GinaG3

Ordered Pirate themed candles in Waitrose delivery and they substituted with star shaped candles, totally not suitable for my pirate themed cake this weekend. 4 Year old distraught! Please tell me I can get pirate candles from somewhere in Dulwich? They are the cherry on the top so to speak, I have alternatives such as playmobil characters but not what I had in mind. Please, anyone? HELP!

Mid week delivery pass is free for the first 3 months and ?2.99 thereafter for a minimum term of 6 months currently. You are allowed free delivery any time on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Excludes christmas week. Maximum one delivery a day. Or 1 months delivery pass currently on offer at ?6.99 a month reduced from 10.99 minimum term 12 months. Any day any time entitled. You could wait for a Groupon deal for delivery pass which normally entitles you to ?50 or so worth of free shopping on top of a annual pass for up to 65% off. But you have to be very careful of these that they are not overcharging on the current deals being offered by Ocado themselves. They got in trouble in 2011 for offering 12 months annual pass worth ?69.99 when Ocado were offering 6 months for ?14.99 making 12 months from Ocado themselves worth less than ?30 at the time. This was misleading advertising and led customers to think they were getting a better deal than they actually were!

Is she picking it because its itching? Could it be something other than just a scab like staph or impetigo? Not always blisters as commonly thought.. Just food for thought.

Well guess what, my daughter (4 in 2 weeks I might add) hates me 50% of the time too. She hates her dad 75% of the time. When he comes in the door from work after a 12 hour shift, its 'go back to work dad, I don't love you'. When I picked her up from school the other day it was 'I don't want to live with you anymore mum, I going to live here' She is very angry and pretty violent on a every other day basis, she thinks she owns the place! Terrible two, no. Terrible three, yes. Four, I live in hope!

I've applied for both within my top 3 preference for my daughter. I hear very good things about both, I especially like the size of Horniman compared with others in the area.

My our daughter had goretex boots from Clarks, so fully waterproof, but breathable at the same time. Available for boys and girls in winter months I think, but ?55 a pop. Have the advantage of being properly fitted though, I can't think of many others at all.. Worth a look in their sale which is on now, probably going in to final clearance as I type.

Susyp that made me really emotional because I do share the same views as you also, yet its like I have 2 different people living inside me. The person who desires to reach her dreams and the person who seems to think with her head not her heart. I've already gone from 3 kids to 2 in my mind as I feel that would just be way, way too hard on me but I just cannot go from 2 to only 1 although I do see the benefits and the appeal of doing it. I've spent 2 years contemplating her being an only child, and then the last year with a lot of hard diagnosis trying to rationalise and wonder what really is the best choice for my whole family. Every time I think about it I just end up in a state. Her starting school has not helped, seeing babies everywhere, people having babies in my family, I'm like the green eyed monster. I feel like I sound really horrible writing all of this. The decision is a really difficult one. Our daughter has brought up the subject of brothers and sisters herself with interest but then when asked on occasion she has been for it and then other times against it. She loves babies and is really playful and protective around them. Its really nice to see!

I'm in the same position and have been for years. I was adamant no matter what I would have another child after growing up dreaming of a family and children not a career driven life. In the last year the decision has become really hard and emotionally draining for me. After the birth of my first child 4 years ago I started to suffer chronic pelvic pain issues and found it really hard to get doctors to investigate properly. I know now after 4 years that I have 2 gynaecological conditions, one of which is effecting my uterus to an extent that my consultants just cant tell me but they believe is significant. After years of trial and error with different medication and seeing pain specialists, at 22 years old I'm being offered a complete hysterectomy as nothing is working. My consultants cannot tell me whether I can have anymore children (although positive that I have already conceived once), its up to me to try to conceive in my own time. Im told to do it sooner rather than later, I wont take the hysterectomy until I have had another child. They have made me fully aware of the possible risks of becoming pregnant and the chances of carrying full term too. All this leaves me scared stiff but still willing to try, I cant imagine my life without at least one more child, although yes I am more than happy with my daughter. But then comes the energy to look after the child after I've given birth, the amount of hospital appointments and possible surgery, the emotional effects. It seems huge to me. My partner is unwilling to try yet as he is not ready and I feel I need to take his choices on board too. We were young the first time, and we still are but while I think he is faced with the wanting to still have fun occasionally part after missing a fair bit between 18 and 21, I'm way past that already with what I've been through. As much as I hate to say it, but I would love to be the position where the health barrier was removed and I only had to worry if I could afford it or had enough space. Growing up was up and down with 4 siblings, but now were all mostly grown up I cant imagine not having them to turn to when I need someone to talk to, have a laugh with or go to for advice. I want that for my daughter too. I have a bond with a friend whereby even their mum, dad and siblings are practically my family but its still not the same thing. I hope this has come across the way I wanted it too!

My daughter has been on and off this winter catching everything. Its been a bad winter for bugs and illnesses to say the least. My daughter is 3 and started pre-school in September, since starting she had a constant cold that has only just cleared up. She missed the last 4 weeks due to staph infection, vomiting bug, chesty cough and fever. Its just been everything in one. She's never been a child to get ill apart from UTI's. I've just ordered a load of Sambucol online to boost her immune system and am going to continue to give it throughout the summer too. Hope your daughter is back to her usual self soon, sympathies here too xx

My daughter was exposed 3 weeks before the end of the school term, she never caught it. You might get lucky.

Ah, I too spent a lot of my childhood there and lived there from 2004-2008 my parents still live there now. My mum and dad bought a huge b&b but converted back to a house. Mum will be converting the back to a studio flat over the next few months with the aim to have their first guests this summer. Plenty of places to stay, everywhere is walking distance from town centre. We walk everywhere with our daughter. Cant say I've stayed in any accommodation there as when we didn't live there we always had a second home but I can get recommendations, my mum knows a lot of owners etc. PM me if you would like me to find out for you. Plenty of places to visit too. Must go for tea or a ice cream float in the tea rooms under Corfe castle, and visit Corfe castle too by rail if possible. Have some locally made chocolate at the chocolate shop. Talk a walk around Durlston country park and take in the views, you may even see some dolphins!! Visit the pier, the lighthouse. A bit further out past Corfe you can visit Tyneham in Worbarrow bay, Dorset's lost village, ruined during the second world war. Bluepool? Monkey world? There is a charge for some of these places, or kind donation but worth a look in especially with kids. My daughter loves to try and find Harry Potter at Corfe castle, haha.

I'm about to dose my daughter up with sambucol for kids after 4 weeks off school and constant cold since starting preschool in September. We used to have it as kids and rarely got ill. I'm out to try anything, our daughter has had multivitamin since birth with degree of benefit between brands best being abidec until I noticed it contained peanut oil so stopped using it. Right now we are using the new haliborange immune boost chews. There is never a cure all though, I have to agree with that.

Thank you both. Mrs TP, I understand it is normal for reception years to do a normal school day but I see on southwark website you can request your child does half days until the term after their fifth birthday or their entry can be deferred until later in that school year. By law they are not at compulsory school age until 5 after all. My daughter has been doing 5 half days a week at preschool since September but took 3 weeks to settle and has had a lot of sickness since starting. We've had, all in, about 6 weeks off since starting.. I just wondered whether any parents actually defer the entry or take up half days until compulsory to do full days? Filled in all the application now. Never even received any letter from Southwark! Good thing I'm switched on..

Hi Quick question please. Really should not of left all this so late. Didn't realise until last minute my daughter was eligible for place next year. So much going on right now totally didn't think about it. I know my order of preference from researching online although I never had a chance to visit any of the schools yikes! I want to apply for horniman their website stipulate ages 4-11 but lewisham council website say 5-11.. Daughter will be 4 when she starts. This is my first choice, can I put it down? Surely the school are right on their own website, they know their intake. Bit confused by this. Also has anyone continued half days for the first primary year? I see you can do this for reception year..

I babysat as a teenager, but stopped when I had my own child. We were never asked anything but knew the people we sat for through our parents. So we were trusted to them. Now she's 4 and I regularly see people wanting babysitters on the forum prehaps I should get back into it! I have the advantage of now having a CRB, a child of my own and having volunteered around mothers and babies, first aid knowledge and a lot of patience. Although the spanner in my works is whether my partner can babysit our daughter after his 60 hour week.. *yawn*

Thanks everyone for all your replies. There is too much to reply to individually. I've been absolutely bombarded with PMs also. We've never used aquaeous cream, it's not advised by the eczema association as it is only meant as a soap substitute and not as a cream but is prescribed regardless! We have discontinued use of all Aveeno products as oat containing products are known to worsen eczema in some sufferers, as it did for our daughter. I avoid all SLS and SLE and nothing contain parabens or anything else on the eczema exclusion list. I wash all our laundry with Eco balls. We have been through so many products I can't even think of them all. Diprobase, 5050 paraffin, aveeno, salcura spray, zeoderm, epiderm, this soya oil stuff and a bunch of natural stuff and more prescription stuff. I'm not keen on steroids because I've seen severe eczema in my family got through without it, no family members have ever restored to steroid use. My brothers was so so extreme he was covered head to toe, every inch of his body. My mum did a complete exclusion diet through breastfeeding then onto weaning, by age 7 he was fine. He was allergic to dogs hair, wheat, gluten and dairy. So allegies have come into play in my family, and are a common feature too. Wheat and dairy especially run in my family strongly. I've now stopped the soya as I feel it was just making everything much worse. I am going back to consult GP. Might try and buy some of these silk tubes just to cover the elbows and knees whilst in bed after I've got this flare under control. Thanks for all your messages. xxx

My daughter is nearly 4. She has always had eczema, gradually worsening as she gets older. It's a family trait, unfortunately. EVERY single person has it to puberty, then as if by magic it disappears. Anyway.. Im at my wits end with constant flare up that just do not go, ever! Doctor has prescribed everything. They want her using steriod, I dont. Out or desperation I did use some for about 3 days, it helped a little but after 12 hours not using right back it came so whats the point. Shes only allowed to use upto 7 days at a time. This is the very last route I want to take! I breastfed for 2 years, exclusively for 6 months. When we weaned I brought in new foods on their own for 2 weeks at a time before being in a new one. This went on and on. Dairy wasn't introduced until 16 months, wheat at 18 or so and nuts at 3.5 years. I was so cautious it was unreal! She showed a few allergies so I stopped and tried 3 more times months apart, after which she showed no more symptoms. Apricot was the main culprit. She doesn't have this in her diet now. We're in such a bad flare up now (not that the flare ups ever stop!), doctors don't think it's worth allergy testing or referring to dermatology etc and just tell me I'm bad and being unfair to her not using steroid treatments. Totally unfair I think, but that's a different story. It's just something to mask the problem for a few days before going back to square one, then your stuck in a cycle of steroid. I've started my own allergy seeking measures. I've cut out dairy from her diet over the last few weeks, slowly weaning her off anything containing cows milk and onto soy. We are now fully on soy and she hasn't had any cow milk containing products for 4 days now but the flare up is worsening. I've heard about soy being a common allergen and worsening eczema, yes. The eczema has spread all over her body, shoulders, knicker line, all down legs, inner thighs. It's usually on her bum, inner elbow, backs of legs and calfs, also hands and down sides of torso. I do everything, 100% cotton clothing, complete chemical elimination in our home including laundry and bath products, I wash needing at 60 weekly to kill off dust mite, her room is a dust free sleep haven thoroughly hoovered too many times a week. Please people, what would you do? I feel so sorry for her having been through it myself. Constantly scratching herself, bleeding, being red raw and sore. Would you put your child back on dairy and consult doctors and really push for more investigation (I can try, of course), I can't afford anything private so don't even go there. I've looked into a company that provide silk clothing for eczema sufferers, it looks to have amazing results and medically proven, it's actually available on prescription but generally only through a dermatologist, at ?50-70 odd for a set of PJs it is not affordable to me without the prescription. I'm really at my wits end, I just want to help my little girl!

I had been 18 for 2 months when I moved to London. I moved into my own place when I was 19. Now at almost 23 most of my friends still live at home with their parents. My mum and dad were never fussed what we chose to do, my sister left home to become a traveller, squatter etc at 15/16/17 but made a regular appearance back home. My 21 year old sister is still at home, she is not budging till she's 70 I don't think, rent free and all! My other sister left for uni at 18 and continued to live away, before moving to Ireland with her fianc?. My brother is too young to consider yet doubt he will move out till he's 70 either. I only moved out because I was pregnant, but I doubt I could of lasted being there still now at my age, although it was easy to feel like you were living in your own in my mum and dads house anyway, except for the miracle filling fridge, warm radiators and non stop electric. I would of had a deposit saved up to buy by now, but I wouldn't change my choice. I'd say 18/19 but realistically it not affordable for anyone I know my age for at least another 5 years. So I say about 27 'realistically'

I really want to go. Definitely got to find a deal though. I've heard amazing things!!! We have the youngest number 1 Harry potter fan in the world here, I've been promising a visit for nearly 2 years now since I heard they were creating it.. Oops!

Haha, I have this problem with my daughter too although her feet aren't small?! She's nearly 4 and size 8.5 that's normal isn't it? Lol. Anyway she's always worn John Lewis tights, and yes now at this age they are heeled, I hear your woes but we just wear them with the heel slightly popping over her shoes - fashionnnnn. She mostly lives in wellies anyway so it's not so bad but I feel your frustration. Let me know how you get on..

The stuff your thinking of is called Stop'n grow, I think it has age restrictions due to chemicals.. It's disgusting, and also not very long lasting if I recall.

I got the same one on offer prie from asda a while ago. Much better than hands and knees with a sponge. Wanted one for ages. Now I'm after a handheld too, to do mattresses, sofa, curtains literally everywhere. Definitely recommend, and more Eco friendly than cleaners, and no chemicals too. Bonus, bonus, bonus! I don't see a reason not too. Read reviews though!!

As estates go this is a generally a really good one. Can get a little more lively in the summer months as with a lot of places but there's next to no trouble here. We've been actually on the estate for 4 years, but know people that have been happily here for over 15 years with little if any complaint. I wouldn't let the estate put you off a property, especially as its not even on the estate itself, even if it was I still wouldn't.

I might actually disagree about eBay. What exactly are the dresses, brand wise? You may well get extremely good prices, especially on the items with tags still intact. I regularly sell on ebay, I also watch designer goods and one off pieces very often. When you can display to the best of your ability that an item is genuine through tagging (even better with a receipt) then you actually can make amazing money on designers through eBay, even without in cases, some people literally will buy anything. Prada and Gucci items shipping from China etc regularly sell into the hundreds, I'd be very weary of that, especially with no authenticity certificate or such. Just make sure you track your parcel and list the item to the best of your knowledge. Selling to a worldwide audience will increase your views and watchers too, for designers especially in Europe. Especially if your items would now be classed as vintage, and aren't available to buy any longer! Paraphernalia looks good but then it depends on how much they will pay you for your items, and how much they charge to sell/commission?! Would need to look in to before deciding..

I used to work in boots and our pharmacist would help people that came in with minor ailments. We saw many people with things ranging from grazes to stings and were always professional. We even had a first aider or 2 and emergency kits for use on the public, I believe this is usually the norm in larger chemists. We were a first aid post, as we were a seaside town full of tourists and peak season saw a lot of accidents on the seafront. Although a pharmacist isn't medically trained the same way as a doctor/nurse is, they are still trained in knowing the types of coverings that should be used certain injuries, as are they trained in antiseptics, vitamins, sometimes herbal products, sprain support and are generally very knowledgable medically. At least all the pharmacists I've worked alongside have been. I'm sorry for your experience today. Can't say I've ever been in the village chemist so can't comment on the actual people in question. Hope your both feeling a bit better now.