EmilyPie

The potty dance is awesome!

Mudchute city farm is great. Lots of space for the animals. Feels like being in the countryside. Nice cafe too looking out over the horses in their stables. Coram's fields is great. Bring a picnic, loads of different play areas and a few animals. The little train in brockwell park on a Sunday, plus all the other attractions of course like lido, water play etc. Ladywell fields is lovely but not much shade so bring sun tan lotion.

Yes, get them to pack for you!!!! Otherwise it is hell.

Loved this, thanks!

I got these for my 2 boys http://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-baby-doll-twins/p1517957?sku=233718490&kpid=233718490&s_kenid=23c9b382-25ed-d789-3ae3-0000278f69cc&s_kwcid=403x12373&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=233718490#page_loaded Twin babies. They're pretty basic but only ?15 and went down very well. One pink and one blue so you could maybe let your little boy pick one for him and one for his new sister? Agree with the above though that it doesn't have to be dolls. Ours are a recent development. When number 2 arrived we didn't have them and instead spent lots of time feeding and changing teddy bears.

More lego here!

A whoopee cushion went down very well with my 4yo

May also be worth exploring dysgraphia http://dsf.net.au/what-is-dysgraphia/ I don't have personal experience but it is something a friend is exploring and sounds like it describes a lot of what you are experiencing

Ours brought a Thomas jigsaw which went down well. He was really into jigsaws though. Something he can play with at once, even in the hospital, is probably a good idea. Sticker/ activity books too?

Thank you both, really helpful. It hadn't occurred to me that you could take the pedals off a normal bike is that easy to do? I like the idea of having stabilisers as a back up. Both in case the boy doesn't like the balance bike approach and in case I can't work out how to get the pedals off! Am not the most confident rider myself so approaching the whole subject with slight trepidation!

It will soon be my son's 4th birthday. We never got round to getting him a balance bike and I was thinking I'd just go straight to getting him a normal bike with stabilisers. However, according to the internet stabilisers are the devil's work. Is 4 too old for a balance bike? Are stabilisers really a bad idea? Should I just give up and accept he will never ride a bike? I really don't want to end up shelling out loads of cash either. All words of wisdom gratefully received! Edited to say that he's smallish for his age, if that makes any difference?

I had a walking or mobile epidural which meant I could still move around and that I didn't need a catheter in my bladder. This was nearly 4 years ago and I remember the anaesthetist saying to the midwives that this was now best practice and the midwives seeming unaware. May be worth enquiring about? And big congratulations to klh!!

For my first baby was in distress so they broke my waters and stuck me straight onto the syntocinon drop and it was murder. The epidural, when it finally arrived, was total bliss! I read a magazine, had a little sleep. It might have slowed things down a bit but it was well worth it. And baby was delivered without assistance. I had a walking or mobile epidural which meant I could still move about a bit which was good. Second time round my birth plan consisted of an a4 sheet with epidural written on it in massive letters and nothing else. In fact though it was very quick and manageable and I coped fine with just a little bit of gas and air for getting the head out. I did try and get them to give me an epidural at that point but they pointed out that as baby was on his way out it probably wasn't worth it! So, anecdotal evidence only but I think they can be great, you don't necessarily need forceps etc, but also you might not need it if it all goes smoothly. Good luck!!!!

My lo is 3 and only just getting into proper lego. Duplo gets made, dismantled, merged and reborn like others have said, but his big boy lego kits live in their own Tupperware boxes to be dismantled and remade whenever his little brother is asleep, and are fiercely guarded when he is not!

Don't know if this is any good but have been eyeing up the classes myself http://www.blackheathcooks.com/whats-on#3-2015