
Ellie78
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Everything posted by Ellie78
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Would love a recommendation on this - we're thinking quartz (actually milestone) but it's stupidly expensive. Happy to invest in it if it is going to last the distance but we're hoping to gain some insights from experience of others. nothing better than tried and tested. We're on our way to having birch ply cabinets (with a family life proof varnish) and a concrete floor. So I was considering stainless steel but was surprised that this - too - was expensive and not immune to damage. So - any suggestions welcomed! Don't mind if it gets marked, as long as it does so with character. We cannot be trusted to maintain it with special potions. From our current experience with an oak worktop, which we inherited when we bought our flat, Oak and Us don't get along. I'm sure this has been talked about, but I couldn't find the thread! So apologies if I'm just repeating ...
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We are probably going that route - but the kitchen won't be finished until March, so I can't email you pics. Will let you know how it goes!
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Thanks everyone! Yes, I think the consensus is that trick is not to engage... I will endeavour not to get wound up by it. I apologised to him yesterday when we were reading stories in bed, and I said that I wouldn't get cross any more - whatever he did in his pants. So I'm now tied by verbal agreement, as well as moral obligation. Wish me luck.
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That's ok - I don't think it's too uncommon, but thanks for the sympathy! I feel I need it. We've binned two pairs of pants and I'm reaching for the wine. On that point, I feel sooo much better when I sing it to that 1996 classic 'return of the Mack' 'Once again' 'Watch the flow'
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My son has been potty trained since May this year (he was three in June, but we only got round to it later for various reasons). Bar the occasional accident, he's been really good about it going to the toilet. For the past week, he's been making the conscious decision to poo in his pants. He has done most of the poos this way. He's sometimes gone off to his room and shut the door, to go and poo in secret. Other times, it's been when he's been left by himself (well, when I say by himself - we're there, he's just playing by himself). This happens at nursery too - he's there 5 days a week. There's an obvious element of autonomy here, but I worry he's also after our attention in some roundabout way. I'm starting to handle this really badly. I was patient and not bothered about it at first, but I just got really upset with him about it and I know this doesn't really help. I think it's him 'punishing' us (because he knows we 'don't like it') and he was smiling to himself about it just now. We're putting him back in training pants, which he's not happy about, but I don't know whether that's the best thing to do or counterproductive. I just wondered why and what other people have done in this scenario. I feel like I'm going completely wrong here.
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This is amazing. I'm so sorry it's taken ages for me to reply with thanks: a truly crap week. I'm now collapsed on the sofa with a glass of wine, thinking through all your suggestions, and it feels a really good place to be. First, thanks for the basic reassurance that some frozen food is ok! I think I tunnel visioned into a place where that wasn't possible. Daft! I am trying fish fingers this week. Much better than toast. Second, all your suggestions sound really tasty. I think I just have to make some things Normal for him. He shrinks away from risotto, for instance, because I made a very salty one once that he hated. If these recipes are part of what we do I think he'll react better. I'll post a better response soon, which fully recognises how grateful I am for the guidance and the sense of camaraderie. It's sooooo good to hear it's not just me. Whilst, like a lot of you, our son gets A great deal of nutrition from nursery (and we are very happy with the food there) I am aware that, whilst not necessarily 'necessary', it's about establishing associations between home and food that is going to last the years! No pressure then! He he.
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I'm a rubbish cook and I'm struggling to get healthy stuff into my 3 year old son. Myself and my husband work ridiculously long hours - and I'm getting all too used to working 6 days a week. I need recipes that are quick and healthy (and I don't have time for batch cooking at weekends really) I've tried various egg based stuff (he's now bored)and I'm moving onto packaged felafel. He's got a citric acid problem (acid reflux), which makes the only hummus possibility home made but I've not found a good recipe. I just feel awful that we are always turning to potato and cheese, toast, muffin and cheese. It's making him a fussy eater. We had success with home made fish cakes but he got bored and I can't do it too often on late evenings etc. If anyone can help with quick healthy stuff I would be sooo happy!
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I just wondered whether people wouldn't mind posting their experience of underfloor heating systems? Particularly in a family house. We really want either a concrete or resin floor in our large-ish open plan space we're creating (we're joining 2 flats together). This is a kitchen and living room and it's going to be about 425 square feet. This will be our main family living area, but will also include the kitchen (so will get heat from that) and part of it (the kitchen area at the back) is underground. We do want underfloor heating but have been advised by the contractor that this may cause problems if something happens with the heating - ie it will all have to come up to fix it, although it should be under warranty for 10 years etc. I'm not sure I care that much if we dont have underfloor heating, but we are limited on wall space (it is - after all - not enormous and we're using most of hte wall space for storage etc) and radiators will steal other space needed. Having said that, it is a basement area and I have always wondered - really - how much we will need it heated. We have been renting it (the area is actually a separate flat, we live above it) - it doesn't have central heating and the tenants were happy with two small storage heaters in the two main rooms. I guess I'm just looking for different experiences really. Did you want underfloor heating and decide not to go there? Did you regret it? Is it the best thing since sliced bread etc? Should I rethink my flooring choices?
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5 month old with severe reflux - paediatrician recommendation?
Ellie78 replied to Wooly's topic in The Family Room Discussion
Btw- ask for losec (think that's right?)- dissolvable tablet that you can then administer in calpol syringe. Much better than the liquid stuff and actually dissolves, unlike the other tablets (though you have to swish gently a bit). Definitely the most effective and we tried a few! -
5 month old with severe reflux - paediatrician recommendation?
Ellie78 replied to Wooly's topic in The Family Room Discussion
Ha! cross posted. Didn't want to sound so negative. It really does get better. But I really feel for you, it's so tough. And I know that being a second is probably easier in a way but I appreciate also how difficult it must be for you to have another child to look after at the same time, who needs are so different. Yes, good that you know it's not normal (abs that you can tell everyone to F off when they're telling you this is - and I quote - 'what babies do!'- but it's tougher for you in other ways Thinking of you - good luck. -
5 month old with severe reflux - paediatrician recommendation?
Ellie78 replied to Wooly's topic in The Family Room Discussion
We all understand what a nightmare this is. We used Vademalayan on midivydale's recommendation and it made our lives much better. We had 2 private Appointments. He actually wrote to our gp (who was very resistant to the idea of reflux in a 7mo) and we had other appointments on the NHS. I would say, keep a diary of food given...My sons reflux isn't cmp related. It's connected with citric and asorbic acids, which can be in everything (breads, pastries, peas). It took us ages to work this out and once we had symptoms really settled. He still - at 3.5 - can't have any citric fruits, or even apples (!?), or even muffins etc (asorbic acid often used), but we are now off the omeprazole. Looking back on it, I think weaning put added stress on his digestive system generally but - particularly as lots of citric fruit is often recommended as finger food - and, if I had my time again, I would be careful about overloading with very new experiences with a child who is responding in this way. I was too focused on dairy as the culprit and wished I'd been more open to other causes. It was horrific for us. He was in so much pain and we didn't know what to do. That - and the sleepless nights that went well beyond the early months - probably explains why he's stil an only. I couldn't do it again at the moment. -
Recommendations for maternity jeans
Ellie78 replied to suzplum's topic in The Family Room Discussion
I got a really good pair of j brand on eBay ..... -
Tell them that you expect them to reimburse you.
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Thanks everyone. We've thrown a fair whack of money I don't have at teh problem: 2 night lights purchased (gro clock and aloka monkey). New Bed Guard. I think we've made progress, but it's still not brilliant. We are having a very extended night routine (basically just trying to extricate ourselves from his room). He seems perfectly happy until the last moment - then he has hysterical wails for about 5 minutes after we leave. I go back in, cuddle, back down in bed, tissue - he asks for calpol (I go off to "look for a dispenser" and within 2 minutes he's asleep. He then wakes up twice, goes back to sleep quite easily the first time, but the 2nd time requires Daddy to crush himself into the bottom of the bed (as Daddy said, like a Dog). This isnt ideal but its better than where we were last week. I think it's actually developmental in a way. His issue isn't the bed - now he's reasonably reassured that he won't fall out he seems quite happy in it. He's specifically wanting company. I'm not sure how we handle that element of it and extended bedtimes don't work in that respect so I think I need to create a routine that isn't an hour long. Midivydale - Why! why! Why!!!!
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I think I'm just going to have to pack OH off to sleep next to him (OH can sleep anywhere) and stop pushing against the tide. Hopefully he will just settle down once more. The Bed Guard is up. We have a new night light. And I am going to somehow turn over a new leaf on this.
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Thanks everyone. Tried moving his mattress onto the floor yesterday - made things worse, I don't think he liked seeing his bed in pieces! I question my parenting skills at this point - not because he's not sleeping (that's his problem!) but because I respond so badly to it. Whereas sometimes I manage to be patient and comforting, other times I find it emotionally overwhelming and hugely stressful. I walk away when I feel myself getting like this, which raises the temperature for him - because Mama just left, and I try not to let those emotions overwhelm him either. But we live in a very small flat, our rooms are adjacent, and you bet he heard me screaming into my pillow and in floods of tears to my other half. Probably so did our neighbours for that matter. Sometimes, when I'm that tired, I find it very difficult to control my reactions and limit them - my emotions push outwards. I need to find a way of dealing with this - so far, it's just been that his sleep has not been consistently awful (I can certainly deal with the odd night here and there - or even 2 or 3 in succession....but not a week of this) and I've been lucky to avoid situations that create the perfect storm. Sorry for going off message here. wine anyone? (probably not a good idea actually)
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We don't have a mattress, but suppose could buy blow up.... I just want to get him reassured, preferably without having to establish a pattern of constant intervention, but I am guessing this might be hard to do. I may contact Nicola on the forum, if she's advising on sleep issues, if the behaviour continues. But maybe you're right astrid...that going to sleep in his room is the only way. We will see. The whole thing makes me feel terrible to be honest - calls into question how well I'm doing as a Mum. Really thought we put this all behind us when his sleep improved after being (finally) diagnosed with reflux and on meds. That was over 18 months ago. And now it's all back.
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So my son (3yo) has developed the above. He was fine in said bed for 2 weeks. The fell out on a really muggy night when his tossing and turning rolled him over the makeshift bolster we'd created. We put in a new blow up one but still not getting anywhere. He gets very upset going to bed - we have to wait till he crashed out. He wakes up in the night and yells/cries till we go in - no reassurance seems to work, unless it is sleeping in the bed, which I don't want to do. (I won't sleep and I don't want to establish a habit - other half did sleep in the bed in the first disturbed night and now it's something he is expecting) I don't know what path to take on this. The more tired I am the worse I am handling it. I dont want to Distress him further but at 3am after talking him through the bed and how monkey/bears will help for over an hour with many cuddles and kisses, I cannot help getting upset or cross when I still have him gripped tightly around my neck saying 'no mama, you are not going'....(stern seemed to work a couple of times, but now it really doesn't) I really need to know how to handle this so I can keep emotions out of it and that will come for me by having a path to follow... Also performed badly in an interview for a job I really wanted (and probably had good chance of getting) yesterday because I am shattered. Husband shattered too (he's doing his share!) Any advice really appreciated!
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An amazing 4 bed flat - split level, feel of a house, beautiful views- went for 500k on Pepys road near us in beautiful telegraph hill (better transport links than eD - although like Ed London Bridge is disrupting things) There might have been something wrong with it (asking price 775) but maybe it just shows that you shouldn't be put off by asking prices and there are still bargains to be had...
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3 yo and cinema: Minions? INside Out?
Ellie78 replied to Ellie78's topic in The Family Room Discussion
Well. The verdict was: He didn't want to see minions - didn't like the 'yellow men'. But we did go to see Inside Out and he watched the whole thing. Not sure he got any of it but enjoyed some of the sequences and it certainly held his attention. A success! Hurray. -
Am thinking about taking my 3 yo son to the cinema as a treat. He's been to see a toddler show at picturehouse once before but hasn't been to see a full length film. I realise these are a possibly a bit sophisticated plot-wise for a 3 yo but honestly don't really care if we have to leave early. Thought it might be something interesting and different to have a go at...he doesn't watch films or TV at home (though has watched back to back episodes of Bob the builder whilst travelling...) so his concentration might not be up to it in that format but hey - who cares - I'll whisk him out of there if he gets restless. Just wondered if anyone had taken theirs to see Minions or Insight out - thought Minions might be better because of teh slapstick element but I showed him the trailors of both and he seemed much more wary of the Minions and more interested in Inside Out...what do people think?
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Travelling to school by train. Railcard? Zipcard?
Ellie78 replied to crescent's topic in The Family Room Discussion
Am being daft- yes, 11-15 need an oyster to get the special child discounts. Mine's 3. Hence the ignorance. -
Travelling to school by train. Railcard? Zipcard?
Ellie78 replied to crescent's topic in The Family Room Discussion
How old is your child? Don't under 16s travel For free? -
Moving (for work) with school-age child?
Ellie78 replied to Saffron's topic in The Family Room Discussion
I commuted very regularly from East d to Hampton court via train. It's not too long (changed at Wimbledon but it was pre overground, otherwise might have gone to Clapham) and I didn't find it too bad. I'd never consider moving on that distance/commute unless I really wanted to. Kingston would be quicker. But I don't see how you could fit a school run into the scenario....
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