Just us…

Since March, it’s been just the two of us, just Albie and me, we’ve been through a whole lot in the past few months, we are finally finding our feet, they’re in a new home, but they are right here, right where they need to be, next to each other.

Mummy and Albies favourite reads

I have read to Albie every night since he was about 12 months, after bath time we have our chill out time, this involves watching ten minutes (I can’t handle any more than that) of In the Night Garden, his bed time bottle and a book of his choice. He has his favourite and I have mine, unfortunately he has very little interest in the book I enjoy the most. I absolutely love buying Albie new books, I really want to instal a love of reading in him, disgracefully Mr. C has never read a book, I wish this was something we could enjoy together, he just doesn’t understand how attached I get to characters (No, I don’t mean Christian Grey, Ok a little but just how heart melting is little Rudy in the Book Thief) I love that Albie enjoys me reading to him, he may have emptied the entire contents of his toy box but still find his favourite book and bring it over to me with his little puppy dog read to me eyes.

I did a little Amazon shop a few weeks ago and bought a bunch of new books, kids books quickly become very tiresome if you aren’t introducing new reads.

I have totally fallen in love with the author Oliver Jeffers, his books are so heart warming, they have the cutest illustrations and they really do take pride of place at the front of the book shelf.

 

The Incredible Book Eating boy explains just why I love to read, it’s quite wordy for Albie so I find his attention wanders a little towards the end of the book but I love reading it to him and I know it will become one of his favourites as he gets older.

Lost and Found is one of Albies favourite stories at the moment, it’s a tale of friendship between a boy and a penguin, it’s a very simple story and not too wordy, we even get to read this twice before bed sometimes (*oh the joys*)

Stuck, I love this, it’s very funny, this book will appeal to parents and babies alike, its quite elaborate but the illustrations really keep Albie amused, as does my story telling voice.

My Absolute favourite book by Oliver Jeffers is ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ I just wish Albie loved it as much as me, I have tried everything, even different voices for each of the crayons, he just doesn’t seem that interested at the moment. The story is, as the title suggests a book about crayons quitting, it features a series of letters to a boy named Duncan from each crayon letting him know why they are unhappy. I think all parents will love this book, it will be great when Albie starts learning his colours but for now it’s a mummies choice rather than babies. This is a book that will hopefully grow on his as he gets older.

 

We also love Stick Man in the Clarke house. It rhymes throughout so it really rolls of the tongue easily and keeps Albies entire attention. It also features an appearance from Santa at the end but its definitely suitable for reading anytime.

 

I bought Paddington and Elmer on recommendation from Hannah at makedoandpush.co.uk. I really thought that Paddington wouldn’t be Albies cup of tea or bottle of milk shall we say, however he really likes it, its very very wordy, but we get to the end of the book without him getting bored and fidgety. Who doesn’t love that little marmalade eating bear from Peru?

Elmer has to be his all time favourite book, I am so fed up of reading it, I may have accidentally on purpose left it at my sisters house when Albie stayed over. I was fed up of only ever hearing “Elmer, Elmer” at book time, I couldn’t take the patchwork elephant any longer. He seemed to understand the book quite well and chipped in with a little “Ohhh no” at the right time. I think to save my sanity I’ll be buying a new Elmer book with a different story line.  If you are looking for a new story, give this a go, I’m just sorry if you know it word for word on the second day.

 

I would love to hear your recommendations for your little ones, I know I’ll soon get tired of reading the same ones again and again, plus it means I get to go book shopping! 

We have a toddler!

I miss our little Bum Shuffler. I miss being able to leave Albie for 5 minutes whilst I peed/showered/got dressed/ brushed hair/made face look O.K (ish)/ Brushed teeth, now I don’t get those precious 5 minutes not even 2, just to be alone.  Everyone told me not to worry about his preferred mode of transport, that not walking was a god send, I am totally with them now.

How to prepare for a baby….

Joke… there is no preparation!!

Today at my real job we got talking about preparing for a baby as there are a couple of new arrivals due shortly, it made me think about something I read when I was pregnant so I thought I would create my own little adaption … 

To Dummy or to not Dummy!

That age old debate….”ohh he has a dummy?”, yes, yes he does, he has a dummy and I have a full night sleep, sounds like a deal to me!

I was one of those Mums that took a dummy to hospital, I was more than happy to offer Albie a dummy from day one. Us mummies are exhausted enough so anything that offers a baby comfort and helps them sleep (even if for an extra 5 minutes) in my eyes, is a god send.  Unfortunately he didn’t play ball for the first three months, he refused a dummy, every time I offered, he spat it out.

When Albie was three months old, he had his first little cold and cough, poor guy. I offered him a dummy thinking it would help his cough a little by producing more saliva, I was amazed when he took it straight away. Albie had just started to sleep through the night, he would occasionally get unsettled and the dummy really helped with this…

Ahhhhhh sleep!!!

Or so some may have you believe. Now comes a couple of dilemmas…

It’s 3am, the kid is moaning, not crying, just moaning, do you

a) run as fast as you can to shove said dummy back in mouth, risking that he sees you and becomes more awake

OR

b) close your eyes and pray he finds one of the ten dummies you have scattered in his cot (to save that 3am commando crawl under the bed to look for said dummy)

OR

c) get up and find the dummy is secured in mouth and hate that you got out of bed for no bloody reason and hope it was just a blip.

I am an a/b, although Albie can settle himself very easily at bed time, I put him to bed wide awake and he’s in the land of nod without a squeak from him, however if he does wake at night he finds it really hard to settle without a cuddle from Mum or Dad,  I can just tell by the cry if we are going to have one of those nights, I have tried controlled crying but it’s just not his thing. I personally think he must really want to see one of us, otherwise he would send himself back to sleep. So there are times when I run as fast as possible, trying not to scream when I stand on a toy train to get in there ASAP and pop it straight back in there. Recently I have become a little braver, rather than making the mummy sprint on the slightest noise, I give him the benefit of the doubt to find the dummy and go back to sleep. It has helped, but you’ve gotta be brave Mum. I know! it’s a risk but you get to stay in bed for at least another minute, fingers (toes and every hairstrand crossed)

Dilemma 2

When to take it away?

Albie only ever has his dummy at nap and bed times, occasionally if he has fallen flat on his face and he’s hurt himself, I will let him have it just to calm him down and it really helps. Albie is 14 months now, I tried to take it away when he was about 9 months, he managed to fall asleep at bedtime with only ten minutes of moaning, but he woke up 2am and just wouldn’t go back and at 2am, that dummy goes straight back in !! Sticking to something is so much easier said than done. I hold my hands up to mummies that can carry these things through but I’m just not one of those. I have decided to take away Albies dummy after he has settled into sleeping in his bed rather than his cot, I am hoping he will go into that at about 20 months, possibly sooner, but as he isn’t walking yet it might be a good idea to push it back. Once he is fully settled in there we will attempt removal again, hopefully he will have a better understanding of the Dummy Fairy by then and we can explain how little babies need his dummy now!!  Why she can’t just come and tell him herself I don’t know. It would make our lives that little easier! She doesn’t even leave a pound under the pillow in exchange!!

TBC……

* if you are going to use a dummy always use an orthopaedic friendly make. We use advent, they are teeth friendly and I prefer them because they are completely transparent.

Boys Christmas gift guide !

Ho Ho Ho… Too early?? November is the perfect month to start your Christmas shopping, all the seasonal bits are in stock without the manic hustle of last minute shoppers, including my husband,  He better have improved since my last birthday gifts, not quite sure that shower gel was the romantic gift I was hoping for!!