Polly D

How about signing up for a course, something you do entirely for yourself. Whether it's creative, or something which could lead to a new direction for work. Will make you feel liberated I bet.

I came across this too a while ago and can only think it's to prevent parents putting their child's name down on waiting lists for loads of nurseries 'just in case' so this way they can assume that if you're on the list, you really want it, if that makes sense, and that the numbers on the list are more realistic. Saying that, it wasn't all nurseries who asked for it.

Angels and Gypsies not so good for the veggies. Was v disappointed by meal at Crooked Well last month but hope a one-off too busy Saturday night. Rosendale in West Dulwich? I haven't been but someone at work was just raving about it (albeit the steak). Have heard great things about Cafe 67.

I'm wearing black because I'm in mourning...for my libido. Brilliant!

The Party Shop in Clapham. Got myself a fetching mullet for work Xmas party for ?10 from there.

We're going here: http://billycancamping.co.uk/ for a long weekend in June. Or why not try Owners Direct for UK cottages?

At what age did you take your toddler to the cinema? Can a just 3 year-old be expected to sit still through 1.5 hours of Up for example? He can certainly manage 1.5 hours of Justin's House on constant at home with the TV, given the chance. Any thoughts and experiences?

I feel these day most births are announced via text, email or Facebook (and the forum!). But we do receive, and indeed did ourselves, printed cards as thank you cards which kind of did the job of announcing birth too, I mean pics, date, and weight details etc. Same for birthday thank you cards. Cheap and personalised! I usually use snapfish but will def give your website a look. http://www3.snapfish.co.uk/snapfishuk/welcome

Mathilda - brilliant, thanks for that link. I read the article on Sat and was depressed and intrigued by it/her. Especially re her saying the children were hers, WTF!?

Hi Ole 4 days a week I drop my 3 year old off at nursery at 8am and he cries, clings to me, asks me to stay, breaks my heart. Every day I pick him up at 6pm, he looks up from his busy playing and says he's not coming home, a bit heartbreaking. Not paranoid, just sensitive, me too, what can we do? I put it down to normal toddler behaviour and feelings and try not to be upset by it. Sometimes in the morning it makes me cry, other times at 6pm after a long day I feel so irritated. I usually try to bring something with him to nursery to take his mind off me leaving, and he gets loads of lovely encouragement fom nursery staff but basically his default is crying. Then I tempt him home with the idea of something exciting: a bus journey home, or a snack or something. X

My son is about to turn 3. We were late to get him into potties/he was reluctant. At Xmas we 'went for it' and he's been doing pretty well since then. He had a couple of accidents which we obviously didn't make a fuss about and he'd go about 4-6 times a day I think. However, in the last couple of weeks he is only peeing once or twice in the whole day, I mean from about 7am to 7pm. He wears nappies in bed and in the morning it's the usual heaviness so he's doing plenty at night. I'm concerned about this but haven't taken him to the doctor as he is drinking enough and not complaining about anything hurting, and apart from the usual coughs and sniffles at this time of year seems fine. We thought he was holding on to it because he prefers to pee at home rather than at nursery (4 days/week) though up until a couple of weeks ago he was doing them just fine there too. Something has changed for him at home too now but we can't work out what it is. Nursery staff are brilliant and just as foxed as we are. So how often would you think was the norm? I worry about him retaining it and getting an infection. We are praising him massively when he goes, and when he does he's really chuffed. We're also trying rewards and bribery. Any ideas?

Lovely idea. How about about a gossip mag, some tissues, hairbands/clips/alice band?

Am a keen Tesco online customer. Prompt service, rarely do they mess it up (in fact, can't think of a time they have), best before dates reasonable and you can edit your basket to advise re dates etc and other specifics. You can choose not to have bags. Great club card vouchers too. I often get sent ?5 or ?7.50 off vouchers. If they get an item wrong, they refund it no problem. Fresh food always seem to be actually fresh. Good offers too. Used to use Sainsburys online a long time ago and found it annoying: inconceivable BB dates, bad quality fruit & veg, silly use of carrier bags, i.e. one item in a bag. Sometimes use Ocado when feeling less skint or if doing a special dinner and can't fault it tho no vouchers or other loyalty type rewards. Okay so none of it as ideal as popping to William Rose and SMBS every day but who has time and money for that?

You could try the teahouse theatre in vauxhall (next to the city farm), 40 mins away on a 185! www.teahousetheatre.co.uk Went today and staff were v friendly. Big space, loads of tables, good area with rug on floor, and armchairs. Games in a chest. Very baby/toddler friendly: they even have a bumbo. High chairs, helpful staff came to open double doors, they didn't bat an eyelid at 4 weary but chatty mums and 5 kids aged between 3 and 3 months all losing the plot one by one. Menu is: good sandwiches, poached eggs on toast, welsh rarebit kind of thing and baked beans on toast etc for kids. ?5 more or less per main adult meal, and more different types of cake than you could imagine. Only prob, as name suggests, they don't do coffee...only tea but many different types and all served in teapots with tea cosies and in cute teacup china.

Which Sainsburys? Big one on DKH or little one up by the library?

Do you reckon he's too little for a cinema trip!? Alvin and the Chipmunks is out now and is 87 mins long. A possible treat for all of you...maybe won't work with the baby though. Funnily enough we are thinking about taking R to the zoo for his birthday following your success!

Get your hankies ready - new series stars tonight: https://lifebegins.channel4.com/episodes 9pm ch4

A timely reminder pre Xmas madness!

We went fake last year Otta, think from M&S, looks nice just doesn't smell authentic, nor drop pines, job done.

Thanks Mrs N, v grrrrr indeed.

No water at all at ours - top end of Upland Road. Anyone else with same problem?

We are fine ta. Blisters cleared up all by themselves, and don't know why he had them - sign of general run-downness? Still being sick as of last night but chirpy this morning. Doc said viral, we are staying in, jigsaws and watching tv. There's a lot of it going around according to friends and nursery (the sickness bug that is). Wishing you all healthy and restful weekends. P

We would def be up for this! Agree 4-5 is perfect. Annoyingly don't think we'd be back in ED in time this week (visiting granny) but will try, and would be about the week after, and after that. Or in new year! Thanks for the info B.

Ah quite right, apologies. Still, thought A's advice to see GP wise and so we did. Didn't think we'd get a same-day appt and didn't feel serious enough to go to A&E hence my post. However, wonderful doc at FH rd practice unbelievably helpful and saw us.

My son (3 in Feb) has been sick twice today - there is a bug going round at nursery. He seems okay, sleeping lots and quite quiet when not being sick but he also has a load of blisters on his lips which he's never had before. Could the two things be connected? What will I find if I google...?! Best thing would be a trip to the chemist but I don't really dare take him out with the chances of him being sick again being high. He has been telling me for a few days that his mouth hurts but he's also had a bit of a cough so I thought he meant his throat hurt because of that. Maybe he meant his lips. Any suggestions forum parents? Thanks P