Friday Favourites - Life Craft

So in my post yesterday I showed you my daughters bedroom which is my favourite room in our house.  I also briefly showed you the lampshade in her room, well here is a close up of it.

As I said yesterday I actually made this and am impressed with the results.  I follow Cath Kidston on twitter and saw that a company called LifeCraft were hosting a lampshade making course in their store for £30 (the course was £20 plus £10 for fabric).  I decided to sign up ASAP (after checking that my husband would pay and look after the children!) and wasn't disappointed.  It was such a nice afternoon spending time with some lovely ladies and feeling like I was actually doing something useful.  My mum was really crafty and creative and I'd like to be more like that so this course seemed like a great way to be crafty with some help from experts. They helped me choose this bird print which we thought went with the curtains (I took a picture on my phone) and of course it's so pretty.  It is quite grown up for my little girl but I think she can have this for years to come.  It turned out that it was really easy to make the lampshade - but having help from the other ladies was invaluable!

When I took it home I put it up in her room and showed it to her and she loved it!! She kept saying "mummy, birds" and if my husband asked her who made it for her she would answer "mummy". It was (and is still) quite a proud feeling.

I also did a Christmas craft course with the Lifecraft ladies and made both the children stockings.  This was one of my proudest parenting moments as they have lovely unique stockings now which I think look great!  I'm hoping that this Christmas I can do another Christmas craft course.  I'm also keeping an eye on their website for future courses as I know they do some day courses for making childrens clothes, although I'm not actually sure my skills on the sewing machine are quite good enough!

Do you like being creative and crafty?  Would love to see / hear about your creations!!

NB - I paid for the course myself, it's not a sponsored post - just done out of love!!

My favourite Room - My daughters bedroom

So this weekend saw a change - we gave our 2 year old a duvet.  She had been refusing to wear her sleepbag for a few weeks and had been wearing it as a blanket along with another blanket.  But I finally got round to getting her a duvet, pillow and covers.  After speaking to a friend we decided to just get a single duvet rather than a toddler bed one, it is a little big in her cot but at least we won't need to replace it in a year or two, it has also made it easier to find the right size linen.

I thought I would use this as a chance to show you my favourite room in our house, the little lady's room.  We decorated a few months ago and wanted to go for a girlie over princess.

She has two walls painted green but it's hard to see in this light.

I will do a post later in the week about her lampshade as I made it for her and I do love it.  Her curtains are from John Lewis and just beautiful.  We had them first and went for the green on the walls to coordinate.

This is the duvet set we went for - we need to get spares but this will do for now.  I bought this gorgeous floral and fairy set from Wilkinsons - I think it's one of the best shops on the high street for value and often find their products are great quality.

I love the prints on the wall, all three of them were actually presents.

Her bookshelf is a bit of a mess but there is no point tidying and re tidying!!
On the wall she has a welsh love spoon and a print from her christening.  It's her footprints and then messages from those that came to her (and her brothers) joint christening.  I actually thought up the idea and impressed myself with the creativity and how well it turned out! I love reading their messages everyday.
We do need to get more pictures up but at the moment we just have her with her godparents and then a picture of two of her friends on top of her wardrobe (similar here).

I love this room, it's cosy and girlie and not a princess room!  We need to sort out under her bookshelfs with more storage as there are too many toys under there.  We also want to make it a really cosy reading corner with lots of cushions etc but one step at a time.

What's your favourite room in your house?  Do you like how you've done your children(s) rooms?

NB - This is NOT a sponsored post!!  All bought and paid for by us!

Pancakes!

Some times at weekends I try and make breakfast a little bit more special and with pancake day this week I thought some blueberry pancakes would be appropriate.  I don't do these very often as you obviously add sugar but they are seriously delicious. It's even better to have a little helper who wants to help stir

Although I have to be honest, often as a parent you're looking forward to things such as a nice breakfast but it doesn't always go that way that you plan in your head. Prior to the pancakes being served two grumpy children were voicing their hunger very loudly! So we did appease them with some cereal first and when the pancakes were done we all certainly enjoyed them - especially the little man who managed to get blueberry juice all round his face!! But it wasn't quite the relaxing morning I had planned in my head!

Do you have a special breakfast you like to make?

MAD Blog Awards

This weeks Monday's moment is a little self indulgent so please excuse me.  Last week I found out that someone had nominated me in the MAD blog awards under the category "Most entertaining blog".  Now I'm not going to lie I was utterly shocked but also over the moon!  I started this blog about 6 weeks ago and have been amazed at the response and feedback I have received and to receive a nomination just put me on cloud 9!

Since I mentioned this on my facebook page a few people asked how to vote, so here is the link and the categories I'm eligible for: Blog of the year, Best blog writer, Best new blog and most entertaining blog.  I would love it if anyone who has a spare minute and likes reading my blog votes for me.  I don't for a minute think that I will win (I read some amazing blogs) but I'll be truthful with you, it feels amazing to know that someone has taken the time to vote for me.  So thank you if you're the person who has voted and thank you to anyone who does vote; I really, really appreciate it!!

Friday Favourite - Sophie the Giraffe

The Friday Favourite on the Swan Project this week is a popular product - Sophie the Giraffe.

I love Sophie and both my children have loved Sophie too.  She is a natural rubber giraffe with a little "squeaker" inside.  Designed to soothe sore gums during teething it is also the perfect size and shape for little hands and mouths.

Once my daughter was a few months old I soon realised that Sophie was a "must have" item.  I try to avoid buying popular products just for the sake of it but it dawned on me that all babies should have a Sophie in their lives.  My daughter loved playing with her a lot!!

For Christmas due to the fact that Sophie had been so well used and my son had managed to be sick right over her squeaker we decided that Father Christmas should bring our son a new Sophie.  I also decided that we should add to our Sophie family with this gorgeous teething ring too:

We have attached this to some plastic links we had which are perfect for little gums to chew on.  It was an instant hit.

Now I have noticed a new addition to the Sophie family so if you don't want to buy a Sophie because everyone has it, or are worried that too many babies in one room will mean that you go home with the wrong Sophie then let me recommend this cutie; FanFan the Fawn:

If you love Sophie too then I recommend checking out the website.  There are so many beautiful products on there that you can add to your collection.  I think that my son is starting to come to the age where he's less interested in teething toys and more interested in moving and getting the remote control but I'm pleased that he had a Sophie in his life.  

Please note - I was not paid or asked to write this review.  I have done it based on my experience only and because I love it!

20 things about returning to work

So I've done one whole week (well minus a day but who's counting?) back at work and here are 20 things about returning to work; some tips and some observations.  I'd love to hear any additions you have to my list!

1. Wear deodorant - I've been wearing deodorant for at least 15 years but for some reason on my first day back I completely forgot to apply it so spent the whole day paranoid that I smelt. Not the best move for a first day
2. Break in heels - so if like me you have been living in flats whilst looking after the children then I really suggest breaking in your heels. I was in pain by 9.30am and I was sat down most of the time! It really is worth getting used to heels before wearing them for a whole day!
3. Don't drink too much coffee - like when I first started work when someone asks if you want a tea or coffee I said yes... Big mistake especially as I usually drink decaf still so there were a few shakes going on with too much caffeine in my system.
4. Remember dresses ride up - so when I returned to work last time I was pregnant so this time I needed new work clothes. Lots of dresses looked nice in the changing room but I totally forgot about that annoying thing that dresses do... Ride up! Grr so annoying having to remember to keep pulling them down all the time.
5. Cake is all around - it's always someone's birthday. No matter how much you're "trying to behave" forget it, temptation is all around and of course you're back at work so you "deserve it". This week, this is the week that I will behave... Unlikely....
6. Some people will be more pleased to see you than you expect - I got a big hug from a woman that I didn't know that well and asked to see pictures of the kids. Great, more than happy to do this and always happy that people are pleased to see me but so surprised by who wanted to see them. I was a little shocked but it was a nice feeling. 
7. You have to be creative from the start - "ooh you had one of each, not need for anymore or anymore maternity leave" err awkward actually we've always wanted 3, cue a little nod from me and not saying a lot.
8. Everyone will assume you're sleep deprived and those parents who are will hate you if you're not - we've been lucky our kids sleep well and the only reason I was tired was because I woke early, not the children. But those parents at work who have been woken the previous night will stare at you with daggers. 
9. Some conversations will come to an abrupt end - "so are you working full time?" "Yes I am" ... End of conversation as there isn't really a lot to add.
10. You realise how big you must have been when you left - "wow... You looking amazing"  I obviously liked the compliment but they didn't need to sound quite so surprised.
11. It helps to remember your job title and team - when I returned to work last time I returned to a different role and team. When I then got introduced to people and they asked what I was doing I kept forgetting. Not very professional, it would definitely help to remember what you do and who you do it for.
12. You need to re learn how to sit in a chair - if like me you spend most of your time on the floor then you need to re learn how to sit in a chair. Especially one that swivels, I felt like the work experience kid who's never sat on a office chair before.
13. The adult conversation that you've "been missing out on" isn't that stimulating - at lunch time the conversation took a turn to talking about pickle and big or small chunks. Not the intellectual conversation that people like to make out that you've been missing out on then. 
    
14. There can be good banter - but you need to remember that some people will react as badly as your two year old. Oops! Must remember those sensitive types who can't handle a joke.
15. You quickly end up talking "business speak" - please don't hate me but I did use the phrase "touch base" this week. I cringed and shrunk in my seat a little as soon as I said it. 
16. Business is much like home - by this I mean you go back to find that budgets are being squeezed and the profit needs to improve. Much like home then. But at least my employer is still making a profit
17. You may need to work on your concentration - Particularly in a meeting which spends a lot of time on semantics rather than actually "doing" anything and you might find yourself planning your food menu... Or thinking up blog post ideas.
18. You have to talk to people you don't like - whilst on mat leave I got to spend a lot of time with people I like. Forget it when you get back to work, it doesn't matter whether you like them or not you have to be professional and get on with them
19. But you may also remember how many good friends you have there - I made the most of the first week at work and managed to have lots of coffee catch ups with some lovely friends. This reminded me what nice people I am surrounded by at work which makes leaving the kids that bit easier. 
20. But it'll never be as fun - I work for a good company but let's be honest it doesn't compare to spending time with your children, seeing friends, jumping in muddle puddles and generally being child like yourself! But it's worth trying to make the most of what ever situation you're in. 

Friday's Favourite Pic N Mix Pictures

Today's post is about a lovely little company called Pic N Mix Pictures and their story cards.

Whilst I do want to stay up to date in the IT world and continue learning (I have a LOT to learn as I'm not the best on computers) I have to admit that I haven't let my children play too much with computers.  We have an I Pad and I have let my daughter use it when we have stayed at people's houses and she's up early to watch Peppa Pig to keep her amused or watch Mr Tumbles if we're stuck in a traffic jam but that's all.  I have this internal debate with myself about not wanting them to be behind with IT compared to their peers versus getting out in the "real world" and playing with "real" things and read "real" books!  I'm sure this debate will rage on in my head over the next few decades but whilst they're not interested in computers I'm quite happy!!  So I do like to find products that are real rather than virtual and fuel little imaginations.

I go the opportunity to try Pic n Mix Story cards and was delighted when these beautiful cards turned up.  The idea is that you shuffle them up and turn over 4 cards and make up a random story with your child(ren).  My daughter at 2 years old seemed a bit young for this, I started a story but she soon said "no Mummy"... I'm sure her imagination will develop over the next year or so to enable us to use these story cards.

In the meantime I used them as flashcards something I know her nursery uses.  I turned them over and she told me what the pictures were, she knew most of them but has also now learnt "pirate ship" and "lighthouse".  Great!  She loved turning them over and telling me what the pictures were!  But this seemed to be short lived and I was just about to send the cards to my friend with a 3 year old for a review when I discovered that my husband had created a new game with them.  I'm actually really impressed with his creativity here.  I discovered he had been putting the pictures up in the hallway and then asking our daughter to go and get which ever one he called out so "lighthouse" for example.  Some of them would be up high (above the door) so required a bit more searching and others would be on the rail.  I love this creative game and it kept her occupied for ages!  So the cards have not only helped her develop more words but has also made us adults use our imaginations!!

Now these cards... As everyone knows I love a bargain! These story cards are £7 but even better for £9 you can get a personalised pack.  They also do an ABC book which is £7 or a personalised one for £10. I think these would make wonderful gifts for children and it's so nice to have a gift that doesn't require a screen and uses the little ones imaginations.  We have loved playing with these cards, they're beautiful pictures and the cards are a great quality.  I think we're going to get a lot of use out of these cards over the next few years and have a lot of fun whilst doing so.

Disclaimer.... I was sent these story cards to try for free but all views are my own.

Reflections on 9 months with two children

Finishing my second maternity leave has left me in a very reflective mood and I've tried two or three times to write this post and in different formats but always got stuck.  I feel most reflective on how I felt when I went on maternity leave to the place where I am now and it almost feels like two different people.  I think trying to write this post several times has been good because it's jogged my memory about how I really was 9 months ago and how I was feeling.

As I wasn't blogging then (such as shame because it would be really good to actually have written about our impending changes) I will start from the beginning.  I went on maternity leave at 38 weeks pregnant and I was big!!  I'm only 5ft1" and unknown at the time but when the little man came out at 41 weeks he was 8lb13oz - I remember looking at him and just wondering how on earth he fitted in there.  So I was really uncomfortable and I was tired.  I think it's such a shame that most women can't sleep that well during pregnancy, we don't need the "practice" etc, we need the rest! Especially in subsequent pregnancies, they are so much harder on your body as you don't naturally rest as much because you have another one to look after.  By the time my maternity leave came I was ready for it and luckily we had decided to keep our little girl in nursery for the first month and I'm so pleased we did.  At the end of the pregnancy I felt like I was an awful mother because I just didn't have the physical capabilities that I had (I really missed giving her a tight cuddle) and I was worried about all the changes that were about to happen.  Once the little man came out I immediately felt better, I could suddenly move more easily, I could give her cuddles and strangely had more energy - I guess that big baby wasn't weighing me down anymore!!  But I still worried about what all these changes were going to do to number 1 - were we going to ruin her life by bringing in a sibling, especially one so close in age? Would our lovely mother / daughter bond be broken for ever? Was I ever going to cope with two? Were we all going to survive until the end of my maternity leave? Will I sleep again?  Will number 2 be colicky? Will he get into a routine as easily as number 1? And the endless questions went on... and on.... and on....

Having spoken to my friends I think this is completely normal as most people seem to worry about how the dynamics are going to shift when another child comes along.  Obviously it's usually something that people have wanted all along but as the saying goes "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" so if your dynamics work with one why would you have a second? Of course you have to think more long term but when hormones get involved that's very difficult and sometimes the worrying can take over about whether you're doing the right thing or not.  I also think being at work I was very isolated as I didn't really see my "mummy" friends that I had seen a lot and didn't know that the phases that number 1 was going through at 15 months were completely normal and she wasn't becoming really naughty, she just wasn't going to say yes to everything right away.  Having this network set back up when I went on maternity leave really helped, I honestly believe sometimes that good friends can save you from therapy!

And of course here we are 9 months later with two wonderful children.  A 9 month old and a 2 year old, they both survived and so did both parents and our marriage!  We did sleep again, around the 12 week mark which I'm thankful for as having two is exhausting.  Number 2 wasn't colicky and he did get into a routine like number 1.  In some ways he didn't do it as easily as she did but in other ways such as by giving him the dummy the routine actually came easier.  We also managed to then take away the dummy as that was another thing I overly worried about.  I'm not going to lie, there were / are tough times / long days...  My mind is taken back to a few particular instances; number 1 falling off the sofa a couple of times whilst I was feeding and she was trying to get up; number 1 crying and pulling at my legs whilst I'm trying to change number 2 who's also crying at the top of his voice especially before bedtime; His 6 week check when he had a meltdown (guess what the doctors were running late) because he was hungry then she wanted "up" - there was no where for her to come up to because I was on a little chair and then this led to a double meltdown in public. Luckily the doctor gave us her treatment room to hide in (feed) and sort ourselves out but that was a hard morning. But we developed ways to deal with these tricky times for example feeding on the big bed especially when number 1 was tired - there is room for everyone and room to give cuddles, so she's much less likely to fall down.  We got into bath / bed time routines which actually worked better for everyone than before and well the doctors... That's still annoying!  We waited 1/2 hour before our appointment this morning and although no meltdown I did have a lively, loud toddler running around.  I did get a few looks from doctors when they came to get patients but if they ran to time then my toddler wouldn't be bored and fidgety so I'm not taking the blame there!

Overall I feel like the age gap we have is the best thing we ever did.  I love it.  I've got to spend more time with my little girl whilst she's young and I've also got the loveliest little boy on the planet and not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for them.  I wish I could go back to that person I was 9 months ago and reassure her but I can't so I just hope that for anyone that is reading this and is in (or will be) in a similar position that this reassures you, you will come through it and find ways to deal with two little ones.  Trust your instincts and try to enjoy them whilst they're little because the time goes by even faster the second time!

The return to work is here

So today is the eve of my return to work (well eve, eve as I'm returning Tuesday) and I'm feeling pretty rubbish about it.  It feels really different returning this time to when I returned to work last time, not least because last time I was 4 months pregnant!  But also as a second time parent I'm not nervous about my children, it's me that I'm nervous for!

My children will be going to nursery full time.  It's a sad fact and one I wish I could change but under current circumstances this is the way it is and that can't be changed.  The nursery they will go to is the same one that my daughter has been at since 9 months (since I've been on maternity leave she's continued going two days a week) and it is a wonderful nursery.  Last time I was nervous about her attending a nursery, I had in my head a vision of snotty, ill toddlers that were crying most of the time and just doing messy play.  I also had a conversation with a childminder (who I'd turned down) who said she hated the thought of a child going to nursery and "staring at the same four walls all day everyday".  Well none of this could be further from the truth, well apart from the snotty nose thing except they teach them to blow and wipe their noses and dispose
of the tissues!  Their nursery is brilliant and really stimulating.  They have a ballpool, garden with a couple of rabbits, go on walks, have an imaginary room etc, they have a brilliant time there whilst also building really good social skills.  For my daughter at 9 months going to nursery was actually the best thing for her as she was a bit of a mummy's girl and was / is shy in some situations and was starting to get a bit clingy.  Going to nursery was brilliant for her socially as she's not clingy now at all and although she is still shy (that part of her won't change) once she's settled into a place she's herself again.  I wonder if she had gone to a childminder full time if she would have just become clingy to them as well as / instead of me, we'll never know.  Nursery also has some unexpected benefits; they tend to be good eaters, they learn how to use cutlery from a young age, they learned from a young age how to climb and descend stairs safely etc.  So, overall I know the children are going into a really good environment.

The downside to this stimulating environment is the tiredness.  I didn't really realise until I was on maternity leave the second time how much it takes out of them.  I just thought my daughter was grumpy on Saturday's because we weren't stimulating her enough and because the house isn't as child friendly as nursery (therefore she her the word "no" a lot more).  They get so tired that you then lose part of your weekend because they're exhausted from the week that has just been and when children are tired they test boundaries, a lot.  But at least we're prepared for this and I will keep everyone posted on how we deal with this.

Most of all I feel like I'm losing my freedom.  Sure we do certain things on certain days but we have plenty of free time to do what we want, when we want - within reason as you always have to think about nap time! During the week I'm in charge and I can choose who we see, when we see them and what we do and it's lovely.  Don't get me wrong, I love family time at the weekends but I have to compromise what I want to do with what my husband wants to do.  And now during the week if I want to go away I have to request leave and I can't just come and go as I please.  I also won't see my friends and their little ones who I will miss just as much as my two and I'm finding it hard to think about not seeing these lovely little people all the time.  I will make more effort to see people at weekends but it does require effort, when you're all off at the same time it's easy and that's what I've been used to.
In an ideal world I wouldn't work or I'd work part time and still send my children to nursery as there are so many benefits from going but I guess it's the real world and I just need to suck it up and I just need to put my game face on and get on with it.  But the real world sucks doesn't it!!

Swimming Week - Part 4

When I mentioned on twitter that I was doing swimming week I was asked by @muddlebymum for tips on taking two young ones swimming at the same time.  Well, in all honesty I hadn't thought to much about this before as I've not had to do it.  But I promised to do a post for her and have a think about the best way to take two little ones at the same time.

Now some of this may be repetitive from Wednesday's What to buy post but I will also be adding to this list!  For the elder of the two children (muddlebymum will have a 14 month gap similar to my 15 month gap so I'm going to assume the eldest is at least this age) I would have them in armbands and if they're quite small for their age then I would also recommend a Konfidence suit to keep them warm as they won't be able to have your full attention.  As well as armbands having an extra floatation aid such as a woggle may well be a benefit.

For the baby I would also recommend a Konfidence suit to keep them a bit warmer and I would recommend a babyseat too.  This way you will have your arms free to deal with both children.

I would recommend taking a small ball with you when you go swimming.  This will help to entertain your toddler as you can gentle throw it between you (and it will splash a bit which is all part of the fun!), push it between you, get them to push it with their nose etc.  It will be great to have something to entertain them and help build their confidence in the water.

Also think about what to do after you get out of swimming.  I would recommend a hooded towel to go straight over your toddler to start to dry them off and get them warm and for a baby I read about this great product on Toby Goes Bananas.

It's called an Apres Splash all in one.  It's basically a towel and "go home" outfit all in one.  All you need to do is put a nappy on then lie them on it and do up the poppers.  You don't need to wrestle with a wriggly baby or worry about getting clothes on them.  Just put them in this and they will dry off and get warm.  Since you'll have not only a baby but a toddler to get dressed anything that makes this a bit easier will be welcome!!

Swimming Week - Part 3

I hope you have found the posts on swimming useful this week.  If you haven't seen them yet then here is my post on swimming lessons and my first set of tips for taking your child swimming.  I have also come across this great post from Time Waits for no mum about changing room etiquette, it's worth a read to bring a smile to your face. Swimming is a great skill for your child to learn but particularly for young children the most important thing to do is to have fun!  Below are some things that you can do with them in the pool to learn to have fun and also build up their skills in the water.  But I would also recommend to also introduce water safety when you take them swimming such as how to get in and out of the pool nicely as whilst they enjoy the water it's important for them to respect it to.

• When you go swimming get in first, ideally from the side by sitting down putting two hands to one side, turning around and sliding in then get your child to repeat.  It's important that they learn to get in like this every time as they may be entering shallow water and if they just jump straight in they could hurt themselves.
• Blow bubbles!  This is great to encourage them to get their mouths into the water and blow out rather than swallow the water.  My daughter doesn't always do as I ask (surprising for a 2 year old?!!) so won't blow bubbles unless Mummy has a turn first! So we take it in turns then see who can blow the noisiest / quietest bubbles.
• As I mentioned in my previous post pretending to wash your face in the water is a great way to start getting wet and getting water up to the face.  Your child may again want to take this in turn.
• Sing....! Our favourite songs in the water are:
• Grand old Duke of York... When they're up lift them up and when they're down... Well you know! You can start by just bringing them down or if you're feeling brave let go at the top! My daughter loves this! She has her armbands on and so doesn't go far under the water (I don't just drop her don't worry!) and we start every lesson off with this song.
• Humpty Dumpy... On the first line sit them on the wall and then when he "has a great fall" let them fall forward.  When they're a bit older they can be encouraged to fall forward and then swim forward to you but to begin with they can just fall forward into your arms.  Encourage splashing and smile and giggle lots about getting wet as it all helps to build their confidence.  
• Ring a Roses... You can sing this one quietly to them but when they all fall down it's a good one to give a dunk or even just put mouths in the water and blow bubbles.
• Row Row your boat..... is a good one in the water.  You can hold hands and row row pulling each other together and away.
• Other things to try in the water:
• Taking a small floating ball with you as there are so many things you can try; pushing with your nose, pushing with your hands, holding with your hands, splashing / moving it with your feet
• Splash!! Before you get in you can sit on the side and splash your feet then in the water you can encourage splashing.  With young children they often simply don't know what it means to "kick your legs" so you need to think about the language you use and showing them what you mean.  So splashing your feet before you get in gives an idea of how to do it in the water.  You can try saying things like splash your feet or I'll come and tickle them!
• Jumping in! This is a great way to build confidence but it's really important to teach them safety as well.  Start with toes over the edge and don't let them jump until you tell them they can go.  You can start by taking hands, then them jumping to you and you holding, then letting them "hide" under the water when they jump in.  This all adds to the fun of the pool.
• Jumping in is also a great way to get them to get their faces wet but if you're feeling brave then you can dunk them under the water.  A good way to do this is to blow on their faces then take them gently under.  If you blow of their faces every time this get them to learn to close their mouths.  They may not react well but they will get used to it, when they come up smile and give kisses and reassurance.
• If you have a woggle (see here) then you can do all sorts of fun things with it.  You can tie it in a knot to make a motorbike (you'll have two handles) and can blow bubbles to make the engine noise, ride on a horse (sit with it between the legs), sit on a swing.  They're great versatile floats.
• If you use armbands it's also good to have some time at the end of a session without them so they learn how different their bodies feel without them.  Armbands are my preferred aide but it is a personal choice.  With armbands you can also take out a little bit of air as they get stronger.

My next post will be about swimming with two children! I hope you've enjoyed swimming week, I'd love to hear your comments.

Love Is...

So the lovely My Petit Canard has tagged me to continue her Love Is... Post.  And so in true blogger commitment here is My Love Is... Post and some tags at the bottom, would be great if we could continue spreading the love over the Valentines season.

There are obvious topics that I could choose to cover in my Love Is... Post; My husband, my children etc... But I've chosen innate objects...

This may sound a bit random but as a parent you soon love random objects that bring strange joy to young children.  Things such as a pack of wipes, who knew wipes could keep little ones occupied for such a long time? Plastic water bottles, children love playing with these and biting them etc.  The list of objects I have new love for goes on:

• The syringe you get in nurofen / calpol.  
• Keys
• Mobile Phone
• Remote Control
• Teaspoons
• My Wallet
• Bottle Lids
• Teething gel tube

The list of my random objects love goes on... It might sound strange but when you find something that keeps your children occupied, especially when they're teething you find a sense of calm and relief that their little hands are busy for once!  I would love to hear what other strange objects people love!

So thanks @mypetitcanard for starting this off! Here's my tagging list.... Look forward to reading some more "Love is..." Posts, over to you.... @awhole9months @wrymummy @lollinski @muddlebymum @hurrahforgin

What to buy for swimming...

So this week on The Swan Project is all about swimming.  If you haven't seen them yet then you can check out my post about swimming lessons and my first set of tips for swimming with your child. Going swimming with your child is a great activity to do together.  In truth you don't need to buy a lot but here are a few things that I think are useful to get:

Konfidence Babywarma

Young children particularly those under 1 when they're not moving as much can get really cold in a swimming pool.  These babywarma suits are great for giving them a little bit of extra warmth and also have the added benefit that it makes them much easier to hold onto in the water so no chance of them slipping through your hands! They're normally £18.99 but are down to £14.99 at the moment and have some great designs (I love the spotty one).

Huggies Little Swimmers

You'll need a swim nappy rather than a normal nappy when you take your child swimming as a normal nappy with just absorb all the water and become huge!  I've tried own brand nappies but these are the best because the sides split when you're finished so you don't need to pull them down after (my daughter has chunky little thighs and trying to pull a wet swim nappy down after is hard work!!).

Konfidence Neo Nappy

When taking very young children some swimming pools / schools ask you to put them in a "happy nappy" which is an extra nappy (they have a disposable or reusable swim nappy underneath this).  It's designed to be fairly tight on the legs and tummy so that no "accidents" can escape the nappy as pools have to close if there is "No. 2" floating around!  These are currently reduced from £9.99 to £8.49.

Armbands

I maybe old school but armbands are my preferred choice for a floating aide.  I would probably start using around 12-15 months when they will start to want to be a bit more independent in the water.  My daughter tried the foam ring armbands but 3 each side didn't hold her above the water!! In the years I've been teaching swimming I've found armbands the best for body position and also for progressing on.  You can take a tiny amount of air out each time you go swimming so they get stronger and it becomes smaller steps to take them off rather than on or off.  If your child is close to swimming without armbands then you can switch to the smaller baby armbands and start taking the air out of them.  I also prefer the style shown here rather than the "roll up" armbands.  We tried with our daughter but they're not that easy to get on with little arms.
Zoggs have started doing George and Peppa Pig armbands which are great fun!  I think my daughter would want these as George is her favourite character!! They're £7.50 for the pair.

Hooded Towel

If your child can walk then I really recommend a hooded towel.  They're so easy to slip over their head and it really helps keep them warm and dry their hair a bit.  We asked for this Peppa Pig towel above for Christmas (actually we got two) and we use them for swimming and bath time.  It makes life so much easier, especially those bath times when my husband hasn't got home and I'm trying to dress the baby first - it means there is no towel slipping down leaving a cold toddler. This towel is £5.30 on Amazon currently.

Woggle
image source

Woggles are great in conjunction with armbands but also if you have some time at the end of your session without armbands woggles can be used in a variety of ways.  See tomorrow's post for idea's of what to do with a woggle.

Bath Squirters

Taking some bath squirters along for some extra fun and splash is a good idea!

Swimming Week - Part 2

As you will have read in my first post of "swimming week" I love swimming and my daughter is a true water baby.  But I have been a bit rubbish at taking my son swimming and only did it once in 7 months which I'm not proud of.  He enjoyed this first session when we went at 6 months (he's now 9 months) and loves his bath so when I took him a few weeks ago I wasn't expecting a negative reaction.  However he didn't like it and I think I underestimated the difference in him going into a small, warm bath to going into a big swimming pool. He wasn't happy the whole time we were in there.

I resolved after this to take him every week at least until I returned to work. I took him the following week after our disaster and there was proof that his memory is extending because as soon as we arrived on our second session he started crying in the changing rooms!! But we carried on and went into the pool, determined that we weren't getting out until I at least got a smile... And it worked!  We sang some songs, did some splashing and we even did a few underwater "swims" and he not only smiled but we got giggles too! Result! So I thought I would share a few top tips for taking your little ones swimming, please feel free to let me know of anymore!

• Make sure you take them at a good time of day. IE I usually take my son around 3pm because he's had his long nap so he shouldn't be tired and he has a bottle at 2pm so he won't be hungry. It's worth trying where possible to ensure that they are not near nap time and won't be hungry to ensure they'll be as comfortable as possible. 
• Stay calm! Think swan (project!!), you want to appear calm on the surface even if you're a ball of nerves underneath.  Your child will feed off your mood so calm and happy is the way forward
• Start by having a cuddle with your little one and having a jump around the pool.  If you get splashed at all embrace it! Giving lots of cuddles is reassuring for them in this alien environment and it will help them feel secure.
• You can wash their face to get wet, remember that you can do it too and smile whilst you do it!
• Sing!! Singing is a great way to calm them down especially if they have a favourite song.  It doesn't have to be loud, it can just be calmly sung in their ear so they can hear it and no one else! Singing is a great distraction for them and also gives them something familiar.
• You can move them around on their tummies with your hands under their shoulders and on their backs with their heads on your shoulder.  If your little one is teething then they may not like being on their back so don't force it if they don't like it just change positions.
• Swish them from side to side (vertically but horizontally will work too) as they will like the lightweight feeling and this is actually an amazing trick to calm them down and helped my little boy! I did some swishing with him (my hands under his shoulders, him on his tummy) and this is when he started to relax.
• Don't expect too much too soon, if they're not enjoying it then don't stay make yourselves stay in until they do smile as it may take a few short sessions before they relax and if you stay in too long they'll get cold which will make them even unhappier.
• Have fun!!  Swimming especially at this young age should be about having fun and enjoying yourselves in the water.  It may take a few sessions before they're really having fun in the water so don't force it and just go with the flow.  

Later in the week I will post some more ideas of what to do with your child in the swimming pool as well as what to buy for swimming and how to cope with two little ones in the swimming pool.

Monday's Moment Swimming

The rest of swimming week is dedicated to swimming with babies or children but of course Monday is dedicated to the adults!! Swimming is a brilliant exercise for young or old and all those in between but of course it can feel like a lonely sport at times with your head down counting the tiles as they go by.  So I thought I'd bring you some of the events that you can get involved with to motivate you a little bit more.

British Gas Swimfit

Swimfit is an online club of sorts for swimming as adult which brings you a coachzone with various work outs provided and also challenges that you can get involved in.  Getting work out cards from swim fit is a great way to bring variety to your swimming and we all know variety is the spice of life! If you have different sessions then it will keep your interest in swimming a lot longer than going and doing the same amount of lengths each time.  As an extra benefit swim fit members get 20% off Speedo too!

Swimathon

You may think that it's only children who do a swimathon? Wrong! This years swimathon has linked up to raise money for Sport Relief and you can do 1.5km, 2.5km, 5km or a team event.  Having an event like the swimathon is a great way to get motivated to train and also do good at the same time!!

Open Water Series

Over the last few years open water swimming has become much more popular with more events taking place each year.  If you're a confident swimmer then these events are a great way to get involved and do something different from your normal swimming activities.  These events become quite popular so it's best to book your place early!!  This is on my hit list for next year! I haven't done any outdoor swimming the past so I'm not sure I'll like it but I'd like to give it a go.  I'd like to do the event at Eton Dorney which was the Olympic rowing venue.

Have you got any swimming events planned? Or have you just started swimming? Would love to hear from you if you plan to do any challenges like this!!

Midweek Meal Makeover 5/52 sweet potato, broccoli and Feta Frittata

So we're into the second month of the year and my new years resolution is still going strong, this is pretty good right?!  So meal number 5 is a first for me - a frittata, I've made omelettes before with plenty of fillings but never a frittata so after this recipe card from Waitrose had been sitting in my file for over 2 years I thought it was time to give it a try!

Ok - Before you look at the pictures, please again excuse my laziness for using my I-phone again as I failed to get my canon out! And please excuse the broken plate in the background! My only saving grace is that for once it wasn't me who broke it!!

This frittata should be served with salad, please excuse me for just having cucumber - it was all the salad we had in the house!
Now about the frittata... Yum!! It serves four and since it used 7 eggs (yes 7!!) I decided just to have my quarter and try and be good about portions for once, especially after last weeks massive portion.  It was seriously yummy, I urge you to try this one and now think a frittata could be a regular meal for us; it's healthy, packed full of veg and the leftovers will be perfect for lunch for the children! And of course it's cheap to make, is there nothing not to like?! I'm looking forward to trying new combinations and think grated courgette maybe a great one to add in as well as spinach and peas!
It's also got to be well done to Waitrose - Their recipes always hit the mark and I can assure you that there will be more Waitrose recipes featured here in the coming weeks!

How are your new years resolutions going? Am keen to hear whether people are sticking to them or not!

What to buy when your child only wants to wear party dresses!

Christmas and then a January birthday meant that there was plenty of excuses for my two year old daughter to dress up into a party dress.  This now has the consequence that she only want to wear party dresses which to be honest I'm not that upset about except for the fact that it's still cold and she insists on taking off her tights and cardigans!  Luckily I have been able to get her to wear trousers to nursery since they have soft play there and a party dress just isn't practical!

We've been lucky that we do have a good supply of dresses that can fall under the "party dress" umbrella but I thought it would be a good excuse to have a look around at the cutest dresses for girls just in case you have a special occasion coming up or like my daughter you just want to make the everyday a little bit more special!

Joules Rose Print Dress

A gorgeous rose print dress that is very girly without being pink! Love the contrasting red bow.  £39.95

JoJo Maman Bebe Shirt dress

This isn't a traditional "party dress" shape but it makes it more practical (sorry to be boring!). We have a similar dress from The Little White Company and our daughter wore it to a christening last year but it's also versatile enough to be worn day to day as a light summer dress.  This is £18.

Boden Party Dress

I do try and have my daughter in girly clothes but not head to toe in pink but sometimes a dress comes along that just looks right in pink and this is one of those! Again we have a similar one from Next that someone bought for us last year and it looks gorgeous in the summer! We had some family pictures taken with our daughter in this dress and she loves wearing it too! This dress is £38.

Sainsbury's Horse Print Dress

If your little girl loves prints and having things to point at on her dress then she may well love this horse print dress from Sainsbury's.  It's £16.

To see all these dresses and more please check out my Pinterest board

All the Small things

So a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon mummy never sleeps and in particular her linky about "all the small things".  I love this idea and really think that it's a great idea to take a little bit of time out and give a little bit of space and time to the small things that happen in life because really they may be small but they amount to big things in the end!

Strangely like mummy never sleeps my small things post this week starts with a poo story!  Walking into my 2 year old's room I knew that there was a great big poo waiting for me, it stank! But poo, what's special about that when you're a parent? Well when I turned on the light my daughter and I realised this was no ordinary poo.  Oh dear, she's out of her sleep bag AND it's a leaky nappy! Argh! And cue the crying from my toddler as she realises she has "dirty hands mummy".  It had got everywhere as these things do so everything was stripped and cleaned and she was put in the bath to have a quick shower which she hates.  So, not the best start today but onward we went down to breakfast and all was fine.  In fact it was all "fine" until we got the little one up from his morning nap when she started playing up a little.  This I can cope with but she refused to sit on the step when asked so the whole morning went downhill from there and she gave me those "couldn't give a damn eyes" which got me wound up!!  I was so looking forward to nap time although in typical style she didn't nap!  As the afternoon passed we went out and had a nice day but she still played up some what and a text from my husband around 5.30pm saying he wouldn't make bathtime actually gave me great joy as I decided that a slightly early night was in order.  It was when my husband got home that the small thing happened.  My husband said "oh I'm too late to see the kids, that's a shame" and I thought he was being sarcastic as he knew what type of day I'd had, then he said that he wanted to go in and see our daughter but as she'd just gone down didn't want to disturb her and said that all he really wanted to do at the end of a day at work was see the kids and spend a bit of time with them.  This made me smile, my husband wanted to see our kids and not only see them but spend time with them, even when they're being a little on the naughty side!  I knew this about my husband already, it wasn't a surprise but it was so nice to hear.  I, like most probably often don't take enough time to appreciate my husband and how good he is with our children and how much he loves them so when I heard him say that he wanted to see them I gave him a hug, just a small thing but good none the less!