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Post by annie70 on Nov 7, 2013 10:55:52 GMT
Our intros start very soon and we will be a long way from home... we have made sure the house we are staying in is near a pub which does food so I won't have to cook every night when knackered!
Any tips to make it easier on ourselves? Not being able to come home to our comfy bed will be hard...
And how can we make the time with Zippy at the rental house feel homely when it is a bit spar*e and has no kiddie stuff?
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Post by donatella on Nov 7, 2013 11:14:51 GMT
First,make sure you've stocked up on wine, chocolates or whatever else floats your boat! Do your research on the area so you know what facilities are available - soft play, beaches, walks so test you can get out and about. Maybe ask Fc if you can take some of lo's toys with you back to the house so there'll be some familiar stuff there. Take some rainy day activities with you - and any foods that lo particularly likes? And good luck
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Post by annie70 on Nov 7, 2013 11:24:52 GMT
Thanks Donatella - wine and chocolate it is! FC is fab and has said she will make us a list of places we can take him - I like the idea of taking some toys back and we have some books at home which we could take...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2013 11:45:28 GMT
Both of you start taking Echinacea if you haven't already to ward off colds and germs. Intro's are very stressful and your body may re-act by becoming ill, so maybe a kit with lemsips, paracetemol, vitamin c tablets etc might be a good idea.
Find out what Zippy is into and maybe buy some DVD's to watch when needing some down time.
You could make some home-made meals and freeze them so you have some instant microwave meals.
Try and limit calls home each night as you'll be so knackered you won't want to have to phone everyone to tell them what your day was like. Maybe have one person who will pass on your news for you.
Make sure you and DH actually go to bed at a reasonable time as you are likely to have early starts and being around a kid all day when you are not used to it is so tiring emotionally and physically. People always underestimate how tiring intro's actually are. You will just want to de-brief after the day and veg out with some wine and chocolate.
Gather a bag with colouring pens, paper, stickers, paints, lego, bubbles, jigsaws, whatever toys or things Zippy is likely to be into so that if you need some things to distract him you have something on hand, when out and about or at the rental home.
Always keep a change of clothes, baby wipes etc in the car boot for when you are out and about. Even anxious 6 year olds can have accidents when they are stressed so it's best to be prepared just in case. If he is used to swimming then maybe look at taking him to swimming baths if he weather is carp - don't forget to bring your own swimming things.
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Post by donatella on Nov 7, 2013 11:46:36 GMT
Think about where to take lo. The last thing you want is to be accosted by someone who knows lo and who knows the situation. You don't need that. So maybe somewhere the Fc doesn't go regularly herself?
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Post by imp on Nov 7, 2013 13:14:13 GMT
Certainly the FC should give you a good selection of toys BEFORE Zippy first comes to the house. This should happen whether or not you are in another home or your own. I wonder if it will be an idea to have photos of your own home---in addition to the ones you have already used in his Intro book, so that you can spend some time looking at them and talking about what it will be like. You could make it into a game that compares and contrasts you temporary accommodation with your own home. This will then partially prepare Zippy for the move to your home.
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Post by moo on Nov 7, 2013 13:39:52 GMT
I love candles & essential oils.... Try & take an oil/incense burner or candles.... Lavender is sooooo calming.... It will help you relax & unwind after your zippy time plus when zippy visits it will really calm him too..... It doesn't take long to permeate the whole house.... ( maybe leave it on for short bursts out... Safely in the bath or sink somewhere safe & not likely to warrant a visit from the firebigade!!!) Children's sense of smell is really heightened & perfume or any aroma will remind him of you.... When you go back to your rental each night leave him with a scarf or hanky with lavender or your regular perfume on & it will link you together for him immediately... He will also love keeping something safe to give back to you the next day..... If you are giving him a cuddly toy this too could have the aroma treatment too.... Coz you are not at home your usual ' smell ' & that of the house will be missing....
Jmk 's tips are essential too.... I really rely on echinacea.... Boys are such germ magnets you need immunity NOW....!!!
Hth.....
Xx. moo. Xx
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Post by leo on Nov 7, 2013 23:07:54 GMT
Is there a friend or family member who could drive up near the end of intros and take lots of things back to your home for you so that LO arrives into your home after a long journey to find familiar toys already there and the bedroom already set up with several of his favourite things?
I think it would help send a message to your LO that he is wanted, planned for and that you are already thinking of his needs.
I don't know how long your intros are planned for but if it's possible then I'd even try to get some stuff to your house early on so that photos could be taken and emailed/sent to your phone so you can show LO that some of his stuff is already there; then have the bulk of it taken the night before so you don't have to try and put bedding on or find his favourite towel... when you first arrive home. It would be lovely for him to walk in and find his toothbrush already next to yours in the bathroom, his clothes in the wardrobe... and that's not easily done with intros being so far away.
Also, if you take any photos during intros then it would be great to have these already printed and displayed at home for when LO moves in. My boys loved that I had photos by their beds (and in the lounge)of them during our intros by the time they came for their first visit. It's one of the things they still talk about nearly three years on.
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Post by happyone on Nov 7, 2013 23:52:22 GMT
Any local forum members that would give you a quick physical hug I'm northwest if anyone ever needed one xxxx
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Post by janpan on Nov 8, 2013 1:07:03 GMT
When I look back on my intros, the hotel looms large. It was ok, but it sounds already nicer that you have a house. Not having to cook will be a bonus, especially if the food is decent. I liked all that bit, and we went out for meals a couple of times too. Being able to speak to friends and our family in private was absolutely important. We needed them on the end of the phone, things were so odd. It's a very surreal time. Make it as special for yourselves as you can on a personal level as well as meeting your children.
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Post by chotimonkey on Nov 8, 2013 15:15:07 GMT
Hi A lot has been said already Take DVDs and a laptop in case there's no DVD player... We were so tired a good box set was brilliant at the end of the day, Snuggly clothes so you feel warm and comfortable on the floor with lo and feel soft to hug. Supermarkets home delivery to arrive home after you get home with any fresh stuff you'll need, food that you have found out little one likes Or a lovely kind friend with keys to do you a quick shop and drop it u to your house, even better!! Maybe somewhere v nice nearby for you and dh to go on your last night before lo comes home, might be awhile. Good luck
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Post by chotimonkey on Nov 8, 2013 15:17:00 GMT
Good sat nav for getting around and good whats around me apps for inspiration
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Post by annie70 on Nov 8, 2013 18:09:33 GMT
Thanks everyone... and thanks happyone for the offer of a proper hug... we won't be near you so I will take virtual hugs!!
I bought the echinacea and vitamin C and Zinc so hopefully that will see us right!
I don't think there will be an opportunity for FC to give us toys beforehand so we will have to take some with us when we collect Zippy for the first time to come to the rental house... we will take DVDs for us and for him and some books we have already as well so hopefully we will be set up okay...
Unfortunately I don't think there is anyone who could come and collect stuff before we move - although we may do a day trip back home so perhaps we could bring some stuff with us - of Zippy's choosing - and set it up ready for when we come home proper... we will be putting photos of him that we already have in frames and dot them around the place and take some extra pics to show him when we meet him...
Good idea to get a food delivery - I have already started making his favourite meals and freezing them - and we will have his favourite takeaway on the first night so I can defrost for the following day...
To be honest, I am feeling pretty paralysed right now... I can't settle on anything, forgetting to do important stuff and feel sick constantly and can't relax or sleep... i am sure it is normal but everyone wants to know the details so I am repeating them 10 times a day - all to the tune of 'you must be so excited'... actually I think I am petrified!
Thanks for your advice and support - I will keep reading when I feel a bit calmer and put some stuff into action! Axx
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Post by kstar on Nov 8, 2013 19:09:48 GMT
One really cool thing my mum suggested for me to take with me was a picnic blanket - the weather was horrendous so I knew we wouldn't be able to go out, but we had an indoor picnic on the living room floor! She absolutely loved it and it is now a regular occurrence in our house :-)
Although it was very tiring, I found I also needed to get out and about - somehow being a tourist in the area helped relieve the emotional pressure! Mum luckily was with me for half the week and we went out shopping, did museums and tourist attractions etc. we had thought we would want to just crash, but it drove me insane and gave me too much thinking time!
As well as freezing, if you have a slow cooker that's worth taking - a couple of times we shoved a casserole in when we went out and eat when we walked in!
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Post by annie70 on Nov 8, 2013 20:22:25 GMT
Kstar - what a great idea - I will take picnic blanket... and the slow cooker (we can't eat in the pub every night - I will get vegetable withdrawal!) I hope we have enough energy to go for walks and museums and stuff - there is plenty to do and we are on our first family holiday
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Post by taliesin on Nov 10, 2013 3:06:30 GMT
HI Annie....hope you're ok - are thinking of you...times like this, I wish we could do more practical things to help out Have pm'd..... xxxx
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