Tag: babies

Children, Christmas, Families, Family Life, Parents, Reviews, Toys

Milestone Myths With Baby Annabell Learns To Walk

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on Milestone Myths With Baby Annabell Learns To Walk

The arrival of a new baby is one of the most precious and wonderful moments of a parents life, they bring such overwhelming joy and love but also a whole host of worries and anxieties that get to us on a daily basis.

From how much they are eating to how much they are sleeping is a constant worry and also as they begin to grow and milestones are being reached the worries also turn into something a little more competitive. We begin to compare what off springs of families and friends are doing and goals they are reaching.

Toddler groups turn into a mine field of parents either bragging that their little ones have sat up for the first time or the poor parent at the other end of the scale that is still waiting for their child who is of the same age to even roll over.

As the years have past and the more children I have I’ve come to the realisation that hours or staring at developmental charts and comparing my babies with others is a negative waste of time and the focus should be on getting through those milestones when they are good and ready and not when a chart tells you they should.

As adults we are all still learning new skills which will be easier and done quicker for some than other and this is no different to when we a little. We all have strengths and weaknesses and this is what makes us all so wonderfully individual.

Being a Mum of five I can tell you that all of mine have taken their first steps at times rating from 9-14 months, some have crawled from as early a 6 months when others never crawled at all but ultimatly they have all reached those goals when they are good and ready.

With babies milestones in mind Baby Annabell have come up with the fabulous Baby Annabell Learns To Walk.

Doll mad Oscar was very excited to have a new friend to go with his favourite Little Brother doll and was in sheer amazement who he saw all the amazing things that this new doll could do.

Baby Annabel makes her way through those all important milestones from sitting to crawling and walking.

As with all children she has a few hiccups and when she is crawling will drop to her tummy and cry. This is not a problem as she will be happily picked up and sits on your knee whist wriggling and fidgeting around.

When it comes to walking she will happily take her first steps whist holding onto your hand a bubbling away with each move.

This doll has made a very welcome addition to our household and Oscar has been amazed with everything she’s does. The interation they can get from this doll is amazing and I’m sure this would be a welcome present under any tree this year.

*collaborated post

Children, Families, Family Life

Christmas Is Over And So Is My Breastfeeding Journey

by thejoyoffive8 Comments on Christmas Is Over And So Is My Breastfeeding Journey

  

A while ago I wrote a post ‘Breastfeeding For Me Of The Baby’.  I was feeling torn between continuing my extended breastfeeding with number five.  He was still very dependant in the evenings and I was no where near ready to stop even though there was a worry in the back of my mind that even though I loved everything about breastfeeding he would never wean himself off.

After some wonderful feedback from my readers I continued to do what was best for both of us and carried on.  I loved the closeness, the way it still helped him to settle and knew that he was still getting lots of goodness from it.  If I’m honest though there was a huge part of me that wasn’t ready to let go.

After having fed five children I knew this would be the last time I would be able to enjoy everything that breastfeeding brings.  I’ve struggled with feeding all of mine from one that didn’t know how to suck when he was first born, one with a tongue tie and countless bouts of mastitis that even landed me in hospital.  It’s been a tough journey with all of them but something I will never forget and I’m so glad I battled through each time as it was such a special experience for me.

A few weeks before Christmas number five was waking in the night as usual but not needed to be fed.  He wasn’t asking and was settling with a little cuddle.  This was actually a welcome change after nearly two years of night feeds!  He was still having his feed to get to sleep and this was the one that I couldn’t see going as he routine was bath, story and milk and he was extremely set in his ways about this.

But then the hustle and bustle of Christmas started and with a few late nights he had happily fallen asleep without a feed.  When it came to two concecutive nights without a feed I just went with it and neither of us have looked back.

I didn’t get that planned emotional last feed I was expecting, I didn’t have an upset baby crying himself to sleep at night it just worked.  He had weaned himself away beautifully and I am finally happy about that.

Children, Families, Family Life, Fashion, Reviews

Super Cool Teething Necklaces By Lara And Ollie

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on Super Cool Teething Necklaces By Lara And Ollie

  

I stopped wearing necklaces a while ago due to the fact that so many got completly ruined at the hands of inquisitive babies and toddlers.  

They are like magpies, they spot something around your neck and drag and pull at it until they have part of in in their sticky little mitts.

When I was asked by the lovely ladies at Lara And Ollie to try out their stylish looking teething necklace I jumped at the chance.

  
There is a vast choice of different colours with beautiful stacking bangles to match. I opted for the black, grey and cream necklace as I felt that it would fit in well with the majority of my wardrobe and would be the perfect tones for the colder weather we have coming up.

As soon as I put it on number five made a beeline for it and was more than happy to sit there and chew and pull on it without causing him or the necklace any halm.

   
  
I have also found it really handy to pass to him to keep him amused if he gets a bit ratty.  Let’s face it they all want to play with anything but a toy!

  
This is a funky yet functional necklace that looks great and is perfect to soothe little ones sore gums, keep them amused and make you look fab!

I was gifted this necklace by Lara And Ollie for the purpose of this review.  They are all my own honest opinions.

Children, Families, Family Life, Large Families, Parents, Sons, Toddlers

Breastfeeding For Me Or The Baby

by thejoyoffive19 Comments on Breastfeeding For Me Or The Baby

  
I have happily breastfed all of my brood.  It has been a big struggle with all of them and always took a good few months to get into the swing of things with all of them but it is something I’m so happy I persevered with.

Now I’m onto number five who is still breastfeeding at 20 months and I’m asking myself ‘is this still for him or more for me!’.

As we all know it is suggested that we breastfeed our babies exclusively for the first 6 months.  I can fully understand that this is their only source of nourishment if you chose to breastfeed and of course they are solely reliant on this for their development.  For me as you are introducing food into their diet it is all so hit and miss as to what they are getting I feel happy to carry on demand feeding up until a year.

With the others they have swapped over to a beaker of cows milk more than happily by then and I’ve been quite happy that my job is done and they are moving onto their next milestone.

This time round things have been different and number five is still happily breastfeeding at night and I have made very little effort to break this cycle.  

I know that he is a good eater and is getting more than he needs through his food and now all the feeding really is, is comfort.  He has his bath, his pjs go on and he clambers onto my lap for ‘milky’. He wakes in the night and all he wants to do is snuggle up for a quick feed to comfort himself back off to sleep.

But in the odd occasion I’ve been out he’s not had that option and been more than ok to just nod off by himself!  This is where I am feeling it more the fact I’m clinging onto the last part of my breastfeeding journey.  As I said it’s been a hard one and even landed me on hospital with mastitis with number four.  But it is by far the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done and I still don’t think I’m quite ready to end it just yet!
  

Allergies, Behavioural Problems, Children, Families, Family Life, Large Families, Memories, Parents, Sons, Toddlers

Just Me And Baby 

by thejoyoffive3 Comments on Just Me And Baby 

  
You would have thought that by child number four I should be hardened to that ‘first day’.  As today proved I’m clearly not!

It was number four’s first day at nursery and all of those mixed emotions came flooding through just as they had with the others, but with a few more thrown in.

Number four has without doubt been my most challanging child.  He is massively strong willed, extremely boisterous and is hugely outgoing.

This has driven me to the edge over the past three years yet I wouldn’t have him any other way.  I just worry now how his character is going to go down in a nursery environment.  Play areas and toddler groups have always been a challange for us and I would be on guard the whole time.  In a large nursery with lots of children I am worried he will realise he has a bit to much free reign as there are plenty more children that need to have an eye kept on them. 

There is also the worry that I’m not there to watch what he is eating and as he has not reached a level yet where he understands his allergies I am in a real panic that I am going to be getting ‘that’ phone call!

The upside to him getting some much needed structure to his day is that I get to have a few hours on my own with number five.  He is such a placid child that has really been a little pushed into the background being the last in a long line of little ones.  It’s his time now and I am going to make the most of trips to the park, toddler sessions and cuddles on the sofa with my little baby for those precious few hours of the day.

  
  

Children, Education, Families, Family Life, Learning, Parents

The Horror Of School Performances With Toddlers

by thejoyoffive30 Comments on The Horror Of School Performances With Toddlers

  
So your school ages child comes bounding out of their classroom after school clutching an invitation to their much rehearsed school play.

You are of course so proud and can’t wait to see their performance, yet the whole experience it going to be one full of stress if you have toddlers in tow!!

This is of course my own experience and I’m sure lots of you have wonderful little ones that sit there watching intently as the play is performed.  In fact I have sat through many a performance jealously looking on at a well behaved toddler sitting with their box of raisins taking everything in without moving a muscle.  After five children however I am still longing for that day.

I always start out well prepared with non messy/crunchy foods to pacify for as long as possible,  drinks that can’t be easily tipped over the poor person we are sitting next to, toys that will keep them amused without being massively noisy or can be rolled into the audience with no hope of getting back; which will obviously cause mass hysteria!

Through experience though even with my military precision planning nothing will stop me from having to fireman carry them screaming and shouting from the hall.

My sweaty palms start the moment the headmaster introduces the children followed by the same sentence about removing noisy children that I can’t help but think is always aimed at me.

After this point they usually spot their older sibling on the stage and from there continue to bellow their name whist waving furiously.  Once this is over and the singing begins we usually get a rendition of a beautifully sung nursery rhyme at the top of their voice which has no connection to what is going on on stage.  

This causes uproar from the audience and the hundreds of children which just adds fuel to the fire as they are loving the attention.

If we make it this far every toy, set of keys, bit of rubbish is then emptied from my bag in a bid to keep them quiet.

Lastly boredom really kicks in and they need to be removed.  Usually before their sibling has got to do their main part which in turn then sends a massive wave of guilt as I am bundling a screaming child through the door whist looking at a forlorn face standing on the stage.

I then have to congratulate my poor performer and try to convince them that I could hear every word through a fully closed fire door!

I am sure that a free classroom and a classroom assistant keeping a watchful eye on bored toddlers would save a lot of stress on everyone’s part and would leave parents to enjoy their offsprings performance and I will be taking this suggestion to out PTA soon.

How do you cope with little ones in the same situation? 

Please let me know if you are in the same position as me as it would make me feel so much better!!

  

  

  

  

Children, Families, Family Life, Outdoor Play

Keeping Your Cool In This Heat

by thejoyoffive5 Comments on Keeping Your Cool In This Heat

  
All winter long we are dreaming of sunshine filled days and long balmy evenings; then bam the sun comes out in full force and we complain about how hot it is!!

All jokes aside with this mini heatwave hitting us this week we all need to keep our little ones safe in the sun.

  • Before leaving the house make sure that you keep the curtains closed to keep the sun out and the house a little cooler.
  • Ensure that everyone has adequate suncream on and it is applied regularly.
  • If possible invest in some UV protective clothing for your little ones so they can run around to their hearts content.
  • Try to keep in the shade as much as possible; especially during 12-3 as this is the hottest time of day.
  • If you have little ones in buggies then I would really strongly advice investing in a Snoozeshade.  They give complete coverage from the sun, unlike those useless parasols you can buy.
  • Hydration is key!  It is so easy to become dehydrated so make sure you drink at regular intervals.  It’s a good idea to pop some bottles of water into the freezer so they can defrost during the day.  And who dosent love an ice lolly?  These are a guaranteed way to get some fluid into your littlies.
  • My little one came home with some sweat bands today and I decided to make them wet before putting them on to keep him cool.
  • A paddling pool or a washing up bowl full of water to play in is one of the best ways to keep cool.  Or fill up some water balloons and guns and all have a great big water fight!
  • If you are breastfeeding make sure you offer your baby to the breast more as this will quench their thirst and no other water will need to be given.
  • A nappy and vest is sufficient for them to wear in bed as we all now how horrible it is to be to hot at night.
  • Keep an eye out for the warning signs of dehydration.  Less at nappies, sunken fontinelle in babies, lethargy and yellow urine.

The most important thing to remember is to have fun!!  We get such a short amount of beautiful sunshine in the UK that we need to make the most of it whilst it is here.