snowboarder

Mellors Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Honestly - nothing. > > I just don't do/get material things. I have the > same handbag I've had for 20 years, I get my > makeup and bath stuff with the shopping, the > hobbies I have are simple (reading, crafts etc and > I have loads on the go already). > > What I really want for Christmas is a nice, > peaceful, quiet spiritual time with my husband and > family (and not a shitload of debt in the New > Year, please!). > > Makes me sounds properly boring, I know! No, it makes you sound a much better person than materialistic me. I just LOVE stuff. :-)

Everything I want is massively expensive. I want some boots, an LED running jacket, a garmin watch, and new snowboard kit. Something sparkly too, but not instead of the previous. (* hopes husband is watching*) I realise thats all a bit limiting...:-)

I liked the cocoon too - I had the opposite problem that my baby was getting too hot in it in summer and found getting them in and out of the lie flat space really hard without the cocoon...

I figured they must get loads of stuff so just did cards for all the staff (homemade with pics of my cheeky boys on the front!) and then a nice christmas tree bauble in a little box as a pressie for key worker and the nursery manager who my son particularly loved. Kind of thought it was low key, useful and cheap!

We have that dragon!! He's pretty cool - apart from my son has cruelly removed his wings....!! Marble run is good - we do end up with LOADS of marbles under the sofa however - destroying it seems as much (more?) fun than building it...:-/

Oh - one recommendation for younger children - we bought our youngest one of these mini balance bikes last year (he was 1.5 but would have managed on it younger - they really are q small) and he has really loved it - http://www.smythstoys.com/ride-ons-97sc/bunzi-balance-bike-blue-127888itm.aspx?gclid=CKHQ7NW54LoCFdPItAodhHQAmA

I'm embarrassed to say we have SO many of these toys already....castle...kitchen...marble run...board games...lego...duplo....playmobile...jigsaws...the list goes on! I have been on an endless quest to find 'the' toy that actually stimulates and grips eldest boy for more than a week or two. He is always totally captivated by other boys toys at their houses - mostly versions of what we have already... It's kind of reassuring to hear that it's a reasonably common phenomena though. I think we're going to go for lego/duplo for both this year and I really need to make more time to direct and play with them. The other thing that doesn't help is that my two fight constantly over toys...it's very wearing! (Oh - as something NOT to buy - last year my eldest (then 3.5) got a beginner scalectrix set - after loving one at a friends house - one of the great non played with things in the playroom - not able to make it by himself and absolutely too rough with it!)

bumpy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > What about family style games? > > Board games a la hoses and ladders > Hungry Hippos > Pirate pop up game Got 'em! Yep good for a bit...:-)

Walkie Talkies sound fun! I can just imagine the conversations though....

Well we've not got much big jigs stuff as started off with some inherited brio (some of it from my childhood so 30+ years old!), but the BJ crane we had has completely fallen apart and a magnetic car transporter train lost its magnets. It doesn't match brio for quality IMO (but that's indicated in price I think!)...but then we do have two rough little boys :-)

* apart from brio railway, actually, which we have loads of and it's great (but big jigs version certainly NOT great)..

have to say much as they are totally lovely, my boys must be complete thugs as loads of the wooden toys we've bought them (in particular a cleaning trolley that my youngest LOVED from GLTC) have broken...so these days I'm mostly for stong basic plastic lego/playmobile....

So what's everyone getting for their children this year? And what to get for the boys who have seem to have so much?!? I'm SO struggling with my two (aged 2.5 and 4.5). The eldest isn't great at playing on his own and if he isn't out and about on his bike/scooter just loves tv and playing on my phone - despite a playroom full of amazing toys - I told him in an angry moment last week that father christmas wasn't interested in buying toys for boys who don't play with the ones they already have!! Wondering about some lego - maybe the castle? We do quite like dragons and knights...And the youngest would be happy with anything - loves playing made up games on his own - possibly a duplo railway? Also thinking about a car garage? We have an ancient fisher price one but it's one of the few 'staple' toys they don't have - could get them one to share? Any views on specific ones? I find it hard having 2 boys quite close in age - they pretty much share all their toys....

Yeah to echo the above - we now have a 4.5 and a 2.5 yr old - the 4.5 yr old is still in his converted cot bed and has loads of room. I was eternally grateful that when the youngest was tiny I could put my then 2 yr old in his cot and know that he was not going to be getting out all the time - I did a lot of bedtimes on my own and needed him contained whilst I fed the baby! As it was he refused to let us take the bars off until he was gone three...and no way is my now 2.5 yr old getting his cot changed to a bed any time soon - he will be out of it like a shot!!

I think, much as I am not really into co-sleeping myself either, I would probably either sleep in his room (if practical) or take him in with one of you (the other with the baby?). And talk to him about it first and tell him clearly what you are going to do, and why.... I'm a bit paranoid about bad habits forming too - but as others have said these things are rarely not reversible as they get bigger and their understanding grows. It really does sound like you've explored all other options. Good luck....let us know how you get on...

These always make me laugh - but look effective! http://slumber-roo.co.uk/type/7/babywearing-adult-clothes

We've gone. Not too far away, commute actually similar as have a fast train into london bridge. Much more house and space. We are in a small village with a tiny school - my eldest son has just started in reception in a class (year) of 12....amazing! But I still miss ED....the parks/shops/atmosphere/people... Sorry - not overly helpful! I do love the space and we're slowly getting used to it. And we're only a 40 min drive so come back quite regularly to meet up with friends.

But I would get a phil and teds over a select. Def try before you buy!! The dot looks cute. We have the vibe which is big but good as it can take a hefty 20kg in the bottom seat. We still use ours on occasion with a 4.5 and 2.5 yr old!

Really? The select is 65.6cm wide and mountain buggy duet 63cm....

Poss john lewis? Or peppermint in clapham?

The select is HUGE. I tried it out when pregnant with baby 2 and with my eldest in the front seat I couldn't even lift it up (as you would if lifting up a kerb, say) or steer properly. The mountain buggy duet is an amazing side by side, same basic width as a single phil and teds, and you can get pretty good deals on them usually. I never had a problem in any of the East dulwich shops and was fine on buses as long as they let me on the back.

It's hugely annoying - C7 as we have discussed my 4 yr old has a v limited menu too - pasta with pesto or cheese, sausages, ham sandwiches, pizza occassionally, apple, pear, banana, yoghurt and ice cream! He flatly refused school lunch 2 days running - and he only tried those 2 days as I knew the menu options involved macaroni cheese and pizza...so the teachers asked me to give him packed lunch! Currently I'm going with it still. Packed lunch is at least getting eaten. He is sturdy - it's like he treats food purely as fuel rather than a pleasure. Eating out and tea dates are a pain - and he really influences his little brother who will actually eat fish pie when on his own! Dunno what to do about it - other than leave it - just having a bit of a solidarity moan...:-)

I also have no idea what goes on in reception! The one bit of information I have been treated to is that eldest son 'learnt to wipe my bottom after doing a POO'!!! Good - life skills then! I'm a tiny bit disappointed my little boy doesn't seem to be suffering from any form of school related tiredness and is still bouncing into my room at 6am...

Agree it works well - our 4 yr old has had one for a couple of years and mostly follows it - he does know how to get 'mr sun' up though so sometimes he arrives in our room early! I think the most useful thing about it that he now understands is that the number of stars relate to the time - so if only one star left it's nearly morning - he's a really early riser and I think sometimes does go back to sleep when he sees there are 5/6 stars left! We have a different version for younger son and have had the monkey asleep/awake one in the past - they are rubbish, too subtle, the gro clock is much the best.

Oh what a shame - it was a lovely group....