jammy, do your children's centre not have safety equipment? Ours will provide and fit it for you I'm sure.

Worth asking next time you are there!

Alternatively ASDA usually sell Lindam ones pretty cheaply.

Well done Daisy

Well, no stair gates to be had And we asked at a charity shop this afternoon to be told they aren't aloowed to sell them. So looks like it ebay for us. We need 2, one for each set of grandparents so don't really want to be paying new prices. I did get a box of duplo this morning though, with a play dough set thrown in for free as a sweetener because I ummed and aahed over the price

Went to a lovely gift place this afternoon for some christmas shopping. They had a BIG sign at the door asking parents to stop their LOs touching things and that breakages MUST be paid for. Well, we tried, but she still tore the cardboard wrapper on a gardening gift set while were comparing jars of chutney . I meekly took her to the till and apologised and said if they needed us to pay for it then of course we would but... And he said he would let me off for my honesty (TBH it only tore along a fold, so I reckon with a little sellotape and perhaps 50p off they could sell it anyway.)

gah jammy; I have just sold a stairgate!!

We did well; nearly £100 sold, even with our bargain basement pricing structure! DS1 was disappointed as his Pwoer Rangers stuff didn't sell well at all, but it was mostly pregnant women and those with little babies in tow. I did a swap with my next door neighbour as well, and got a beautiful red velvet party dress with chenille bolero cardi for DD for a little pac a mac and a pair of Gap dungarees . DD loves it, and it's quite long so we should get two winter seasons out of it!

Am absolutely on my knees with tiredness though; DS1 was up at 4am playing with lego, then Dd up at 4.30 with a nightmare, then bumble at 5 for a feed. At which point, DS1 was again found playing in his room, and DD had a screaming hissy fit as we turfed her back to her own bed so I could feed bumble.

DH is on his knees the poor man; he has done most of the getting up at 5 so I'm giving him the lie in tomorrow.

argh, gtg; paperwork to sort out as I can't find the parents' group cheque book.

Thanks ladies, it was OK. Yes I did feel quite emotional afterwards, I'd discussed some quite personnal stuff. But I did feel a bit stronger too.

Not feeling strong at the moment though. All bunged up and snuffly and DH complaining he can't sleep, so I've ended up coming downstairs so one of us gets some rest at least. Am a bit but I'm fairly good at kipping on the sofa and there is some sense in it, and I will feel ultra justified when I go for a nap tomorrow. (Which I was planning on doing anyway but he needn't know that!)

I'm at a table top sale tomorrow too - but as a buyer. Hopefully only a quick in-and-out visit to check if there are any stair gates for sale. But I expect I'll have a quick glance round for any bargains, but promise I will be a restrained buyer

Shit-hot parenting indeed Daisy Jamlet is quite funny when she blows on her food if it is too hot.

OK, I'm off to curl up on the sofa now. Night all.

shit hot parenting all round daisy. DS1 is learning to say "bloody hell" properly! and is very keen on meccano... hjis new thing this week is the Darling Buds Ds2 likes it too. DS1 was of the JM's Dad's Army tshirt.

have given up on the sodding cake (DH promised to make a birthday cake for the little girl at work, but is too busy, so guess who is doing it? Except am pissed off with it - since about 10.30 - so will have it to finish tomorrow I have so much other stuff to do,I am a bit cross with him for dropping iton me)

do you think P Andre wrote that song about "her"? sad if he did.

Jammy, I hope the session went as well as these things go! I remember after my sessions feeling like I had been chewed up and spat out again, so I hope you're doing OK

I'll take jamlet off your hands for a bit...in exchange for my DD AND the bumble . I know I shouldn't joke about it as you are obviously, and rightly, concerned but after an afternoon with my DD you'll be running screaming for the hills shouting "pleeeeeaaaaaase just BE QUIET".

however, I have discovered a new strategy for getting her to eat. Her dinner was a bit hot tonight and she was wondering why. So I explained that there was a tiny little thing in the food called a molecule that got excited when you heated him up, then he got the molecule next to him excited, and him the next one....until they were all really excited and hot and jumping up and down shouting "eat me, eat me". then I had her listen to her bowl of spag bol to hear them.....and she ate the bloody lot, AND for the first time in her two and a nearly half years asked for seconds . Sometimes, I am just a shit hot parent

Of course I am waiting for tomorrow when she wants me to heat up her breakfast cereal and yogurt so she can hear the molecules

been soooooo busy today. Doing a table sale tomorrow and have actually ironed the clothes we are selling, and cleared out loads and loads and loads of stuff. DS1 has cleared out lots of toys he doesn't play with any more (mostly Power Rangers; oh changred days indeed!!!). Unfortunately the sale is only on for two hours but we have enough stuff to do a full day's car boot sale!

and Ria, this will tickle you; we have been taping the JAmes MAy programme for DS1 and he is now convinced that JM is his new best friend...and has built one airfix model already and wants a scalextric for Christams

hope your session went well jammy. I'll borrow your DD, but I maybe wouldn't give her back

have to go out shortly to collect DS1 from youth group and my Dad is away so I have to drag the other 2 out walking in the dark<pah>, think I might pop back to the shop and buy the treats I resisted when I went in for eggs after dropping him off.

Anyone want to borrow a 2 year old? Short and long term loans considered

Nursery say they do all they can to encourage her. And I'm much less stressed than I was about it. I don't care if she is behind most of her peers (and I agree that she's not alone, there are others with similar dis-inclination to chatter) as long as there are some signs of progress. Also, knowing that she says that much less at nursery helps, as that explains their concerns. And I also thought it was quite normal to just play alongside others at this age, rather than having full on interaction. Anyway, as I said I am much less stressed so I will try to shut up about it

Another cold, another sleepless night [sigh]. Breathing OK, but so bunged up in the nose I woke really thirsty from breathing by mouth and with sore throat beginning And can feel the nerves building up re counselling session tonight.

LOL, and the god of keeping the pweak-willed person on the dietout of the bread bin/biscuit tin...

DS2 awake and scared of the wind

lucky me!