Hello, Dorothy is back from Oz
Thanks for all your well wishes, I certainly didn't want the house blown away and doubt I cold have sat on the steps like you Grub, this house is slightly less rigid and wouldn't hold its own in a Category 2 blow, let alone a Larry 5. There is not a room without a lovely view but also not a room with solid walls. I know what you mean about your mango tree, my friends parents have one of the only massive old curtain fig trees that we know of other than the protected ones and they got married under it just months earlier. It was the most spectacular tree, then Larry did his work and stripped the poor bugger. It had been there for generations on their family property. They are still trying to save it 4 years on.

Sorry about the tree talk girls. Now for a few comments on parenting. First to KellyD, I haven't noticed the hair coming out in clumps or any more than usual. I have lots of hair and probably nothing a comb-over wouldn't fix

Grub, about the weight loss, sorry but I'm in the same boat as KellyD (tho I can't believe with that tummy that you didn't gain 20 all in front Kel). I think I did the same lose a couple, gain about 6 and when she was out, I was my pre-preg weight. Just different bodies I suppose like our different babies. The best comment I heard about losing the baby weight though is that it took 9 months to put it on, so you should expect it to take 9 months to take it off and not be too alarmed if it doesn't come off overnight. You will get back you shape with time and until then, you look gorgeous in the mummy afterglow. go and buy a few new things for yourself just for this phase and you'll feel better.

Kahlan, hello and welcome back. Lyla sounds like a feisty little one. Wow, rolling over by 3 months! She does sound like she keeps you on your toes. I don't really have advice but I have heard that's about the time when babies start to trust only you and are suspicious of other people. This is when they say to introduce security blankets and special attachment toys I think. Does she have anything like this to feel safe with or is this something you want to do? Just a thought. I hope you get answers on here about the crawling, standing and falling. I can't imagine it but sorry, it does sound gorgeous. I think when they start out this advanced, they dont slow down, that's just their innate nature. My brother's daughter was literally climbing up the internal door frames (to the top) like a monkey when she was 8 months old! She has had buckets of natural sporting ability all her life and has never slowed down - hopes to be an Olympic hockey player. You may have a little star on your hands.

I will have to come back later, to say hello to you Bella, Miss M, Marcellus and everyone else I haven't caught up with. My laptop battery is running flat and I'm in bed with Miss Jasmine who has tangled herself up in my aerial and thinks it's very amusing, keeps looking at me and laughing for a reaction. xox