Stomach Bug, Christmas and general chit chat

Hiya, I hope you all have had a very Merry Christmas this year. 

I have taken a little break over the Christmas period admittedly 

a bit longer than I had first planned. 

On the evening of the 23rd I came down with an awful stomach bug which kept me up all night. I had my Mum and Sister over on Christmas Eve briefly to drop off gifts. 

But Christmas Eve for me was mainly spent in bed resting up whilst Stuart looked after Blake and finished off the Christmas food shop. 

Luckily Christmas Day I was feeling a bit better but unfortunately even now my appetite isn't fully back and my energy levels are pretty low too. 

Christmas this year was just the three of us together opening presents, relaxing and playing.

It went ever so quick and boxing day was just the same we spent a few hours over at my mother in laws opening more gifts and having a buffet lunch. 

So it's been a pretty relaxed Christmas. Stuart is back at work today until new years eve then off until the 4th. 

Now that Christmas is over I am looking forward to getting our home organised. 

Which means sorting out where Blake's toys will go and other bits and bobs. 

It also means I need to write up my new years goals.I am

also needing to sort out what classes to go to in the new year as

the children centre have lost some funding we need to find some new things

to do which I'll have to budget for. 

I'd love to know what you got up to this Christmas

comment below. 

How I thought I would parent Vs How I actually parent

Hi, and thank you for hopping over from life with baby kicks and welcome to my post for the tenth day of #12daysofparenting.

 We have many prizes to giveaway! 

Full details can be found on the #12daysofparenting page.

Today's sponsor is :Gumigem who have offered a bubbabag.

Like I'm sure most of you did, I  always had an idea in my head what I would be like as a parent when the time came, before I was even pregnant with Blake. 

The things I would do such as breastfeeding, cloth nappies, baby wearing etc. But of course how I thought I would parent vs how I actually parent is completely different.

So here is a fun post on how I thought I would parent vs how i actually parent. 

Please can I just say that I know a lot of people are going to have mixed views on my parenting techniques but any negative comments will be deleted. 

How I thought I would parent: 

- I would breastfeed my child til approx one year of age

- I would use a sling and carry my child around regularly

- I would use cloth nappies 

- I would have strict routines

- I would plan fun activities to do every day 

- I wouldn't co-sleep 

 - I would puree food when it came to weaning

How I actually parent: 

- I ended up mix feeding to begin with then after four weeks went on to formula feeding due to having issues with breastfeeding. No one told me how hard breastfeeding would actually be. Il

- Blake hated being in a sling. We tried various ones and he just hated it.

- I use cloth nappies but not all time. I do use disposables but try and use cloth most of the time.

- We don't have strict routines I am more laid 

back than I thought I would be as a mum.He was routines such as bed time and lunch time but most of the time if he ends up napping longer  and lunch is a little later than its fine. 

- I don't do near enough as many activities with Blake that I thought I would. I go out to baby and toddler groups once or twice a week and go for walks but at home we really only play with his toys, read books and watch a bit of TV.

- I don't co-sleep its one thing I don't agreeon due to the safety aspect. But of course that's really up to you on if you do so.

- We did baby led weaning as Blake didn't take to purees at all.

Our Christmas code word is Trimmings

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Parenting doesn't stop at Christmas: Baby led weaning

Hi, and thank you for hopping over from mummies waiting

 and welcome to my post for the Ninth day of #12daysofparenting.

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Today's sponsor is :  Fresh Photography who are offering a Signed, limited edition, A3 picture (usually £95) from his recent Iceland blog.

When your a parent Christmas time is extra magical but also can be stressful too. 

We chose when it came to weaning to do Baby led weaning with Blake as he didn't take to 

purees and one day he just took food off Stuart's plate and ate it. 

I know that baby led weaning doesn't suit everyone but it suits us. 

This festive season I feel that baby led weaning is going to take the stress away from meal times for us because: 

- We wont have to take the time to puree everything. 

- He can enjoy what we are eating and know he will most likely

enjoy it as he tends to enjoy a roast dinner. 

- Which leads on enjoying more flavors and textures. 

- we will have a lot of buffets around this time of year so 

he will have wide selection of finger foods to enjoy.

Our Christmas code word is Sprouts 

For more on Parenting doesn't stop at Christmas 

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Blake's Christmas Eve Basket

One of the many traditions for the festive season that we have decided to do with Blake, 

Is a Christmas eve basket. 

I love this tradition as it makes Christmas eve extra special. 

As Blake gets older I'll be able to add more things into the basket 

and some bits that are included will come out every year. 

So first up in the basket is a "Santa please stop here" sign which 

we got when visiting Santa with Blake in MK. 

We also have some special reindeer food which was also made

when going to see Santa with Blake in MK. 

I found a special Santa magic key on ebay for £1.95 I think it was 

or something like that which I thought was a fab price.

I also picked up a treats for Santa and Rudolph tray

so that we can put out Milk and a mince pie and a carrot before bed. 

I  ordered a copy of Mickey's Once Upon A Time from Amazon for us to watch

on Christmas Eve. 

The works have a fab selection of books and for the Christmas Eve basket we had to have 

"The Night Before Christmas" to read to him right before bed. 

Then we have this cute little snowman toy which he got from 

the Children's center Christmas party which I just thought was sweet to include. 

I picked out some reindeer antlers for £1.50 in a party shop. 

I am sure you'll most likely be able to find something similar from 

most pound shops. 

Last of all is a nice cosy pair of Pjs. 

These ones with a polar bear are fleece so will keep him lovely

toasty and warm when he goes to bed on Christmas Eve. 

I'm also going to include a small bar of Chocolate bar. 

So there you have it, Blake's first Christmas Eve basket. 

There are many more other items you could include too such as: 

- a craft or baking activity

- some Christmas socks or a bib

- Sticker books 

- snowman soup (hot chocolate with marshmallows)

I'd love to know your thoughts. 

Do you do this Christmas tradition? If so I'd love to know what

you include in your child/ren's basket or box. 

Comment below. 

Photo's To Take At Christmas

Hi everyone, so today as it is one week til Christmas Eve I am sharing with you my ideas 

of photo's to take over the festive period. 

Now you may have seen my post on photo's to take of your child's

birthday, if not you can read it here. 

Now Christmas is my favorite time of year which is why I am going to try and

take as many photos as possible of things that we get up to etc. 

So like with the birthday list I chose to compile a list to share with you

what I plan to take photos of this festive season. 

1. Handmade Christmas decoration 

2. Light switch on 

3. Christmas decorations

4. Christmas tree

5. Christmas cards

6. Christmas baking

7. Christmas tree lit up 

8. Cup of hot chocolate

9. Costa Christmas cup 

10. Reading Christmas books

11. Visting Santa

12. Reindeer

13. Christmas crafts

14. Christmas eve basket 

15. advent 

16. Presents under the tree

17. Santa's Milk and Mince Pie

18. flat lay of Christmas Pjs

19. wearing Christmas Pjs

20. Santa sack 

21. Holiday movie 

22. Christmas jumper

23. Opening presents

24. Christmas breakfast

25. flat lay of Christmas day outfit

26. calendar 25th December 

27. All dressed up 

28. Christmas dinner

29. Playing with toys. 

30. with family members

31. fast asleep after a busy day. 

I hope this post has giving you some ideas/inspiration of photos you can take 

around Christmas/festive time. 

If you have some more ideas feel free to let me know by commenting below.

Our Christmas Traditions

Hi, and thank you for hopping over from mummy lala

 and welcome to my post for the Fourth day of #12daysofparenting.

 We have many prizes to giveaway! 

Full details can be found on the #12daysofparenting page.

Today's sponsor is Bambini & Me They are offering a sleep bag.(Sizes to choose from are 0-6m and 6-18 m)Patterns are elephant in grey, bunny in blur and bird in pink.

There are so many exciting Christmas traditions to get involved in when you become a parent. 

Here are our Christmas traditions.

 Some we are waiting for Blake to be a little

older so he can understand and others are what we are planning to do or have done this year. 

- Christmas light switch on

- Visit Santa

- See some reindeer 

- Make Christmas cards/crafts

- Watch Christmas films

- Decorate the tree

- Listen to Christmas music

- Read Christmas books

- Christmas Eve basket you can see what's in Blake's here. 

- Sensory activity such as pretend snow

- elf door

-elf on a shelf

- Make or decorate and gingerbread house 

- Go to see a panto 

- leave out mince pie, milk and carrot for Santa on Christmas Eve

  - book advent 

- Scatter reindeer food 

- Put up Santa's magic key 

- Read the nativity story 

- Read the Night before Christmas on Christmas Eve 

- Special Christmas day breakfast

- Open a little present 

- Magic sleeping potion 

- Photo checklist

- Santa's footprints

- Christmas baking. 

Our Christmas code word is Bells

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How Becoming a Mum has changed Christmas

Hi, and thank you for hopping over from Candyfloss and dreams and welcome to my post for the Third day of #12daysofparenting. We have many prizes to giveaway! 

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Blake was only nine days old last Christmas but even so I have noticed how Christmas

changes when you have a child.

So here is How being a Mum has changed Christmas:

 Planning

I have always been very good with planning ahead but

now I am a Mum I plan even more in advance than I use to. 

I also plan a lot more things such as activities and things to do with Blake. 

The Christmas Tree

When you have a Christmas tree when you have a child 

you have child proof it! 

We had to chuck out our old Christmas baubles which are made

of glass and swapped for plastic ones.

If you do have a special Christmas decoration made from glass or ceramic than its best to place it near the top of the tree. 

Also from next year I have a feeling a stair gate around the tree will be needed. 

Getting up earlier

Gone are the days of being able to lay in bed on Christmas morning with a cup 

of coffee, a selection box whilst opening presents at 9am. 

When you have a child you wake up when they wake up. 

Last Christmas we were up at 7am feeding Blake after not having

much sleep at all. 

Drinking Less

I'm not a big drinker anyway so when I do drink it

effects me more. I use to drink more at Christmas than anytime

of year. I don't feel the need to drink much or if at all now. 

This year I'll be seen drinking Dr Pepper or a J2O. 

Enjoying things more

Having a child makes Christmas more exciting and enjoy the whole Christmas 

spirit a lot more than you do when you don't have a child. 

I look forward to watching Christmas films, listen to Christmas music, decorating the tree

and other festive activities a lot more. 

Lets face it as parents we look forward to taking our child to Santa 

and probably enjoy it a lot more than they do. 

There is also nothing better than doing special Christmas traditions such as 

a Christmas eve basket for your child/ren as well. 

Our Christmas code word is: Joyex

For more ideas on how being a parent has changed Christmas.

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A list to Santa

Hi, and thank you for hopping over from DIY Daddy Blog 

 and welcome to my post for the second day of #12daysofparenting. We have many prizes to giveaway! 

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Today's sponsor is Babybundle who are donating a Hoppy or a patch.  

Hi Santa 

As a busy Mum this year I would love for you to help me with a little something. 

This year please could I: 

- Be able to eat without my almost one year old getting up set and wanting some. 

-  A husband who will help me with the tidying up before bedtime

- To be able to have a relaxing bath without Blake crying in the background. 

- For my son not to touch the Christmas tree! 

- For Christmas dinner to be magically done without any effort

- Also a money tree would be rather good too 

Our Christmas code word is Pram

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Christmas and Toddler Groups

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Toddler groups can be a life saver so that as parents we can get out

of the house and meet other Mum's and Dads. 

However at Christmas time either groups stop running or 

the groups get extremely busy.

So if you don't have any Christmas groups on or don't want to be 

stuck at groups that are busy than here are some fab ideas of what you can get up to. 

Meet up with other parents

Arrange to do things with your Mummy/Daddy friends. 

Last month a Mummy friend set up a group of us to go over to 

each others homes for coffee and cake. 

This is a great idea if you don't want to spend money going out. 

Another idea is to go to soft play and meet up with your Mummy/Daddy friends. 

Go for a walk

This is a fab way to get out and about. 

I love going for walks to the park and also 

if you have any forests or woods near you they are also fab places to go for walks. 

This of course may not be something you would want to do if its really wet, windy and cold 

outside though. 

Arts and Crafts

There are so many Christmas arts and craft ideas on Pinterest 

so why not get out the paint, play dough or other crafty bits and have fun 

making something with your children. 

My favorite craft ideas are making Christmas tree decorations and special 

Christmas cards for Grandparents and/or other family members.  

Last of all if you do decided to go to some toddler groups around Christmas time 

than these handy tips may get you through. 

Pack what you need

Make sure you have spare clothing, bottles, snacks

and nappies just in case you really don't want to get caught out. 

Know where the changing facilities are

Not all places where groups are held have changing facilities.  

So it's  worth while not only knowing where they are if they do have them.

But also if they don't or there is a que where will be suitable to change your child. 

Do you have any more tips and ideas? 

Our Christmas code word is Tinsel 

For more ideas on how survive without toddler groups

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