I thought it might be a nice idea to share some of my favourite Christmas reading ideas for toddlers and children over the next couple of weeks. As someone who used to have their own second hand book business I’m understandably passionate about reading, although these days The Toddler has far more books than me and The Husband combined! I obviously need to up my game…
Parenting
Sewing? How about sleeping?!?
Well hello there! Today’s marvelous guest blogger is Lou from I’m Studio Lou, a lovely blog about sewing and crafting, I particularly love her tutorial on blinging up some old shoes! Do go and have a look at her blog, and of course you can follow her on twitter and through the brilliance that is bloglovin too!
Hello, My name is Lou, from I’m Studio Lou and I’m guest posting today for Kate while she’s off, having a baby.
I was going to write a post about hand stitching and quilts but then I thought it’d be far more fitting if I’d pass on some of what I’ve learnt having had a little one for nearly two years now!
Ok…
1. First rule of parenting – Do NOT wake a sleeping baby. No good can come of this.
2. You know those ‘antenatal exercises’ you need to do? Make friends, they’re for life.
3. You used to be able to cough, sneeze, laugh, walk (?!) without peeing, have a baby and that’s gone. (See point 2.)
4. Once you have a little one you will truly understand the importance of a quiet whisper.
5. People who tell you that their babies slept through from the day they were born are lying. Mine still doesn’t.
6. You will learn a lot about the human digestive system once weaning has started.
7. Do not underestimate where baby poo and wee can reach! Expect to exclaim at least once a week the following; ‘how did it even get in her hair’ ‘ugh, it’s in my mouth’ etc etc……
How to encourage a picky toddler to eat!
I’m so thankful to be able to share this guest post with you today from Gude. She is genuinely one of my favourite craft bloggers, whose blog I found when I guest edited the Mumsnet Craft Blogs Round Up. A couple of months later and I discovered (spooky music alert) that she is actually a friend from my teenage days (should have guessed that as her twitter profile is a picture of her drinking. Obviously we went to a school where we learnt all the important stuff!) I’m always in need of some hints on how to encouage a picky toddler to eat so I’ll be trying all of these ideas out soon, especially the dinosaur sandwich cutters which I am in love with! Anyway, here’s Gude…
Oh I do like to be (heavily pregnant) by the seaside!
Do you remember a little while ago I wrote a post about how to take to take your own photographs during pregnancy? Well, as fate would have it, while I was writing that post I was contacted by Marie Donn to see if I fancied doing some maternity photos with her.
Marie is a proper photographer and does gorgeous lifestyle shoots so of course I said yes. And then the panic set in. I am not a supermodel. I am a normal woman, in my early thirties, living in Essex. Generally, I am quite happy with the above facts, but when you realise that someone is going to take pictures of you, being as normal a woman as you can be while heavily pregnant…. well, I was a little bit worried. …
Messy play to beat the hot weather
In the old days I used to love the hot weather. I have Raynaurd’s Disease too which means the times when I feel anything other than freezing can basically be counted on one hand. But six months pregnant? With a toddler? Hmm.
This great idea was something the Pre-school I visited yesterday were doing and when I recreated it at home today my friend told me to take pictures and blog it as it’s such a fab idea. I know that she reads this so I thought I better comply!
I filled the washing up bowl with cold water and a squirt of washing up liquid and chucked in a load of The Toddlers toys. Obviously not anything containing batteries! Toddler and his friend then spent ages looking for toys, taking them out, playing with them, putting them back in the water and, bonus, getting the toys clean at the same time. (I umm..don’t clean toys that often…)
Another added and brill bonus is that the BBC reported this week that one of their tips for cooling down in hot weather is to stick your hands in cold water. Much easier to get a child to do if there’s toys involved! They also encouraged wearing a damp tshirt which I can also report back certainly happened!
How are you keeping you and your kids cool in the hot weather? Any suggestions gratefully received!