Isla at Three Years Old

I may sound like a broken record when I gush about how time has flown, but my little baby girl is now a whopping three years old and it's honestly blowing my mind.

I look back at the last three years and I can't believe my first baby and all her rolls and dimples, has grown into a such a smart and beautiful little girl.

Gone are the toddler days- Isla has the conversational skills of a 5 year old (from what the health visitors have said) and an understanding of the world to match.

We've recently began teaching her phonics and she nearly has the entire alphabet covered- with help she can sound out basic words like "cat" and "dog", though properly reading is likely a long way off now still.

Physically, she's doing wonderfully. She loves to run and jump, though she's often a little more cautious in this area. We've just started to teach her to ride her bike (with stabilisers of course) which has been an exciting new challenge for her, and she's absolutely loving it.

Isla has been potty trained since she was around a month off her second birthday, and she is also dry at night (though we wear a pull up at night in case, as we have no upstairs bathroom for her to be able to use at night) which is fantastic as I can't imagine having gone through changing two lots of nappies when her brother moved onto solids haha!

At three years old, Isla is a hugely curious and confident little girl, with a sassy smart ass attitude and a love for asking questions. Sometimes she is cautious, and she is very in touch with her emotions- she will tell you when and why she is feeling sad, or angry or even just tell you that she's really happy.

She loves to tell us when we're breaking the rules and she absolutely loves to "mother" her little brother and boss him around. A persistent little girl, ever since we started playgroup she has flourished and loves to chase the other boys and girls and talk to them until they become her friends.

Favourite Things: puzzles, arts and crafts, Sylvanian Families, Disney, David Bowie, playing at playgroup with her little brother, playing dolls houses, reading, coco pops, spaghetti and tacos.

Least Favourite Things: Eggs, Burgers, Pizza, washing her hair, saying goodbye, watching Trolls (no idea why on this one), being tickled.

I honestly couldn't be prouder of who she is becoming.

Archer's 5 Month Update

FIVE months old! Someone needs to pinch me, because Iv'e blinked and nearly half an entire year has gone by without me realising. My tiny 6lb speck of love has turned into a whopper of giggles and mischief. I'm pretty sure time is going so much faster than it ever did with Isla, and before I know it Archer is going to be moving out and I'll be an empty nester...

Archer really is the most wonderful baby. He's so affectionate and happy to see me, daddy and Isla, and he will smile at anyone who gives him a moment of attention. He loves to watch Isla play, and now he is getting older he is so desperate to join in. Weaning is going well, and he's started to have tastes and meals more often which is making him seem even more grown up!

I love him more than I could ever of imagined.

Weight: 17.5lbs at 21 weeks

Clothing size: 3-6 months (AT LAST!)

New this week: Rolling from back to belly in both directions (rolling all ways now!), sleeping in his own bedroom for some naps, sitting in his bigger boy chair in the bath, first Halloween!

Likes: Watching his sister play, Avocado and banana, smiling at old ladies (he loves the ladies, honestly its so sweet), crinkly books, when Isla splashes in their bath

Dislikes: Transitioning out of mummy and daddy's bed/bedroom, bed time, when food runs out

Mummy & baby product shout out this week: Our Tommee Tippee blender. I've been using it to make our own purees which is a different world compared to when I weaned Isla. I had a contract with the HiPP Wean Team when Isla was little which was fab, but really wanted to make my own in these early days as he wont finish jars/pouches and it works out cheaper. The blender is perfect for making around 8oz of fruits and veg I have sitting around and I've been storing them for a week of meals and tastes.

I'm so grateful for my little boy, honestly. He really has completed our family and despite all the lack of sleep and the fact he's sometimes SO clingy, one gummy smile and he's forgiven.

Spider Grab- Toddler Friendly Activities

Carrying on the theme of Halloween, we've been playing a new sensory game this week- Spider Grab!

The whole thing only cost around £2.50 and took less than five minutes to put together, and Isla has been playing with it for days now.

I found this small storage basket in Poundland, as well as the crochet wool/string and some spiders. I weaved the string through the holes and then placed the spiders in the bottom of the basket.

The idea is that the string makes it quite challenging to collect the spiders as they get tangled, and with it being pulled taut Isla had to weave her hand around to reach the bottom. It's a lovely activity to help develop fine motor skills and to develop problem solving skills.

With the spiders and the string "web" it's a lovely themed activity for the season. We've also tried putting conkers in the bottom, and doing it timed! You can also make it harder by adding more string or using tweezers instead of fingers.

Halloween is getting so close now!

Steph xo

Archer's 16 Week Update

Archer is 16 weeks old (as of the 22nd September)! I don't know why but it feels like this was the week when Isla properly became her own little person- and it's definitely ringing true with Archer too. He's changed so much over the last week or so- he's seeming less of a tiny baby and more of a little person gearing up and getting ready to take on the world.

Weight: Currently unknown (over 14lbs)

Clothing size: Up to 3 months, unless there are feet attached. Long and skinny still.

New this week: Laughing, cooing and yelling literally non stop as if he's chatting away, kissy noises with his mouth, outgrown the newborn bath seat, having an actual bed time before mummy and daddy.

Likes: Splashing legs in the bath, trying out the Jumperoo, stuffing everything into his mouth that he can, sleeping with a stinky muslin on his face

Dislikes: Watching everyone eating food without him (his sister was the same and an early weaner at 4 months!), getting stuck on his side when trying to roll, going to sleep in his own bed

Mummy & baby product shout out this week: Archer is getting to the stage where he wants to be moving around but can't because he has a massive head and hasn't learnt to roll both ways yet...this means when he's on his back for too long he gets super crabby, and I can't hold him sitting up all day as I'd never get anything done- so we've been sticking him in his Fisher Price Sit Me Up Chair for small periods of time (he has the perfect head control for it). He is so much happier when he can sit up and watch his sister play, and it gets him off the floor for a bit when I need to hoover or eat!

What did you do once your little ones started to hate being immobile? 

Archer's next update will be at 20 weeks!

Steph xo

Painting with Straws- Toddler Friendly Activities

Painting is always a big hit in our house. It's a fantastic activity for children who love to get messy, and can be used in educational setting as well. It encourages the exploration of colour, fine motor skills when holding brushes and it's a great sensory activity if you let your little one get their hands involved.

I decided recently to do something new with Isla and let her try painting with straws.

To begin we combined bubble mix and paint- the resulting fluid can be quite watery however so we added in a good dollop of PVA glue to keep it thick and make an interesting texture. Then I handed Isla the straws, ensured she knew not to drink through them and let her go to town!

There is no set method and it is always good to let your child lead- I feel like hovering and instructing too much would discourage them from using their imagination. 

When you blow bubbles with the paint mix, they pop and create a fantastic splat effect on the paper. Blowing bubbles with the paint through the straw also helps to develop oral motor strength which helps to aid pronunciation and speech skills.

Isla also really enjoyed scribbling through the paint with the straw as it made a scratchy effect, blowing bubbles and blowing the paint already on the paper.

We talked a lot about what colours we were using and what happened to the paint when we tried different things- flicking, blowing bubbles, dotting onto the paper and mixing with the colours together. You can encourage them to understand their understanding of cause and affect by asking lots of questions e.g. "What do you think will happen if we blow the pink into the green?" and letting them test it for themselves before answering.

It was a lovely way of adding in some new skills and learning different ways to put paint to paper.

We also found that because we had used PVA glue as a thickener, Isla had a cool colourful layer dried on her hand which she really enjoyed pealing off- it fascinated her.

How do you like to shake up a simple activity like painting? Let us know!

Steph xo

Archer's 12 Week Update

My baby is officially no longer a new born. Time to get a job and start paying rent. It's so bittersweet- there'll never be another newborn in this house. But that also means YAY no more newborn days. Here comes the fun bring on the wine and sleep!

This will be our last weekly post now, as there are not as many differences for him each week- I'll be posting at every next 4 week mark for a bit and then monthly so his next one will be at 16 weeks! Keep your eye out!

Length: Currently unknown

Weight: 13lbs 15oz. 

Clothing size- Some 0-3 if there's no feet attached, but mostly 3 months. Long legs!

New this week: Holding toys and directing them into his mouth so he can chew. Dribbling on everything and everyone. Added in the "ba" and "ya" sounds to his usual "ga". Babbling and cooing a whole lot more. Rolling onto his side from his back. Rotating and shuffling himself off his play mats.

Likes: Chewing on mummy's hands, muslin cloths and his toys. When mummy joins in with tummy time. When Isla plays next to him. Having things rubbed over his face (toys and flannels)

Dislikes: Having an even slightly wet nappy, if the pram stops moving, feeling overstimulated in the evenings and putting clothes on.

Mummy & baby product shout out this week: Nuby "Wacky" Teether. This is one of the only toys that Archer has shown any interest in. He's still young so we know he'll care about more toys at some point, but it's so nice to see him holding it and chewing it. The small ring is easy for him to grip and moving it around and to his mouth has really improved his hand eye coordination. It keeps him amused for quite a while when he gets frustrated trying to reach his dangling toys.

What were your little ones up to at this age?

Archer's 11 Week Update

This week marks Archer entering his last week classed as a newborn. He was only 3 weeks early, so we don't adjust his age for milestones- so yes, when he hits 12 weeks old at the end of this week he will officially need to get himself a proper baby job because he will be an infant.

It's had me all sorts of emotional- especially since he has officially outgrown his preemie, newborn, and 1 month clothing. Putting it all away I've realised I will never have another fresh baby (we're done with two!) and he's started to look and feel huge to me.

Length: >61cm (51cm at two weeks)

Weight: >13.5lbs and to be weighed next at 13 weeks (6lb 12oz at birth)Clothing size: 0-3 months and Up to 3 Months

New this week: Purposefully kicking his piano play mat, sleeping in his own bed for most of the night, having a "bed time" and sticking to it, keeping hands open and not in a fist when playing, able to smack toys hanging above him

Likes: sitting up with support, squealing and cooing at daddy, chewing his fists, the elephant hanging toy on his swing & playmat

Dislikes: getting out of the bath and dried, the majority of dummy brands, when mummy puts him down during his nap

Mummy & baby product shout out this week: Fisher Price Kick & Play Piano Mat. I hate the music, and he loves it. It takes up room as we now have two mats in the living room, but it's been so worth it. He absolutely loves it and the second we put him on it he starts to kick and pant with excitement. The toys dangle at the perfect height for him too. He's getting more into toys now so it's nice to have something so colourful to stimulate him.