Full of Festive Cheer

This was L's first Christmas. I cried a lot at the sheer joy of sharing this special time of year with her. The magic of Christmas Eve, the music and services, family and friends, feasts and joy.

We had a Christmas Bucket List and in four short weeks we had achieved nearly all. 

Oh Christmas Tree

A Christmas tree, L's first Christmas tree. 

Our tree buying photo story.

Baby Craft at Christmas: Salt Dough Decorations

As a teacher I would regularly spend my mornings at work making a dough of one sort of another. Playdough, cloud dough and salt dough. Playing with a dough is great for grose and fine motor development as well as being an eternally popular activity in any playroom or classroom. 

Today I made a salt dough. I most often use this dough when I want to make something to keep as it dries really well. It can also easily be painted and decorated for Diwali lamps or, as today Christmas decorations. 

It is very quick and easy to make. Simply put equal amounts of plain flour and salt in a bowl. I used a cup measurement.

Baby Present Ideas Christmas 2013

Today and tomorrow are supposed to be the busiest days on the high street before Christmas. Having worked in retail I can attest to the craziness which is the last shopping Saturday before Christmas as well as the strange calm which is Christmas Eve with only men shopping. (This isn't prejudice just my own personal experience from years working in retail, I don't know what the ladies are doing but very few are Christmas shopping and the shops are actually not that full (this is not the same for food shops which are horrid elbow jabbing areas!))

I have obviously been pinning like a mad woman. You can read L's First Christmas List (which will also become her birthday list) and if you're anything like me you will get lost in the pinning madness also!

In the spirit of one thing you want, one thing you read, one thing you need, and one thing to wear my baby present categories are as follows.

Snowy Playtime

L was hostess for a recent NCT playtime and I took the opportunity to be a bit creative with a Playspace for L and her baby chums.

I wanted something with lights as it is Christmas and something snow like as we probably won't be having a white Christmas. I didn't want to spend money (SMP is pretty miniscule) and had an afternoon and evening to do it in.

I had seen a light tunnel on the home of good ideas and way to waste hours which is Pinterest but was lacking a cardboard box big enough (ironically one arrived the day before the party but it still contained our new boiler) so improvised by using our airer. It is high enough to keep the lights out of pesky mouths and also had the ability to use pegs to attach the lights from. 

I had two large Aden and Anais muslin swaddles (love these so very much, completely indulgent but so very worth it for their continued fabulous uses). They are white and starry which suited my theme quiet well. They were easily pegged over the airer as well as being long enough to pull together at one end to enclose the tunnel. Brilliant.

Breakfast with Heinz

We were lucky enough to be sent some lovely Heinz breakfast goodies for L to try when we started weaning.

Preparing to breastfeed.

Breastfeeding is natural. All you need is a mum and a baby. 

Tosh in my opinion.