The Summer Holidays!

I am so relieved that the summer holidays are here! I am really looking forward to them.  I'm looking forward to slower starts and spending time with my boys. My husband has 2 weeks off and we will be spending some quality time with one another.  However I've not always felt like this.  A few years ago I hated the thought of the summer holidays...

When I just had children under 5 the prospect of 6 or sometimes 8 weeks with no scheduled activities I found really daunting.  Those with older children would be off on active pursuits with their families and I found I was just left with nothing to do.  The toddler groups would be finished and there would seem to be endless activities on for school children but nothing for those with younger children.  The break of the holidays didn't really feel like a break but a time of isolation.  Everyone seemed to being going away on great holidays together and we just didn't have the money.  Every time I took the children out, the places would be packed and I would worry about my younger children getting knocked over by the bigger children or that I would loose them in the crowds.  It was nice to have friends over but you do go a bit stir crazy if you don't leave the house!

However at the end of the school holidays it was never as bad as I thought it was going to be, we did manage to leave the house and we did enjoy those days.  I found quieter times of the day to go out and enjoy activities, I found children's centres that opened during the holidays.  After doing some research I did find suitable things for us to do as a family with children under 5 and the time passed quickly.  I tried not to resent the fact that everything stopped for the holidays but make the most of the season.

During our holidays now, I don't have everyday planned out nor do we have this amazing budget to afford all these wonderful activities on offer.  I asked my children what they would like to do over the holidays and they want to play lego!

When they finish school, they are really tired so bedtime starts in our house from 6pm onwards (there is 4 of them to get ready, so takes a while). This means their dinner is at 4.30pm.  There isn't a lot of time for them just to be lost in play. The holidays is the time the children re-discover all their toys.  I also find this a good time to clear though them and start thinking about Birthdays/Christmas.  In our family this is when most of the birthdays fall so I tend to get everything planned out now, in terms of presents/toys.

The first week does seem to be about the older ones re-establishing the pecking order, as the younger ones are used to having the daytime to themselves but we get through the bickering and balance does get restored.  They do get on but when tempers start to flare its time to go out, bike riding, walking, football anything to burn off energy.  I have also learnt to have babysitters so I can plan an activity with just one child or the older children.  Giving them each special time also helps calm them down and appreciate one another.

I find that with school life, my children can be slack on our family values so this is a good time to re-establish boundaries etc.  We go through our values in the morning during bible time but the days themselves, present lots of training opportunities and reminders for when they are actually faced with the problems.  I just pray for the grace to train rather than getting caught up in the fighting.

I am looking forward to these holidays and if you're struggling with them, pray for a heart for this season or take comfort knowing that this is a short season and normality will soon return.

Turning 1

Well my little L is now 1. The baby days are behind us and toddlerhood is where we are! Well my L still seems like a baby, as he's not yet walking, but it won't be long...

I found L turning 1 really hard, he's my baby and I didn't want to let go.  Also we believe he will be our last child so I think I found him turning 1, really emotional - to the point of grieving it.  I know God may have a different plan for us but we're thinking our family is complete for now.  I have really enjoyed the baby stage but its time to start embracing toddlerhood.  I love seeing him grow and develop and turning 1 is a time for celebration! The first year of their lives is amazing.  They grow so much and as parents we go through so much caring for them.  Its very physical and can be really demanding but they are so worth it.  I think when they reach 1, its a milestone that deserves to be celebrated!

We have celebrated each of our childrens 1st birthdays.  We generally have a party with family or their little friends.  We didn't have a party when N turned 1, as Jons nan had just passed, so we went out with our family and had a birthday meal instead.  I was also pregnant with J so we announced the arrival of baby number 3 coming, so it was a memorable and happy event during a sad time.

I love doing childrens birthday parties.  When they are young its so simple, you can choose the party theme and get creative.  They're happy whatever you do! For L we went for a bright colourful jungle theme.  I then made his cake based on this.  I am not a brilliant cake maker but enjoy decorating and having a go.  My older children get excited about choosing what cake they would like for their birthdays and helping to design it. For a 1 year old party, I decorate the room with banners and balloons, make simple finger food they can eat, make up party bags and make them a cake.  I don't do party games, as its a bit beyond them and is more just a social time celebrating together.

We tried to get L to open his presents but he wasn't too interested, however he had some eager older brothers to help him out.  We already have lots of toys so we just got a few presents for him and saved the money for him.  When each of our children have turned 1, we have bought them a special - build a bear.  We record a special message for them and its inserted into the bear.  L has a little cat named pussy-chops!  This is how we turn 1 in the James family!

Baby Days... Weaning

I really like weaning.  I love making up the purees, trying out new recipes and filling up little pots of healthy, good, home-cooked food.  I get a lot of satisfaction knowing what I'm feeding my child and seeing my freezer packed with goodies for my baby. 

I have weaned my children at different times, 17 weeks being the earliest and 6 months being the latest.  I have introduced weaning, realised my child wasn't ready and started again later.  I normally start weaning because they've reached 6 months and are needing something extra or they have started waking through the night, after previously sleeping through.  The thought of weaning can seem a bit daunting at first, well to be honest the mess and the clothes being stained orange, but once you get into it, I find it fun.

I start the weaning normally with baby rice or pureed potato mixed with water.  I then introduce a pureed fruit, like apple and a vegetable like carrot.  Its quite easy to do.  Chop up vegetable/fruit into small pieces, cover with water, boil till soft, puree with hand blender/fork, use cool boiled water to consistency or milk if baby needs creamier food and your done.  Freeze the rest in a sterilised ice-cube tray or weaning pots.  As you get more confident try different veg and fruit combos, progressing onto meat.  I used Annabel Karmels top 100 puree recipe book for different ideas and to give my L some more interesting flavours.  Its not an essential book, as there are lots of weaning recipes on the web like, netmums but I like how she presents food for children and how she puts it together.

When baby is 7 months I started to puree the food roughly with a fork to prepare baby for lumps.  I also gave him fromage frais and weetabix.  There is the new baby led weaning program which you can follow.  This is when you lay out different finger foods for baby to try and let them explore/eat at will.  I thought this seemed a bit messy and wasteful of food.  Perhaps I'm quite old school now as puree is how I've always weaned and I enjoy it.  With L I decided as finger food is now encouraged at 6 months, rather than 9, I would offer him cooked vegetables as finger food when we were eating them with our dinner as a snack.  He was content with this.

I am not anti jar based food and have used them.  I still use ready bought jars as well as fruit purees now, when we are going out or we're having a family dinner that can't be tailored for him.  For example;  BBQ mince served with tortilla crisps, or if we're having salad.  Generally, by a year we're all eating the same food.  L is still having his cut into small chunks.

Our general feeding pattern and what we work weaning towards is breakfast at 8am, lunch at 11.30, dinner 4.30.  Milk feeds fit in between this.  Rather than following a book on routines, I just think well this is how we eat as a family and this is how baby will fit eating in with us.  The amount of food and lumps etc increase over the year and the milk becomes less.  Its not something I have really thought about/planned but is a natural progression.

We eat our meals together as a family.  I want to encourage social eating and good habits from the beginning.  We do not use a highchair but a chair that clips onto the table.  I love the ELC water playmat as a table toy whilst preparing the food or for once baby is finished.  Its not noisy and it occupies him.  My husband is often home late or out early during the week so we can't always eat together as a whole family but I make sure I'm with them (eating or not).  When we eat together, we say grace and each child will take a turn in saying this. In the morning we also use this as a time to talk about the day ahead, practise our memory verses and talk about a godly character quality or our family values, with scripture to prepare us for the day.  It is good to have some formal worship time as a family and breakfast time is when it works for us.  Dinner time, we talk and share about our days.  When daddy is home at the weekend we sometimes play 'ask a question' game.  This is where the children can ask anything they like and we go around the table each answering it - B asks us about maths and J might ask everyone their favourite colour.  My children are normal children and don't have impeccable table manners (yet) but we are a work in progress.  I hope through this training, they will learn more about God, good manners and good table conversations. 

Baby Days... Baby Toys 6-12mths

I love all the baby stages but I love seeing their character develop.  From 6 months plus their little personalities start to bud, the world of weaning and more interesting toys and gadgets open up.  These are some of my favourite toys...

6months

Stacking Cups - The best toy and one of the cheapest.  Babies have lots of fun stacking and chewing these cups.  They also make great bath toys and children enjoy pouring water from one cup to another so can be used outside in a water table for a toddler.  These are a great buy.  You can buy them in bright colours with different textures and holes in.

Teethers - Babies are grabbing and holding, so any interesting and sensory shapes are great for them to chew on. The 'in' teether of the moment is Sophie the Giraffe This is a very cute, soft, rubber giraffe that squeaks.  The shape is great for getting into all the corners of babies mouth for a good chew.  However it is really expensive (around £12) and to be honest, I can't help thinking its a glorified dog toy. We do have one and L loves it, but he loves most of his toys.  If you have the money for a fancy toy, then buy it, but its not essential and at the end of the day it gets covered in slobber and thrown across the room with everything else.

Activity Cubes - Each side has different activities to touch and move in different directions.  I like this because when they just start sitting they want toys that won't just roll away or can be easily thrown away. Or I prefer not constantly picking up toys and giving them back. This keeps them amused from about 6-12months.

Baby walkers/Bouncers - As my babies are quite big, they have fit comfortably in a baby walker from 4 months.  They also had good back and head control.  I like these as it keeps baby entertained and gives them a different outlook.  I have chosen the station type as we did not have a lot of room for our children to be whizzing around everywhere.  I also found them safer with toddlers and other children to consider.  I like the hanging from the door bouncers but my boys are like little tanks and found it really hard getting them in and out of them.  Also being small in height, its not easy to unclip from the door frame when not in use.

9 months

By 8 months most babies I have known are sitting or moving so the playmat and arches are no longer needed.  Moving toys are great for encouraging our babies to start moving along. 
Balls. My children have been fans of balls.  All shapes and sizes, they just love them. They enjoy watching them roll around and chewing on them.

Click Clack Caterpillar or click clack cars are great.  They really enjoy watching cars/eggs moving along slowly by themselves.  I have the Caterpillar and my only fault with it, is that its not sturdy and comes apart easily.  It has lasted 4 boys though. 

They still enjoy rattles and music shakers, and still like to chew everything.

Ball popper, this keeps not only my baby entertained but also my older children.  It fascinates them.  Although the tune can be irritating after a while, it is a great buy as it lasts through the ages.

Buttons. The fascination with buttons now begins.  Any toys with buttons that makes noises have been a success at this age with my children.  Whether its a little phone, key fob or the larger play table type, they just love to press them.
Pop up toys.  My children really love closing down the pops on this.  As they get older they learn to open it up but they are fascinated seeing the toy disappear and then re-appear - plus you can get non musical so you can give yourself a break from nursery rhyme tunes.

When baby reaches 1 and toddlerhood begins, a whole new world of educational and more interesting gender specific toys open up. There are lots of toy libraries and groups where you can 'try out' different toys to see what is worth investing in.  I will do more toy reviews as and when on the blog but these are a few of our well played baby toys.

Baby Days.... Baby Toys 0-6mths

If you come to our playroom, you maybe overwhelmed at the sight of toys! We have been very blessed and have received lots of toys for our children, so I have alot of experience on what are the most played with toys with our boys and their friends... I could write pages of reviews, so I have kept it to a few items that have stood out to me.

Newborns don't need toys.  Life is just stimulating enough.  Too many lights sounds etc in my experience leads to a cranky, over stimulated, unhappy baby, so whilst the toys look cute - use with caution!

First toys:

Mobile - great for distraction, looks pretty but hasn't really been an essential.  We didn't have one for L and he was no worse for it.  I prefer not to use mobiles, dummies etc for sleep time.

Comforter - I have used small teddies attached to blankets and I think these are really good.  Especially if mum sleeps with them and her scent is on the toy, it can be a great comforter for them and will last for as long as they need that.  I also had dummies for my children and they got an enormous amount of pleasure on sucking.  When they were around 6months they spat out their dummy and no longer wanted it.

Playmat - I used the play mat from newborn till around 6months (when they started sitting) It was good for them to lie on and protected the floor from any dribbles.  It also meant they had something soft to lie on.  The arch play part they don't really start to use until 3months.  These can be so expensive and I wouldn't pay £60 for them.  I think 2nd hand is just as good, as they don't really wear out.

Babychair/swing - The swing I found essential for a baby with colic.  It was the only rest bite, along with leaving the hoover on! My other children who didn't have colic, I didn't use a swing, as a bouncer chair was enough to keep them settled whilst downstairs. As I have had quite big babies, I have been through 3 of these chairs.  When they are first born, a bucket type seat is best for holding and supporting them but as they get older a rigid option is more helpful for weaning - so think about how you plan to use the chair.  With our first 2, we chose our bouncer chairs to co-ordinate with the nursery. They were very basic.  We got fed up with rocking the seat as it didn't always bounce particularly well.  This is when we went for Mamas and Papas chair with battery operated bounce - this was great!  This seat lasted 2 babies whereas the cheaper ones only lasted each baby.  I think with these you get what you pay for, so worth investing with your first.  The seats last till around 6 months old or when they sit up.

Reading books to them and singing songs - We have lots of books and I think this is a great way of teaching language.  They may not smile as you read through a book or do animal noises to them but they absorb the words and its good for their development.  Its good to read stories and nursery rhymes.  I like the Roger Priddy books.  I like the books to have real photos rather than drawings, to teach them about colours, names, shapes and everyday objects. I often make up songs for and about my children, much to my older children's embarrassment, but I also liked to sing 'I'm special because God has loved me' and replace 'I'm' with their name.  I think they found it soothing and relaxing.

3months and above

Bumbo - I have had mixed reviews with my children on this. Some of them hated it, and would wiggle and arch their backs until they were taken out, others were content.  I would borrow one from a friend and try it out first. Also these keep well so buying 2nd hand is a good option.

Playmat with toys - At this age they really start to bat the toys and get the most from the play arches on their mats and bouncer chairs.  Also colourful mats with interesting toys dotted along can be great for encouraging tummy time.  If you didn't have one previously, I think baby would def benefit from one now.

Teethers - there are rattles a plenty on the market.  I like the little ones that can easily be grabbed by little hands and are not too heavy for them.  Alot of these seem for older babies who have a better and bigger grip.  When under 6mths and it comes to baby teething accessories, I have had most success from the amber teething anklet.  It doesn't take away the pain completely but it certainly helps and can be worn under their sock, so safe from them and curious children.  I also used baby paracetamol, to help with the pain.  There are lots of powders/crystals/gels and some work better for some babies.  You can spend a fortune on them, but this is my preferred way to tackle teeth.

More on toys soon...

Baby Days... The Stuff

Yes there is so much stuff for your baby.  There seems to be an endless opportunity to purchase toys and equipment, for you and your baby.  Its marketed to you, as what you need, how to give your baby the best start in life and how to remember these special days.. I think the market is covered from every angle to target a new parents emotions, and as parents want to do whats best for their children I think that the choice of products will always be multiplying.

When I had my first baby I wasn't too keen on anything second hand but as we were saving to buy our own place, we couldn't be fussy.  Jons sisters had already had their children and were able to pass stuff down.  It was a blessing and we did buy some things new as well.  When my 2nd child came along, we realised how little use you get from all the baby things and that 2nd hand things were certainly not second best, and saved us a fortune.  Babies do not need alot, so I thought I'd write my list of baby essentials...

Cot.  Baby needs somewhere to sleep, obvious.  If you intend to have more than one child, get a cot in a standard size so it will not cost a fortune to replace the mattress and buy sheets.  For 3 of my babies, they outgrew the moses basket in a month and they were noisy sleepers, so were in their own room by 6 weeks.  So a moses basket although pretty wasn't essential.  B was in a toddler bed before 18months, as he kept climbing out of the cot, due to my small age gaps, if I had chosen a cot bed I may not have used it as a bed or would have had to purchase another cot for when N arrived. So just a standard cot to me was essential.

Bathing.  I love the basic white bath support from mothercare.  In hospital it can be really fiddly to hold your baby correctly to bath them so I loved having the support, leaving me free to clean him with ease.  I also like boots sensitive bath range and found that using johnsons products - they do smell nice but baby just wants to drink the bathwater and it dries out their skin.  I also found using grape oil was great at hydrating my baby's skin (L was overcooked and had very dry skin, when he was born).  I much preferred this to the baby baths, as I found this small and awkward for washing newborns.

Clothes.  I love baby clothes, the cute socks, baby grows and little outfits.  My babies were better dressed then me! I particularly like Next clothes as they wash well and wear well with time (hand down to my other children).  I also quite liked Sainsburys Tu (although they come up a little small) and Asda George.  I also like Mothercare but some of the colours fade with time.  M&S do some nice boys clothes, as well as some strange colour choices in the boys range. Debenhams and M&Co also have a lovely boys range but come up a little small for my boys.

Feeding. When I breastfed, I loved having an electric pump - it really got me through the engorgement stage.  I then had a series of cups and syringes to feed the baby this milk.  I sterilised the equipment in a bowl with miltons.  When I fed I either laid on my bed with lots of cushions or in the reclining chair - with lots of cushions.  Cushions were certainly needed! I also think lanolin is great in helping the soreness.  Now onto formula, I have tried lots of different bottles over the years and my favourite is tommee tippee.  This is because baby can latch onto the bottle, like he did when he was feeding.  They are cute and the teats are soft.  The steam steriliser is finished in 5 mins, so is really quick.  I also like their brand of dummies as they come in their own microwave steriliser cases which means if dummy is dropped they can be cleaned and sterilised really quickly.

Nappies.  I have tried both throw away and re-use able.  I like pampers baby dry nappies as great for holding in the moisture and the print on them is unisex.  I also like tesco's own baby dry version.  My babies have sensitive skin so absorbency is really important.  I like sudocream for first instance of rash plus its really good for lots of things and handy to have in your nursery bag for when the children get older.  When something more is needed, I liked metanium.  If the rash was not contained after this, then I would visit the doctor. When it comes to re-useables, I tried bamboozle stretch at night time and bum genius 3 during daytime. The bum genius come in great colours and are really easy to use, however absorbency not so good and caused my baby to get nappy rash really quickly.  The bamboozle stretch, were so much better on my babies skin but are really bulky.  They aren't that much work and are really simple to use, but I think it would be good to trial a few different ones before you buy the set.

Car Seat. I have used second hand car seats, as well as brand new and passed them from one child to another, as long as I was confident the seat had been in no accidents or showed marks of wear and tear.   I think its best to get the best car seat you can afford as technology advances in safety and you need your precious bundle to be as protected as possible. I did get the carry version of the car seat along with the travel system but to be honest this was a waste.  I have such big babies they were over 9kg way before 6 months and I struggled carrying them in the seat from 3 months! A bigger car seat that can be strapped in reverse for first stage, moved round when they were over 9kg, would have made better financial sense.

Pram.  I wasn't really fussed about the pram until after I had my first child.  They are your biggest tool - buy wisely.  I think I could write a whole piece on this alone - I love them! I never really considered storage, weight, ease of steering etc. and how I would be using it.  I have had lots of different pushchairs and prams.  Perhaps more than I should admit too! The big named brands do tend to hold their value and can be sold on.  My advise would be consider the above, as I used mine practically everyday and with big babies and living near lots of hills, a light weight pram suited me best.  Also really consider how you live, I went for the all terrain pushchair at one point, as loved the idea of going on big family walks but the truth is, in reality I go to the shops and walking with toddlers, is not the same as going on a 'walk'.

Bedding.  I like to decorate the nursery's for each of my children, so have bought new bedding and sheets.  This is part of the process of preparing for baby, for me.  Its not an essential to have a pretty nursery but I really enjoyed choosing a theme, painting it, matching the sheets and curtains.  I love colour and design so this was my way of doing something special for them.

I will cover toys and gadgets later...