Tuesday 28 February 2012

bed time stories and making memories

almost two years ago, i found this lovely ferm cot mobile for my brand new baby and bought it immediately! she still loves it to this day so was worth every penny! the mobile came with it's own little story which is so lovely i thought i would share it here...
once upon at time, there was a little bird that lived in a bird cage.  everyday, the little bird would look out the birdcage and see a huge tree that grew bigger and bigger.  the little bird wanted nothing more than to fly up to the very top of the tree, because the bird was sure that from way up there he would be able to see the whole world.  
next to the tree was a little house and in that house lived a little boy.  one day, the little boy was climbing the tree, when all of a sudden he heard the little bird tweeting from the bird cage.  the little boy waved at the bird and said 'hi little nice bird - i really wish that you could see the amazing view from up here.  i can see the whole world.  
when the boy climbed down the tree he noticed that there was a little key hanging from underneath the bird cage.  the boy took the key and unlocked the door to the bird cage.  as soon as the door opened, the little bird flew out of the cage and straight to the top of the tree.  and just as the little bird had imagined, it could see the whole world from up there.  now the little bird had everything it wanted and it lived happily ever after.



it has long been chewed and destroyed but it remains in my head from night after night when i would read the story to my new born baby staring up at me.

i love those little memories we have... usually both very sleepy after a long feed and staring at each other in the light of the moon, streaming in through our bedroom window.  all very distant now however, as she seems to never stop for a moment. talking and singing, counting and laughing... a non stop little whirlwind of happiness.  making plenty of new memories now.  my not so little girl.

there was another amazing cot mobile that i came across, one so beautiful i still think about it to this very day... like a guilty secret or a 'bit on the side'... maybe for number two? i heart all things klt so will blog more about their fabulous prints at another time... keep your peepers peeled...


Saturday 25 February 2012

cloth nappies and teething necklaces

during our daily trips out and about i see so many different parenting styles and i often find myself thinking about how i have chosen to parent poppy.

when poppy was born i had an idea of what parenting entailed - through books, my own parents and friends and also my own experience in childcare.  i have to say that the way i do things now is entirely different.  now i am far from a lax mummy who lets their child run wild but i do wholly embrace the playful parenting style where you make everything as fun as possible and thus eliminate the majority of battles, tantrums and huffs. i often fall short, but i do try.

i used a sling alot and i breast fed for over a year, i baby led weaned and i use herbal and homoeopathic remedies where possible.  i have always cooked her meals and rarely let her eat junk food, sweets, juice or crisps. i don't cajole or use force instead i give her options.

i like the idea of attachment parenting but i also believe that children should be allowed to develop their own sense of security early on and not rely solely on their mothers.  on the opposite side i see parents shouting at their children on a daily basis, children lying in their prams with a bottle of milk propped against the buggy bar.  i see children treated with such disrespect and impatience that it makes me feel sad.  but who am i to judge. they may have had a bad day - i sure have plenty of those ...i just don't take them out on an innocent child.

i have a mixed view on things, i certainly don't do things by the book - i do what i think feels right at the time, it may not always be right but it is me being the very best mother that i can be. i cant do any more than that.

i have often been told that i am 'snobby' because i use cloth nappies and i don't use baby food jars, i get funny looks when they catch a glimpse of poppy's amber teething necklace.  people will always form opinions no matter how much we try to conform - so i say, don't.

Friday 17 February 2012

yummy snack

i thought i would share with you one of my absolute favourite things i like to do as a mummy... bake for my little girl!

she was baby led weaned and so i started with finger food straight away and these banana biscuits were life savers... and still are!

take one very ripe banana and mash it with some fine oats and a bit of milk if you need to make it softer, add a handful of raisins (optional) and mix together.  let it all soak in together till it makes a bit of a thick gloop. then form it into round biscuits, or use cookie cutters, and bake in the oven for 8-10mins at 180ish... yum.

healthy. tasty. wholesome.

don't be fooled - these will not be tasty enough for grannies, aunties, friends or older kids... so make some rocky road... also incredibly easy!


melt some good quality chocolate and mix with bashed up biscuit like digestive then stir in some raisins (we go through a lot of raisins in our household!) and marshmallows - you can also add maltesers and cherries too. then put into a shallow baking dish and leave to set.








enjoy...

Thursday 16 February 2012

toddlers and teepees

i am always trying to find things in that are a bit different to decorate my house and lately i have been accessorising poppys bed room and turning it into more of a big girls room...



she spends a lot of time in there playing so i like to make it as relaxed and fun an environment as possible! i found this lovely teepee online (here) and i just had to buy it! she loves playing in it and so do her friends. it is also a good place for her to sit and read her books if she wants a bit of 'me' time!  earlier today i realised that all had gone quiet for longer than usual so i tip toed through to see what she was up to - expecting to find her filling her nappy somewhere, she was sitting in her teepee with Pink Rabbit singing wind the bobbin up and making him do all the actions... such sweet unforgettable moments.


i am also looking to find a tin tea set for her to play with - but yet to find one that is in good condition! love rummaging through charity shops though so can't complain!

Sunday 5 February 2012

delay tactics and singing

i mentioned earlier this week that i liked to keep busy and it occurred to me that it may be easier just to stay in once in a while...  now while i do have quiet days, we never have an entire day where we do not leave the house - and if we do it is because one or all of us are ill!  we have to go out to walk the dog at least, it's only fair! the poor delegated dog - once ruler of the roost, now poked and prodded by a toddler and left to fend for herself! that is not entirely true actually... she still remains a pretty pampered pooch - even by her standards!

so i got to thinking...

perhaps i overcompensate poppys lack of nursery placement with such an assortment of social occasions... or perhaps i am merely keeping my feisty little girl entertained... a little girl who has been high demand since the moment she arrived!
she was brought back to me the night she was born, by the nurse who had offered to give me a break to sleep.  she was so desperate to see what was going on that she was sitting very confidently by herself by the time she was five months and has pretty much gurgled, babbled and now chats through her every waking moment... she is probably the most entertaining, hilarious, character i have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

today, i stayed in - my husband happily took the dog to the studio and we had a 'duvet' day! and it was fun!


both a little stir crazy by tea time - but we made it! fingers crossed she sleeps through now as i fear (judging by the delay tactics and the singing at bed time) that i may have an under-tired little girl on my hands...