Small Steps Amazing Acheivements

This one is not so much of an achievement! Joss really knows her own mind and has started to use the word ‘no’ quite a lot, I like it as it shows she can communicate better what she does and does not like, but as you can see she’s also started exploring the world and does not always explore where we want her to. As Mr B took this photo I was engaged in a discussion with Joss about whether this was a good idea, she said ‘no’ but what she meant was definitely ‘yes!’

WP_002246

Who can resist this cheeky face though?! Three teeth now and loving life!

WP_002213

 

What’s the Story?

A bit different this week, I’ve decided to tell the story behind yesterday’s Silent Sunday with a few more photos. We have a lovely family home that we’ve lovingly put together over the past six years, some old, some new, some gifted and some handmade. Our favourite thing seems to be lighting, and I love the light that our Moroccan candle lamp gives off. It was a joint first wedding anniversary gift to each other and we carry it from room to room when relaxing.

image

We have a few other nice pieces that we’ve gathered over the years, I thought I’d do some home ware blog features so here’s a run down of our lighting first:

Joss’ simple IKEA shade with felt mobile I made when she was a tiny baby

image

Her bunny lamp…hop hop

image

My bargain lighthouse

image

Another IKEA find

image

And an oldie but goodie from now closed down The Pier, we loved that shop!

image

Glitter and mess

image

Love a spot of messy play! Here are our top ideas for cheap rainy day entertainment!

1) edible glitter and squirty baby soap, a lethal combination so do this on bath night! Joss loved the sparkles and thought the squirty soap was hilarious! If they’re passed the stage of eating it shaving foam is a cheap alternative!

2) a 25p bottle of blowing bubbles, even tiny babies enjoy bubbles, Joss now says pop when they come back down!

3) have you checked out pinterest? Wow what a goldmine of ideas, this edible paint was great fun for me to make and play with too! http://pinterest.com/kristi_cck/edible-art/

4) an oldie but goodie, cornflour feels lovely and silky, add water and it turns solid and gloopy but when you scoop it in your hand it turns to liquid, who knew?! Joss loves the mess with this one!

5) and finally water play, Joss is enjoying her baths so much that we bought a big plastic sheet for in the kitchen, sat on the floor with her old baby bath and some random items (bath toys are boring, sieves, spoons, an empty bottle and little pots and measuring cups are waaaay more fun!

If like me you love to be out and about don’t feel trapped indoors get creative!

Taking care of toddler teeth!

Taking care of toddler teeth!

A small first step but an interesting one. Joss has started to know that some things happen at certain times of day. Last night Joss finished her supper and said what I thought was cheese, but Alex noticed she was pointing at her toothbrush, she was saying teeth, and decided to do her own! After 2 weeks of trying to get her to let me brush them and being met with no,no,no she managed a fairly decent clean on her own!

I rubbed a smidge of toothpaste on her teeth and gums and off she went!

(Please excuse this ropey photo, it was taken in a hurry!)

Banana pancakes in a hurry

What a day! I took a walk with Joss and Tobydog this morning, we got caught up with blackberrying and disaster struck, somewhere between leaving home and the brambles little car car got lost!

image

Joss was consoled by little bear for a short while but was hungry and grouchy…

image

We mad for home and I set about lunch, as you can see we’d reached meltdown :-( so I gave her some cheese and set to work making the fastest batch of pancakes ever.

image

A mashed banana beaten into a large egg, a cup of milk and a rough probably three quartets of a cup of flour I had no idea whether the guessed quantities would work but relatively fluffy pancakes emerged!

They were needed so badly she ate them in the pram!

image

And the best thing about today, look what turned up in the pram cosytoes, car car!

image

What’s the story?

What's the story?

Joss had a health visit this week and we looked back at her red baby book together, I laughed at the entry from week 2, ‘very alert’.

I remember when the Health Visitor came out Jossy was wide awake and had been for some time, looking around at a big black and white picture in our living room. “It says in the book newborns sleep 15-18 hours a day, why is mine always awake?” The Health Visitor just laughed and said some are more alert than others, this is classic Jossy, always on the go, too busy to eat. I love this photo because it captures her inquisitive nature, face to face with an octopus at Sealife Centre whilst Daddy gives an encouraging kiss, she couldn’t take her eyes off the colourful fish and weird and wonderful sea creatures, it captures ‘our Joss’ so well!



A week off with a child, not quite a holiday! AKA when kids pull an all nighter…

Mr Daddy took a week off and we decided to spend it having a ‘staycation’ – it has been a classic case of ‘we’ve come on holiday by mistake’ (big Withnail and I fans we are) as of course it hasn’t really been a holiday at all. Gone are the 10am lie ins and late nights in from the pub, Joss even managed to outdo herself by pulling one all nighter so I guess she’s been in the holiday spirit anyway!

We have however done a series of nice things, including a day out to Durham, my Uni town, and a spot of blackberrying, I have been avidly reading A Girl Called Jack and meal planning and of course little miss has had some shoes to get to grips with!

image
Having a rest on holiday…
image
We did some good peeking!
image
Daddy made me a daisy chain Joss’ middle name is Daisy!

image

And Joss kept us awake ALL night and when we hit breaking point sang “be ‘appy, be ‘appy” her rendition of Dr Ranj’s Get Well Soon which is both hilarious and sweet to a mama who often needs to be told to lighten up, and wanted to look at the trees and car cars at 3am!

All in all a really fun week and lovely to see Mr Dad, though I suspect if we have another all nighter he may never holiday with us again!

So before the schools go back and autumn comes, ‘appy holidays from my family to yours!