Wednesday 29 September 2010

Co-Sleeping

Last night, Louie slept in my bed for the whole night. It isn't the first time it has happened but it was a little experiment. I wouldn't say we co-sleep usually, Louie has ALL his naps on me, and usually ends up in our bed in the morning, but not all night.
Yesterday Papa went home to Burnley leaving Lou and me on our own. Louie had a massive nap in the evening and woke at 6:45, 15 mins before bed time, and totally skipping his tea! We kept him up as long as possible and we went up at 9 for his bath, which Nana gave him for a change :) And he finally fell asleep in my bed at 10 (After a bit of a struggle)

So Louie only woke up twice, once somewhere probably around 1 or 2 o clock, then at 6. Both times, he had less milk than usual, took his dummy and rolled over to sleep whereas usually, he would be up having milk for about 10-15 mins, would fight his dum and probably be back asleep within 30-45 mins.

I guess I will have to make the most of it until Papa gets home (whenever that may be) and try and get some sleep. Our bed just isn't big enough for the three of us unfortunately.

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Breastfeeding a Big Boy!

We are now in our 8th month of breastfeeding and as I write this, Louie is having some milkies!
He is sat on my lap drinkin, it would probably look very bizarre to most people but Lou is comfortable and enjoying himself!
He has splatter marks all over his chest from where he has unlatched to thoughtfully lick his lips and milk hasnt stopped flowing but covered us both instead!

I love feeding my son and have no intention of stopping any time soon. He loves it and so do I :)

Back Again!

We have been away, in Burnley to visit Dan's family. It was nice to get away and not actually do anything.
We finally met our new niece, Summer Daisy Hancock, now 5 weeks old! What a sweetheart. Was lovely to see mother and baby doing well.

Not much to report, the car passed its MOT but got injured in the process. A Mitsubishi Shogun reversed into it and put a major dent in the boot lid so Dan is back up there getting it repaired!

Dave made Louie some beautiful homemade Veggie soup, so delicious we both had seconds!
Oh and we managed to use cloth nappies, as usual, at night time. Very proud. We did use our Flip disposables in the day though and they were very reliable. No leaks at all, Very impressed!

And I introduced Dani to her close carrier. She loved it and was feeding in it straight away. I am proud of her!

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Christmas Presents, Part One!

This year, I made the decision to make as many Christmas presents as I can. Money is going to be tight this year as I will be jobless so it will be a way of everyone having lovely presents, and it not costing us the earth.

I managed to get some fabric cheaply from Ebay, 1 metre of two different fabrics, some patchwork squares and lacey ribbon. I decided I wanted to make a pinny for my sister, as she bakes cakes as a second job and I thought it would be a nice gift. The metre fabric will actually do 4 pinnies but I have decided to do a matching one for my niece, so they can look super cute baking cakes together!
I also have a few more ideas in hand for gifts for friends.
Hopefully, I will be able to sew well enough to make these projects, I will just have to take my time.

So here is the first installment!
My new sewing bag! (well its an old bag but I've never had a sewing bag before!
The projects I am working on ;)

The main part of the pinney, all pinned ready to hem.

Nappy Review; Bum Genius Flips

Bum Genius Flip

Type
Birth to Potty, All In Two style nappy, Poppers only.
Inserts avaliable include Stay Dry, Organic and Disposable

Appearence 8/10
Neat nappy, Lots of nice colours, shame there isn't any prints

Absorbency 8/10
I use the Stay Dry inserts and they are really absorbent. They can last 4-5 hours.

Ease of use 8/10
Chose what size you need the wrap, Insert a pad into the wrap and pop it on the baby.

Fit 9/10
Obviously this depends on what type of insert you use but I have always had a good trim fit with flips. The Disposable insert has less bulk than a usual disposable.

Drying time 9/10
The wrap will be dry in about half an hour out of the washing machine, the stay dry insert is dry in around 4 hours. I have not used the organic insert.

Value for money 9/10
£13 for the stay dry trial pack, £15 for the organic trial pack, £3-5 for additional inserts. Disposable inserts £4 a pack. These are really good value for money. Especially as you can have more inserts than wraps, the wrap doesn't need to be washed every time, so have plenty of inserts on hand and just change them.

Reliability 9/10
The wrap is bombproof and the inserts last really well.

Other Comments
This really is the most versatile nappy I have come across. I wasn't taken with the idea until I actually bought some. I use the wraps with Little Lambs for night time use, I use a prefold in the wrap. They snap down tiny, and I have it on good authority that they fit small children, so a true BTP nappy.


Overall marks out of 10 9 /10

Tuesday 21 September 2010

This Too, Shall Pass...

My new motto!
Louie is really not sleeping at the moment. We have had two terrible nights, resulting in him sleeping with me. I'm not sure that it is his teeth or what's wrong but he just screams. He used to be such a good sleeper, but now, its terrible.

I've just started saying it to myself, over and over 'This too shall pass' when he is thrashing and screaming.
I know that we will come out the other end one of these days.
I would just like it to be sooner rather than later. I need some sleep!

Sunday 19 September 2010

Nappy Review; Cushie Tushie

Cushie Tushies

Type
Birth to Potty, Snap in One

Appearence 9/10
Really cool patterns, minky fabric - really cool nappies!

Absorbency 8/10
This nappy is bamboo so it takes a good few washes to get its absorbency up but now will last us 4-5 hours.

Ease of use 9/10
Snap the insert in, add the mini booster if required and off you pop

Fit 9/10
Fold down the front for newborn/smaller babies to get a good fit. I find this nappy is absolutely lovely on, it fits the legs well and feels nice on their botty.

Drying time 8/10
Not bad for bamboo, will be dry within 24 hours

Value for money 8/10
£17.50 each is nearing the high end but definitely worth it, for absorbency and style

Reliability 8/10
This is a nappy I would grab any time, its great for going out as it lasts

Other Comments
Beautiful nappies, I love the way they look on Louie, they give a cute little padding to his bum which is just gorgeous!

Overall marks out of 10 8 1/2 /10

Friday 17 September 2010

Time to get really stuck in!

Today Mr Postman brought me some of the fabric I ordered (really cheaply from ebay! bargain!). My plans are to make some christmas presents. I have a few things in mind already, an apron, housey gifts, lavender bags etc. And I should have enough fabric to make some nice things :)

I really cant wait to get stuck in, but I am going to master my arch nemesis, the sewing machine!
I have such a lovely idea for a pinney, hopefully it will turn out nicely and make a beautiful gift. That will be my first project. I have also found a beautiful (easy) pattern for some little booties that I think I will put in action for some of the babes' Christmas presents!

Im excited thinking about it!

Need to crack on with Louie's book first though....

Nappy Review; Itti Bitti D'lish

Itti Bitti D'Lish

Type
Sized, choice of Snap In One (SIO) or All In One (AIO)

Appearence 9/10
Very neat looking nappies, come in a rainbow of colours and occasional prints.

Absorbency 5/10
I get from 1-3 hours with this nappy

Ease of use 9/10
The AIO is simple, just pop it on, the SIO, you just need to pop the insert in, the poppers are colour coded so its a doddle.

Fit 10/10
Really trim fit, one of the trimmest nappies availiable.

Drying time 7/10
They are mainly bamboo so do take a while to dry, a good 24 hours.

Value for money 8/10
£12-£13 a nappy is an average spend

Reliability 5/10
This isn't a nappy I would put on to last, its a 'not on for long' nappy

Other Comments
Where it is fab for trimness you really lose out on absorbency. I know plenty of people who get on really well with these nappies but they just weren't for us :(


Overall marks out of 10 6 /10

Thursday 16 September 2010

Autumn?

Last night was brr FREEEZING! I slept in my dressing gown with two extra blankets! Getting up to feed Lou was sooo chilly! So this morning, I dug out a big jumper, long socks, and a scarf to wear. Louie wore a vest for the first time in months and we sat and had porridge for breakfast. It was snuggly and nice :)




I planned to walk to breastfeeding club, I really wish I had. It tipped it down at the time I needed to leave, but when I got there it was sunny :( I was gutted as I fancied the walk, it isn't far and I wanted to cut down on the car milage!

Nappy Review; 97kgallery

Ebay 97kgallery Pocket Nappies

Type
Birth to Potty Pocket Nappy

Appearence 9/10
Brilliant prints, mostly unisex and girly. Animal prints, spots, stripes, block colours - you name it! Dropped a mark because of the polyester feels a bit funny. (personal preference). The fleece is realllly soft

Absorbency 7/10
Comes with a microfibre insert which will probably last about 3 hours which is fine.

Ease of use 9/10
Pop them down to the size you need, stuff with the insert and away you go!

Fit 9/10
Louie still wears his on a small, so I don't know what they would fit like on a newborn, but I can see these lasting a very long while! Not too bulky either.

Drying time 10/10
The covers dry really quickly, as does the microfibre. Probably about 4-6 hours.

Value for money 10/10
You can win nappies for about £3-4 but I would recommend bulk buying if new to real nappies. £30 gets you 10 which is an absolute steal.

Reliability 8/10


Other Comments
Really good value for money. Great if you are starting out, and to bulk up your supply.


Overall marks out of 10 8 1/2 /10

Wednesday 15 September 2010

Louie's Book Part Three

I think the sewing machine idea has gone out the window. It has gone back in its cupboard (where it will stay for another 10 years maybe?) as Nana has no time, patience or passion to help me with my project.

Bye bye machine, Hello needle and thread.

I have started sewing the photos onto some backing fabric, to give the pages a little more substance, and as a guide for the size of each page. Then I am going to sew small patchwork squares together and attach to the backing, using ribbon to edge the photos afterwards.

I have been thinking about getting some multicoloured felt and appliqueing some little doodles or letters on.

I am going at a pace of one photo per evening, setting the time aside is really difficult, but I am going to have to keep at it if i want to get it done, as well as start on making christmas presents!

Grump

Yesterday and today, Louie has been an absolute grump! I'm not sure whats wrong with him to be honest, I don't think it is his teeth. But he has just been crying, sleeping lots, wanting milkies, and being realllly clingy.

So I decided I needed to wash the pots ready to make some lunch for us both so I think hmm back carry, Ill give it a try. So i slung him up in a back carry, all on my own for the first time (I've had help the other times) and I finish the washing up and am walking around the kitchen trying to scrape something together for lunch and he is stroking my hair (aww) look on the camera on the computer and look...



what a cutie!

Nappy Review; Bambooty

Bambooty Easy Dry

Type
Sized All In One (AIO)

Appearence 10/10
Beautiful prints for both boys and girls, also come in block colours.

Absorbency 10/10
First time on this nappy gave me 7 hours! We had been out shopping and admittedly I just forgot to change him. Dry as a bone once home 7 hours later!

Ease of use 10/10
This nappy is an all in one, there are flaps that open up to dry. All you need to do is fold the flaps in then pop on like a 'sposie!

Fit 9/10
Super slim nappy! The slimmest I have found! I am only dropping a point because we ordered a medium as louie was in the middle of the weight bracket but there was no way it would fit him. The large fits perfectly! These nappies are probably great for teenier babies, but if you have a bit of a chunk, definitely size up!

Drying time 8/10
Bamboo-ty's are made from... you guessed it! Bamboo! So the drying time is a little slower, however it is quicker than some of the other bamboo nappies I have found. Has two flaps that open out which really decreases drying time.

Value for money 9/10
Between £14-£15 (depending on size) this nappy is mid-ranged and totally worth it. I can't wait to buy more it is by far my favourite nappy.

Reliability 10/10
This nappy is an absolute star! Lasts for hours.

Other Comments
I love this nappy!


Overall marks out of 10 9 /10

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Nappy Review; Little Lamb Cotton

Little lamb Cotton Nappies

Type
Sized, All In Two (AI2), Wrap required, Aplix, Fleece Liner required

Appearence 6/10
Fluffy cotton, like a towel. Come with plain wraps.

Absorbency 7/10
Not the greatest absorbency, Will last 2-3 hours

Ease of use 7/10
Being an AI2 it has two separate parts, you put the toweling on first, then the wrap. Not the easiest if you have a wriggly baby/toddler. You mustn't forget a fleece liner as this will keep your baby dry, without one, the soggy cotton will be against your babys skin.

Fit 6/10
These nappies are very bulky, but do fit well. No leg gape and the wraps that come with them have brilliant gussets.

Drying time 5/10
These nappies take all day on the line, then longer inside to dry. Airer drying, 24+ hours.+

Value for money 8/10
A single nappy coming in at £9, 10 for £80 the price is reasonable.

Reliability 6/10
This isn't the longest lasting nappy, and I have had leaks through the legs. I have also found that the wraps wick very easily.

Other Comments
We use these as a night nappy, with an insert and a microfiber booster too. With the LL wrap, L was waking up wet constantly. We now use a Flip wrap and have more success. This isn't a nappy I personally would use in the day as it really is SO bulky. By far the bulkiest nappy I have come across.


Overall marks out of 10 6 1/2 /10

Monday 13 September 2010

Beacon Hill

Beacon Hill is a country park situated in Woodhouse Eaves, in the National Forest. Today we decided to go for an explore as I had never been before. Last week was national walking week, which i didn't know about until Friday, and we had visitors at the weekend so I couldn't take advantage of any of the walks going on, so this was my belated tribute to national walking week!
It was also an excuse to test drive the Mei Tai in a back carry! ;)

We decided to follow the Blue Route, a 2 mile walk, up and around Beacon Hill. It took us an hour. I was really proud of myself, I kept a good pace, and was starting to feel the effects of not being very fit after a while! The path led us through a Labyrinth and a field with cows in it! Louie really enjoyed being in the Mei Tai, on my back, and even fell asleep for 20 odd mins until we got back to the car :) He is such a good boy!




I thought this tree looked really beautiful


Deep in the Labyrinth






Sleepy boy


We didn't realise we were so high up! From there you can see the East of Leicester and Bradgate Park straight infront.


Mooooooooooooo!


The Old Man of Beacon Hill

Nappy Review; Bum Genius V3

Bumgenius V3

Type
Birth to Potty, Pocket nappy, Applix (Velcro) only

Appearence 6/10
Nice bright colours, limited choice, no prints

Absorbancy 8/10
I use both the snap down insert and the newborn insert and it can last 5/6 hours, which is brilliant

Ease of use 9/10
Easy to put together - stuff the inserts in the pocket
Very easy to put on - just like a disposable

Fit 8/10
It is easy to get a good fit with these nappies as they are applix, they fit well around his legs (no gape) and his tummy comfortably. However, they are quite bulky.

Drying time 10/10
4/5 hours on the line, dry overnight inside on an airer. Definately one of the fastest drying nappies out there.

Value for money 9/10
Coming in at about £10-£14 nowadays, these are excellent value for money. At the lower end of the scale really, but a really fantastic nappy.

Reliability 9/10
Most certainly the most reliable nappy we have tried. I will definately grab this one if we are going out for a long period of time, or travelling.

Other Comments
Although it is quite a plain nappy as modern fluff goes, it is a sturdy and reliable choice that will last a long time. The velcro gets a little bit grubby but it doesn't affect the performance. Definately a great buy


Overall marks out of 10
8/10

Sunday 12 September 2010

Louie's Book Part Two

Managed to get the photos printed onto the transfer paper no problems. That was the easy bit. However, the instructions for ironing onto fabric were a little bit, well a lot, rubbish! My first attempt went really wrong and ended up looking a bit like this.



Then we had a mishap with the iron. Silly me, ironed over one of the transfers, singe-ing it a little bit (and also messing up the iron a little bit :/), so with a bit of a trim, it looks like this. My plan is to find some wide ribbon to frame the photo with, something to contrast the beautiful red of his sleepsuit.



So after the first attempt, and another print out of photos, I managed to get the photos onto the jersey fabric. All neatly cut out they look a little bit like this.



Next, I cut out the patchwork pieces to make the border for the page, I used a catalogue as a size guide (It was easy, to hand, and a perfect size) then set to work with the sewing machine. After a few practice runs, I was confident enough to make a start on the real thing. Bearing in mind I haven't used a sewing machine since I was at school, so probably about 6 years. And even then, my Mom did my projects at home for me, because I am just a little bit useless with that sort of thing. However, the 6 years did cause a problem, because the needle wouldn't sew the printed fabric and the plain fabric together. I think it was too thick for the setting it was on and I couldn't remember how to change it. So the sewing machine has been put away *sigh* until my Mom has the time to figure it out.

Babywearing!


On Friday, my new baby carrier arrived. Its an asian style Mei Tai carrier and it is absolutely beautiful. It allows me to front carry and back carry which was really important to me this time round. Now Louie is bigger (and nearly 20lbs) I really need to bear the weight on my back!
And, we triumphantly had a milkies feed in the sling! I really thought the sling feeding days were over, but wayhey, thank the Lord for the Mei Tai!
And here we are, enjoying my beautiful carrier!



And, Last weekend, we lost our close carrier. I was so brave and didn't cry, although I deeply wanted to. I love my close carrier so much, it has been my best friend for nearly 4 months and I didn't know how I would manage without it. So I was straight to John Lewis for a new one. Even though the Mei Tai was on its way, I knew that I couldn't manage without a trusty close carrier, it is just so comfy, cosy and close! It is the best money I have ever spent.



And as you can see, He loves BOTH carriers!


(Oooh and check out the tomato plant in the background! Roger came and chopped it down today as it was getting rather overgrown again! It is now nice and trim again. We have enjoyed a few delicious tomatoes already, with plenty more on the way!)

Friday 10 September 2010

Thankyou Mr Postie!

Today I received all the things I had ordered! YAY!
Firstly came my Mei Tai, which is absolutely beautiful and Louie was smiling as soon as we got him in it! I love it! I cant wait to get out and use it properly!

Then came my Wee Notion night notions. Wow, SO silky soft. We are going to try that one tonight, with the Pumpkin Pants fleece soaker. Hopefully it wont be as big on his botty as his Little Lambs.

Thirdly, was his Itti Bitti Tutto. I was quite sceptical as to whether it would be reliable, or if it would get a good fit. He has it on now and it is doing a good job. He wears a medium D'Lish but has the Tutto on the large setting. He has had it on since lunch (about 4 hours) and it is still going strong!

Lastly came his wonderful walker. It is beautiful. All recycled wood with little fabric bunnies which go up and down! Its lovely, but just a shame Louie isn't quite interested yet, he hasn't figured it out!

Wednesday 8 September 2010

Louie's Book Part One

A few weeks ago, I decided I wanted to make a cloth book for my son Louie. He is obsessed with photographs, and I thought it would be a nice keepsake.
I bought some photo transfer paper and asked around for fabric scraps, and have got all my materials together now so I have started my project.
I bought some white jersey to print the photos on and that is my task for today! Wish me luck!

Saturday 4 September 2010

Conkers!

Today, our family outing led us to Conkers. A visitors centre in the middle of the National Forest, which is right on our doorstep. (Although Conkers itself was a good 40 mins away!)
The discovery centre was fantastic, lots of information on the environment, energy, plants and all sorts. It was really fascinating! There were several play areas where I was wishing I was 10 again! We walked all around the park, through the sculpture garden, the woodland garden, the willow trail, nature trails. We weren't stuck for things to do!
We sat and had a lovely picnic, Louie ate a little but was more interested in crawling around discovering the grass and leaves. He is so adventurous already. I am so proud!

Finally, I must tell you about the Barefoot Walk! Wow! It was really invigorating and my feet actually felt really refreshed afterwards, even though I was too chicken to plunge my bare feet into the unknown of big baths of muddy water... I didn't feel brave enough to discover what was in them :/ But I did walk through mud, over logs, pebbles and sharp slatey bits! It was awesome!

Pictures will follow!

Thursday 2 September 2010

Playtime!

Today, Nana and I took Louie to the park around the corner. Louie went on the swing all by him self, he loved it! He was holding on and loved the wind flowing through his hair. Then we went on the see saw and the roundabout. He had such a fun time.
Then Nana put him on the grass for a crawl, surprisingly he didn't put any grass in his mouth. Clever boy!




TOMATOES!



Check this out! Our FIRST tomato!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...