is generally bought from money from christmas - for adults anyway) I always look out for deals. I get cashback on my purchases through sites like topcashback or quidco (now available on grocery shopping too). I purchase everthing online and watch my bank account like a hawk. I know of every penny. I try not to do activities that cost me money, if they do is minimal or very rarely. There is plenty of free stuff to do with children in London. You dont need to go to coffee shops for coffee, you can make a perfectly great cup at home if you invest in the right tools and coffee. Invite friends round, try to avoid meeting in places that will cost money. If you do only take ?5 so you cant spend anymore. Its all within your control, I go crazy with spending on occasion, but I know I'm getting a great deal when I'm doing it ;-)

They are right outside my window, as far as I can see its not the pub at all. It is the tennis club, usually they visit them because of out of control bonfires and thats late at night. I don't think this is the reason this time, I don't recall them having a bonfire last night, they usually smoke us out. Anyway, traffic a nightmare, police directing, 2 engines. Reeling back in hoses now, shouldn't be too long before its back to usual traffic..

I regularly have to get to St Thomas' for appointments with my consultant. I prefer a 12 all the way there, and I definitely would if I had to take my child with me too. One direct bus, stops right outside the hospital (at the very start of the bridge). I've had to be there at that time on several occasions and find the bus ride absolutely fine, it stops a bit more as there is generally people at EVERY stop but is fine. I had appointment the other day, at Tommys for 9am, I hurried and hurried, missed the bus ended up getting the bus around 8.15am and still got there with 4 minutes to spare. Brilliant.

My daughter is going as Buzz Lightyear/Woody or a Pirate. Thats what we have already, not making a special trip, only found out this morning! Out of films yes, but technically there has been books after and its still all imagination/character.

Definitely ring the FIS at Southwark, they gave me the exact figure of the grant last year. Our pre-school charges ?9.50 for a 2.5 hour session, my daughter does 2.5 mornings a week and 3 lunches (45 minutes) which are also charged at ?2.50 a session. We meet the threshold for the grant cap exactly according to FIS. I found it so confusing in the first place as I didn't want to be stuck with top ups I had to make sure I covered myself. Family info were very helpful, the internet was less so!

Oh, I've been dreaming of the greek isles for the last few years but haven't been able to afford it as yet. I have deeply fond memories of Skopelos from childhood, they have never left me, I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could. One of THE best greek isles by far. Such friendly people and the food is out of this world!! Definitely worth a visit. I still have a lot of greek islands on my 'hit list' a lot are worth a visit in my opinion.

You sound like me. I breastfed my daughter for 2 years, the whole time she breastfed as if she was a newborn and never dropped feeds. I was woken constantly during the night until 21 months, she used to snack a bit but not eat meals due to too much breast milk. It was a nightmare! I sympathise completely. I didn't have another child to care for as she was my first but I was only 18 and struggled in other ways. Whilst I REALLY loved the experience it drained every bit of myself out of me. Now she is 4 I wouldn't change the experience for the world, I even miss it immensely, its a funny old world. Anyway.. With daytime solids I used to distract a bit around mealtimes or times I wanted her to eat. Try changing your tops at these times to a polo neck (sounds strange but its like a closed door). I would give her a snack, maybe in a really fun way like a face of raisins as eyes, cucumber smile, grated cheese hair etc. Really, silly as possible. In the highchair? Then you do something like washing right in front of her, so she can see you are busy, do some singing as your doing it.. If she gets in with it, try to ignore it, but give praise at the end and feed her AFTER not before. With the nighttime feeds I must admit I did nothing much, my daughter was extremely violent in the night, during feeds and in her sleep. We co-slept until 21 months when I couldn't handle it anymore and would be so stressed I'd cry myself to sleep. I moved her first next to us in her own cot then into her own bedroom, she woke a few times a night whilst she continued to breastfeed but when she decided to stop on her 2nd birthday she slept through for around 6 months, since that she has snuck in and out of our bed. Getting her solid intake up during the day will help her to settle better at night, although its not a guarantee it SHOULD bring her waking down to possibly only 3 times a night.. They may then become much more manageable dream feeds, we used to both practically stay asleep for these. Wish you the best of luck, but honestly it will get better it just may take some time. X

I left it all completely up to my daughter and its been a fantastic experience for us all. She so proud of herself, gives herself a lot of praise and receives a lot from us also. She had just turned 3 when she stopped wearing nappies during the day, we had minimum amount of accidents (about 5 in total during days). With nights she was never dry, she did most of her urine output, nappies would be soaked like a brick in the morning always! We used pull ups from the age of 2.5ish as she preferred that. One day out of the blue about 3 months after toilet training started my daughter turned around and said she wants to be grown up and wear knickers at night, from that night she did and has only wet the bed twice in the year that has followed. I honestly think going with what they want is best. Talk to them about YOU wearing knickers to bed often, weeing on the toilet before bed, allow them to make choices and try, don't get annoyed if they end up with a wet bed, talk about being grown up and saying bye bye to nappies etc. It will come eventually.

I'm under Dr Mascarenhas at Guys and he has been absolutely brilliant. I've been offered a lot of treatment options for my pain but all have been unsuccessful for me. I'm awaiting a second round of surgery, I'm also diagnosed with Endometriosis too so they need to see how far this has come on since my last operation. I've been offered a hysterectomy for whenever I feel I want to take it, this was after exhausting all treatment options though. This website http://www.adenomyosisadviceassociation.org and the facebook group associated has been of great help to me as I've found it very hard being diagnosed with 2 conditions within a year and other health issues too. I'm only 22! Good luck, happy for any questions via PM.

Slightly odd but if you use an iPhone there are period tracking apps. I use 2 different ones (free in app store), you can track when it starts then ends, all symptoms within that month, weight gain etc. It then tracks when you ovulate, most fertile days and predicts your next period. Most useful tool ever if you have problems surrounding periods. Just remember to open the app to tell it whats happening or it wont tell you anything. My consultants always want to know dates so I can just open it up and feed the info straight to them. Hope you find something to help you soon, it really is horrible being a woman sometimes..

Not unlikely at all. I was diagnosed after pregnancy, which can exasperate symptoms, as with Adenomyosis too. Both worth reading up on. I would definitely look into Endo with your GP. Would highly recommend Gynae teams at Guys hospital too, but felt Kings lacked the specialism (personal experience). I also fell pregnant easily with my daughter, but had many problems with what doctors see as chemical pregnancies since. I was diagnosed by laparoscopic procedure as a day case, had laser removal at the same time and was up and moving about again within 3 days. It really isn't as daunting as it seems, if it needs to be done at all that is.. Im currently on contraceptive pill, no break to try and stabilise hormone levels. Should stop periods but haven't even touched them at all! Awaiting my second operation under new consultant but keeps getting cancelled due to my health. http://www.endometriosis-uk.org/information/symptoms.html http://www.adenomyosisadviceassociation.org/Symptoms.html

Im diagnosed with endometriosis and adenomyosis, have you ever had either of these looked into with a gynaecologist? My pain is more than period pain, more like labour pains and continues throughout the whole month but then my periods can go either way. I'm not your average sufferer and my consultants are completely stuck but for most sufferers the pain is in sync with menstrual cycle. Maybe have a look at generalised symptoms on the awareness websites and see if its similar to you? I have extreme nausea, migraines, dizziness, fatigue and mood swings for around 2 weeks a months after I ovulate. There are a lot of other drugs out there to use so don't give up just yet. I've spent 3 years trying to find a drug that works for me and I'm still trying now..

Mrs TP I haven't experienced that but it does make sense. I think the maximum wait where subsequent treatment is via surgery is 31 days in England. If they cannot provide you with a date by then they need to offer you a alternative to avoid fines under legislation bought in several years ago. I think you have the right to refuse and wait for a space with Kings? Not 100% though! You would need to speak to them, they cannot proceed with something if your unhappy with it. Why are you unhappy with this arrangement? Just geared up for one place, then they change and it puts you off mindset? I feel like that often with hospital.. Im awaiting more surgery but I'm no longer under the care of King's I'm at Tommy's but I'm having a lot of hassle failing my medicals as they are constantly telling me they cannot go ahead with anything unless I'm happy to do so. My consultant, surgeon and anaesthetist are also fully aware of my anxieties and are fully supporting of everything. I'd definitely talk to them with your concerns.

I shop at Waitrose every now and again and whilst I love it I have quibbles with the Beckenham branch that our shopping is delivered from. My last shop was delivered with no refrigeration/freezing at all or refrigerated products in cupboard labelled bags meaning ?36 worth of meat needed refunded. The customer service is fab but the specific branch seem to make constant mistakes. I ALWAYS complained, mainly to feedback for improvement. Over 5 shops last year I must of had about ?80+ worth of refunds in total due to errors, missing items and overcharging on by weight deli counter items etc. I now only shop there to bulk stock up on their own brand non-bio which is all I can use on my daughters skin.

We bought the John Lewis deluxe one 2 years ago. They've stopped selling now and replaced with the country style but they are fab quality if you don't mind spending ?100+ taken quite a lot of knocks and bangs and still in a brilliant condition bar a few very small chips in the paint work. Nice and roomy too! Ikea ones look good too, but only seen them online so cant really comment. Many people seem happy and they are a very reasonable price for wooden.

Ok off to Peckham I go then. Thanks all.

Ohhh thanks BB I'll try and get there to have a look. Trying to avoid excessive next day postage charges otherwise I would order online as I do with everything else. Grrr! Need for this weekend. Any more suggestions welcome.

I have also co-slept for almost the whole 4 years with our daughter. Out of choice for 2 years, now less so - its like they all rolled over and one fell out in our bed. She did have a patch of staying in her own room at 2-3 years after stopping breastfeeding but is back in our bed at 2am usually now. She has ALWAYS fell asleep out on the sofa and been carried in to bed, we tried everything with her to get her to fall asleep on her own but she isn't and never has been one of those children and it doesn't particularly bother me. I grew up the same way and never had a set routine until about 6 or 7 years old when 'lights out' came in to play. Don't be put off by this though, as I say everyones situation, routine and child is different. You've said your daughter did fall asleep on her own before, thats a start, believe me! Maybe try putting her in your bed (if that is where you want her to be) but playing some quiet soothing music or a talk show on the radio for noise? Does she have a toy she can take to bed? Say you are 'just going to the toilet/get a drink' each time and take longer and longer away each time? When she was younger I tormented myself trying to get her to fall asleep in bed to the point I would sit in bed with her for 5 hours at a time trying and trying to get her to sleep, I did this for months before I was just too stressed to handle it anymore. It wasn't working for either of us. I assigned myself to the fact I'm fighting a losing battle against a child with constant energy and extreme clingyness and I'm afraid to say I left it at that. She is a free spirit! I hope you find the right answer for you.