Hi lovely London Mums

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a very peaceful and relaxing Christmas. This year will be even more exciting with a lot of events in the pipeline starting with our Spring bash which will see a lot of us meeting up again with our little angels making terrific progress every day. Now more activities for the next couple of weeks.

SPRING PARTY

Your have voted for our big spring party to be on the 28th April 2008. Please register now to secure your space. The party will have a spring theme with an international flavour. This time we will lot of surprises and prizes to give away thanks to our mysterious sponsor - to be revealed soon!!! Watch this space... Please send us an email to register. Check the events page for more details.

FANTASTIC PART TIME JOB OPPORTUNITY EXCLUSIVELY FOR LONDON MUMS FROM LITTLE DISH

Little Dish is looking for 2 Mums based in London and Surrey, working 12 hours a week, term time only and predominantly from home. A great opportunity for mums looking to get back to some kind of work. They want to recruit these ideally by the beginning of February. You can contact Sue directly on 020 7313 9845 or by email on hello@little dish. Quote London Mums or mention my name when you respond to this. The official job advert: This time of year is all about New Years resolutions. At Little Dish ours is to recruit mums from around the country who are as enthusiastic as we are about getting kids to eat healthy food.This is where we need your help. Are you a mum who's great at networking, knows your local area like the back of your hand,is passionate about healthy food and has a few hours to spare every week as a Little Dish Community Leader? If you are interested please send a short statement saying why you're perfect for this role to hello@littledish.co.uk. From everyone at Little Dish we wish you a happy,healthy New Year.

EDDIE CATZ NEW OFFER FOR LONDON MUMS ONLY

As we are already mid January the offer of Eddie Catz will be even better....From now until the end of March 2008 Eddie Catz offers London Mums ONLY the opportunity to take up the Winter membership which runs 1st January to 31st March unlimited access at a 25 per cent discount off the 38 pounds payable. When you join London Mums - existing members just need to express their interest by sending an email to monica@londonmums.org.uk - Eddie Catz will send you a voucher with this offer. This would be for children 8 months and over. For mothers with babies under 8 months Eddie Catz will issue them a FREE membership card with an expiry date of when the child reaches 8 months. London Mums will get the best discount of all customers. www.eddiecatz.com

DO YOU WANT TO APPEAR IN NEW WOMAN MAGAZINE?

Christina, Mylene, and Britney have done the naked pregnancy shots. Now it's your turn to do the naked post-pregnancy ones!

NEW WOMAN Magazine is looking for women between 26 and 38 who've had babies between a year and a year and a half ago to bare all. Do you love the big boobs you've had since being pregnant? Are you ashamed of the stretch marks you've been left with? Are you proud of your caesarean scar? However you feel about your post-pregnancy body, we want to speak to you. You'll attend a glam and tasteful photo shoot and give other women confidence in their post-pregnancy bodies, whether they're flawless or bear the marks of the amazing job they've done. If you're brave enough to reveal all or just want some more info, drop an email to Jessica.powell@emap.com and mention London Mums or copy Monica in monica@londonmums.org.uk. Please include full-length pics of you before pregnancy, in the third trimester, and now. And don't forget to tell me a little bit about your story.

Mum-to-mum tip from Susanna and baby Carlotta - Weaning

I have found a great website for recipes for weaning. www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com

What the experts say

Check out a new article from our family nutrition expert Melody Mackeown. A case study on 'How Nutritional Therapy can work wonders for your child' . Enjoy!

FREE EVENT - Come and meet the 'Music Man' at Roehampton Library on 30th January 2008

Book of the Month event: Start the New Year with a Bang! Come and meet the 'Music Man' (Noisy Music and Fun session For under 5's) - Weds 30th Jan 1.30 – 2.30pm at Roehampton Library It's free! Just come along.

Message Board

Message from Joanna and toddler Harry - Second-hand maternity clothes wanted

Do you have any maternity clothes (size 12-14) winter/spring wear that you are willing to lend/donate from now until end May. If so please contact jo_kemp@hotmail.com. All borrowed items will be returned washed and ironed. Thanks a lot in advance.

Message from Sandra

Good Morning, I am back at work since September and my Son is now 8 months and I have found going back quite hard...I was wondering if you could put me in contact with some other Working Mums in order to discuss ups and downs,tips,advices... Thanks in advance for your reply, Sandra - Please send your replies to monica@londonmums.org.uk

POLKA THEATRE

240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1SB. 020 8543 4888. www.polkatheatre.com.

Free event:

WORLD OF STORIES AND MUSIC - FREE, 10.30am on the first Sat of every month. Bkg: 020 8543 4888 from the Monday before each event. Little peas can enjoy Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy story Princess and The Pea, which has been adapted for under 5s. The show is being devised by Banyan Theatre's Joy Haynes - an experienced creator of devised puppet-based theatre. Princess and the Pea will use inventive transformations of everyday objects, projection and puppetry to tell the story of a clever queen, a girl who is not as she first appears and, of course, a tiny pea. Performances run until February 22nd 2008.

December 2007 Newsletter

Hi lovely London Mums

Christmas is approaching so fast this year..... For our group 2007 has been a tremendous year starting from 3 mums and finishing the year with 300 - with lots of parties, 3 interviews on LBC and lots of press coverage for our launch in October and our breastfeeding survey back in May. And this is all thanks to your support and willingness to participate in all sorts of activities involving our wonderful and most loved children. I hope 2008 will be even more intense and I promise to throw a very exciting spring bash for the joy of our little ones and also for ourselves. 2007 has also seen the creation of a London mumpreneurs' group which is truly fantastic and will do fantastic things in 2008. Of course I will keep you all in the loop with news from that group. I wish you all to spend a very peaceful and relaxing Christmas.

SPRING PARTY

I know it sounds early but the London Mums events' team is currently working on a big spring party with international flavour and a lot of surprises. Please send us an email to choose your preferred date - 7th or 28th April 2008. Once the poll closes in January we will go ahead and book everything. Watch this space!!!!!

GIFT IDEA FROM ONE OF OUR MUMPRENEURS

During our first mumpreneurs' meeting, Patrizia from North London has presented us her personalised books. This is a truly great idea and it makes an excellent Xmas present. At our spring party she will present more of her personalised children's books. Each book is handmade, featuring your little one's name on every page alongside with your hometown, name of family and friends. But that isn't just it! The books come with many extras such as reading quiz, cooking recipe and personalised letters. Books are available in English and German for children aged from 0 ("Baby Book" for newborn) to 8 years. Please visit www.forprinceandprincess.com for our current Christmas book "A reindeer in my bedroom". Your child will find a little reindeer, which fell of the sky on the test drive with Father Christmas slide. Will your child find a way to get the little reindeer back to the North Pole in time or will another reindeer take its place in front of the slide? More info will also be onto our website. I'll keep you posted on all Patrizia's books. www.forprinceandprincess.com

Message from Victoria and baby Ben - on 18th December 2007

I would like to recommend an excellent CPR/baby and child First Aid instructor. Marc Innes many years of experience as a paramedic enables him to share knowledge and experience that cant be found in a text book alone. His sessions are fun and informative and if you have a group of mums he will come to your home. The course is well structured with plenty of time to practice on "dummies". Each candidate takes home hand-outs, laminated emergency instruction cards and a certificate.

Marc Innes _ LPA Medical Associate (an HSE approved company)

Tel: 01273 778884

marcinnes1@btinternet.com

Message from Susan Davidson- FOCUS GROUP

Dear Monica I work for a marketing agency and we are looking for mums with children under 5 to attend a focus group. It is on behalf of a national children's charity. Each mum would get 45 pounds and a free lunch. The details are as follows Date: 13th December Time: 11am til 1pm. The location: WWAV Rapp Collins - 1 Riverside Manbre road Hammersmith. About 20 mins on bus from Putney or I walk by river 40 mins. If anyone is interested can they email julia.pratten@wwavrc.co.uk. She can give the details etc. thanks for this. Susan

What the experts say

Check out the first article from our family nutrition expert Melody Mackeown. Everything you need to know about breastfeeding in a nutshell . Enjoy!

Christmas shopping? Ideas for Urban Mums

Check out this blog if you need a few ideas on where to go across London for your Xmas shopping.www.urbanmums.net

Message Board

Message from Andrea Leal: Job offer

Hi Monica My husband's organisation has a regular hours, genuinely part time job vacancy they are looking to fill. Given how hard these are for new mums to find I wondered if you could forward it to the mums on your email group? It's maternity cover at a leading charity in the education sector but the pay is reasonable for what is expected as it's a low stress job. Please email me monica@londonmums.org.uk if you want the job spec: it's available in a word document.

Message from Paola Marco Villar: nursery recommendation

Hi, Monica, Just one tip to share with all of you. I read your boy is just one year. In one year you might probably look for some full time care for him. The door just opposite the breastfeed club at ELC hides a fantastic nursery. Riverbank has been there for a long time, but only a few parents notice it. I have got 3 wonderful children. My eldest stayed there for 1 1/2 years and my second one started the same day she turned 2 years. What can I say! Kelly 1, Kelly 2, Anna, Jackie and Maria are the most wonderful people with children. My children always love being there. Probably the place lacks of some brand new furniture or toys, the bathroom does not have small toilets, the back garden is not at its best, but you can be 100 percent sure that the staff surpasses all your expectations. Now my eldest is studying at OLV and is a happy chap always happy to see Kelly and her team. Is excellent value for money. Take into account that the weekly fee is for a full time place 9,15 - 3pm and is located inside a NHS clinic in case of any emergency. Have a look here for more info. www.riverbank-early-years.com Paola

ONGOING DIARY DATES

POLKA THEATRE

240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1SB. 020 8543 4888. www.polkatheatre.com.

Free event:

WORLD OF STORIES AND MUSIC - FREE, 10.30am on the first Sat of every month. Bkg: 020 8543 4888 from the Monday before each event.

BATTERSEA PARK CHILDREN ZOO

Battersea Park, Chelsea Bridge Gate, London, SW11. 020 7924 5826

A great place to visit. On show are otters, monkeys and meerkats who have a fantastic tunnel which takes right into their enclosure under a glass dome. Open Daily 10am – Dusk. Adm 4.50 pounds - 5.95 pounds

A NEW CENTRE TO VISIT THE SORREL FOUNDATION YOUNG DESIGN CENTRE

It is the first of its kind in the UK, and opens with an exhibition called "What's Next For Schools" Open 7 days a week (10am-6pm), the exhibition looks at future schools as well as historic school design exhibition. FREE.

And last but not least... We have a new section under MUM TIPS called Reviews of music for the family

How many times have you heard the same nursery rhymes in a day? 20, 30, 40? Well, as nice as they are, it can get quite boring after a while. I have found a great CD that is actually great for parents as much as for children. It has been released by Amandas Action Kids - the entertainment we had at our party and it's fantastic!!! The CD BIG SONGS FOR LITTLE ONES includes such a funky re-arrangement of the nursery rhymes that you would barely recognise them .... Diego and I spend hours dancing to the funky tunes. I must say that the more we listen to it the more we like it. It costs only 9.99 pounds and I think it would make a great Xmas present. Check it out before buying it on www.myspace.com. You can buy it through Amazon.com or even better (and cheaper) directly from Amanda's website.