Toby swims again! (A baby swimming update)

Hurray

You may have read my post a couple of weeks ago about how Toby has been crying at every baby swimming lesson since Christmas. There were a few things that might have been causing the problem and I got lots of advice from all you lovely readers.

Well, I have good news to report! Last week we couldn’t go to our normal swimming lesson because I was going to work, so instead we went on our own to a different leisure centre where they have a warm water pool. We also went in the middle of the day as I had a feeling getting up early and missing his nap was also upsetting Toby. It was a success! We did everything that we normally do in a lesson, including submersions, and Toby didn’t cry once. I wasn’t sure whether we would actually be able to swap our lesson to this other pool but our lovely Turtle Tots instructor sorted it out for us. The new lesson is at 11 am, rather than 9:30 am so it also means that, although it is still during nap time, Toby can either get a bit more sleep in the morning and a nap in the car on the way there, or if he is up early there is time to go back to bed for a quick nap before we go.

We went to the new lesson yesterday and it was great. Toby still wasn’t smiling and laughing but he wasn’t crying either which was a massive improvement. I’m sure as he gets used to it, and realises swimming doesn’t mean being cold anymore, that he will start enjoying himself soon enough.

And swapping baby swimming lessons has also had a useful side effect – we were going to move to the next Baby Sensory class (for 7-13 month old babies) which was at 10:30 am and so again I was worried that this would be a problem as it is during Toby’s usual nap time. The only other suitable class was at 1 pm on a Wednesday afternoon, which we couldn’t do as we had swimming in the morning and it would have been too much in one day. But now with swimming on a Monday we can go to Baby Sensory on a Wednesday and fingers crossed that will mean smiles all round!

Review: Freeva cloth nappy

Freeva nappy

As you’ll know if you’ve read this blog before, we love our cloth nappies in the Toby Goes Bananas house so when new cloth nappy company Freeva gave us the opportunity to review one of their nappies we jumped at the chance.

The Details

Freeva cloth nappy

Freeva nappies are ‘one size fits most’ and come in a variety of plain colours and funky prints. We chose the Jungle Animals print for our review. The nappies have three rows of poppers on the front to adjust the rise of the nappy, and have hook and loop (velcro to you and me!) fastenings at the waist. They are pocket nappies, meaning they have a removable insert which fits in a pocket between the waterproof outer layer and the suede cloth inner layer of the nappy. All Freeva nappies come with one microfibre insert included. If you need more absorbency from your nappy then extra inserts are available to buy from Freeva, either in microfibre, a microfibre and bamboo comination, or just bamboo. The nappies retail at £10.95. Freeva also sell a selection of accessories such as nappy buckets and wetbags.

The Pros 

  • I prefer velcro fastenings on a cloth nappy as they make it much easier to get a good fit. Toby is very long and skinny so getting a good fit with some cloth nappies is tricky but the Freeva was a got fit, even after a few hours of wriggling!
  • It’s good to see the Freeva nappy has laundry tabs to fold the velcro back onto while they are in the wash so they don’t all get stuck together.
  • I like the selection of prints and colours available (which we all know is one of the main reasons for using cloth nappies!)
  • The nappy arrived with information about how to use and look after the nappy (including advice on pre-washing before use). All this information, along with other cloth nappy advice is also available on the Freeva website.
  • I was impressed with the performance of the nappy. On the first use it lasted three hours with just the one insert before it started to leak slightly around the legs. On the second use I used the microfibre insert along with a bamboo booster and the nappy lasted almost five hours! (I wouldn’t normally leave a nappy that long during the day without changing it anyway, but I just wanted to see how long it would last!)
  • The microfibre inner and pocket outer washed well and are very quick to dry. I usually dry my nappies in the airing cupboard in winter and both parts were dry in a few hours.

The Cons

  • The nappy only comes with one microfibre insert included. In my experience this might be OK for a younger baby but older babies might need more boosting so you will have to purchase extra inserts if you don’t already have them.
  • The microfibre insert is a bit bulky, especially on a smaller baby. There are other fabrics which could give the same absorbency but with less bulk.

The Verdict

Freeva cloth nappy

The Freeva nappy we tried performed very well. With its adjustable rise and velcro at the waist it really should fit most babies. Freeva nappies are also at the more affordable end of the cloth nappy scale. Whether you are new to cloth nappies or a seasoned user and you are after a pocket nappy I would recommend Freeva nappies as a great addition to your collection.

Freeva have kindly offered all my readers a discount code to use on their website. Simply enter TOBYGOESBANANAS at the checkout for 5% off. And even better, you can use this code as many times as you like!

**Disclosure: I was sent the cloth nappy in return for this review. All opinions are my own.

We're going on an adventure

Living Arrows 7/52

We’re already up to week seven in the I Heart Snapping Living Arrows project. I’m really behind in visiting other blogs and commenting but I promise to try and get back on top of it this week. I really do like to see everyone else’s photos.

Lots of people comment about Toby’s spiky hair so I thought I’d use this photo which really shows it off! I promise I don’t do anything to it – it just goes like that, as you can see as it’s only spiky on the top and one side.

Living Arrows 7_52

living arrows

Spreading the blog love

If you are a regular reader of any parenting blogs then you may have noticed that a nominations for a little thing called the MAD Blog Awards have opened this week. These are awards to recognise the best Mum and Dad (hence MAD) bloggers each year. You can nominate a Blog of the Year and then there are lots of other more specific categories such as Best Blog Writer, Best Baby Blog, Best New Blog, Most Entertaining Blog, and plenty of others. Basically, if you have a favourite blog then you will probably be able to find a category that it fits into.

Anyway, I thought now would be a good time to spread the blog love and share a few of my favourites with you.

Redhead Babyled – I’ve mentioned Donna’s blog in a few posts previously. It’s a great mix of interesting posts about her life with her two children, money saving tips, recipes, reviews and lots more. I also love that there is always something new to read on Redhead Babyled.

Mummy Daddy Me – I link with Katie’s blog for The Ordinary Moments every week, but I also love reading her other posts about life with her two girls. Katie’s posts are always really well written, and feature some brilliant photography too!

Life with Munchers – This blog has a mixture of parenting and lifestyle posts. If you are after some home/ DIY help or inspiration then this blog is always worth a look. There are also some great blog design and organisation freebies available to download.

dear beautiful – I just love the look of Lucy’s blog. And it has amazing photography!

mumturnedmom – I like to read Sara’s updates about life as a Scottish expat in the USA so I can live my dreams vicariously through her!

hurrah for gin – Katie’s blog about life with her two boys is a perfect mix of posts that make me laugh out loud to those that are more personal and poignant.

Just a Normal Mummy – Unfailingly funny. (Caution: contains swearing!)

I’m sure there are more that I have forgotten and I may well come back and update this list later. But for now it’ll have to do. If you have any recommendations for blogs I really should be reading then please do leave me a comment.

And before I go…. If you do find yourself on the MADs nomination page and are looking for someone to nominate (particularly in the Best New Blog or Best Baby Blog categories) then I would really appreciate if you considered nominating me and Toby. And if you do, then thank you so much!

Learning (The Ordinary Moments #14)

It’s a very Ordinary Moment for this week’s link up with Katie at Mummy Daddy Me.

Learning {The Ordinary Moments}

For at least some of every day, Toby goes onto his play mat. Sometimes it’s while get some jobs done and he is just entertaining himself, or sometimes I sit with him and we play together. I try to change the toys he has out to play with every day or two so he gets plenty of variety and I love to just watch him concentrating and figuring things out. It’s amazing to see him develop, and seemingly so quickly. Every day he works out how to pick something else up, or how to move a bit more, or how to make a different noise. Every day he is learning more and more. I know some people are sad when they see their babies are growing and won’t be babies for much longer but I just love seeing Toby turn into a little boy. I can’t wait until he can sit himself up, and crawl, and pull himself onto his feet. I am well aware I might regret saying this once I have to chase him around the house, but for now I’m just enjoying every second and can’t wait to see what he does next!

Playing and learning

mummy daddy me

 

Love is. . .

Emily at My Petit Canard has started this new meme just in time for Valentine’s Day. The only rules are…there are no rules! All you need to do is write a post about what love means to you – it can be funny, serious, soppy…the choice is yours. You can read Emily’s original post here. I’m also doing something I don’t usually do, and that is to also use this post for The Prompt. I just haven’t had chance to write a new post this week and seeing as this one fits it seems a shame to miss a week.

This week’s prompt was another quote:

Happiness is anyone and anything at all, that’s loved by you. You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown

And here are my thoughts on the matter. What is love to me? (And it is love that brings happiness, above all else). Obviously I love my baby boy and I would do anything for him…even suck bogeys out of his nose several times a day and clean up his gruesome, stinky teething nappies. But that love is something organic, that comes from growing a baby for nine months and then giving birth to that baby who is a part of you. Love for another, who you meet as a adult and know nothing about, who you learn to love as you get to know one another, that’s a different kind of love.

  • Love is a husband who always lets me be in charge of the remote control.
  • Love is taking it turns to get up at 5 am with the teething baby.
  • Love is a husband who doesn’t mind staying at home with the baby so I can go and get my hair cut.
  • Love is a husband who knows when I turn my back to him that’s his cue to give my shoulders a massage.
  • Love is getting text messages every day just to check we’re doing OK.
  • Love is a husband who thinks I’m funny, and pretty, and lovely, and tells me every day.
  • Love is letting Toby grab and pull his beard because he finds it funny.
  • Love is cuddles on the sofa, knowing our little bear is sleeping peacefully upstairs.
  • Love is a husband who lies awake while I chat about our day when really he should be sleeping because he has to be up for work in six hours.
  • Love is a husband who is always there with a hug and a kiss whenever I need one
  • Love is a husband who holds me while I cry, even if he has no idea what I’m crying about.
  • Love is an awesome husband who also turned out to be a fantastic daddy.
  • Love is finding someone who just gets you.
  • Love is being a family.

Love is... the mr and me

I tag –

sonsbrightenupmyday

activities4kidz

mumturnedmom

Operation shift the baby weight – three month update

Malteaser bunny

Another monthly update on my weight loss progress. After a fantastic start to the month when I did Exante Diet for a week and lost 6lbs things haven’t been going particularly well on the healthy eating and weight loss front. I know there aren’t any excuses but this miserable weather has really not been helping matters. I’m still planning our meals every week which is brilliant. It saves me having to think what to cook every night, and it has helped reduce our food shopping bills this month. However, I have had a bit of an unhealthy obsession with Malteaser Bunnies and have just been eating far too much chocolate. I need to refocus and get back on track next month. I was doing so well before Christmas, it would be stupid to let that go to waste now. So the plan for the next month – get back to tracking calories on My Fitness Pal and cut down on the chocolate!

So time for the stats: (Figures in brackets are my original starting weights and measurements):

Weight: 12st 11lb (13st 8lb) – lost 11lb

Waist: 33.5 inches (37 inches) – lost 3.5 inches

Hips: 43 inches (45.5 inches) – lost 2.5 inches

Bust: 40 inches (42 inches) – lost 2 inch

I’m not overly pleased with this but things are still moving in the right direction. So, to next month. Onwards and upwards!

The mummy tag

Mummy and son

Lucinda at Teacher2Mummy was kind enough to tag me in this mummy meme and I know it’s always nice to find out a bit more about the person behind the blog so without further ado…

1. Are you a Stay at Home Mum, or a Working Mum?
I’m currently on maternity leave from my job as a secondary school teacher. All being well I will be going back to work in August.
2. Would you have it any other way?
Before Toby was born I always thought that I would love to stay at home with him and not have to go back to work. Although I love spending time with him now, I’m actually looking forward to going back to work! I think having time away from teaching has actually made me realise how much I enjoy it. Ideally I’d like to go back part time but I think I might end up going back full time for a year for a variety of reasons.
3. Do you co-sleep?
No. When Toby was really little we sometimes had the odd nap together but I wouldn’t have felt comfortable having him in bed with both me and the hubby. And now on the odd occasion he wakes up early and I bring him in to our bed in the hope of getting a bit more sleep he just wants to wriggle and punch in the face!
4. What is your one must-have item for your baby?
Muslins! We use loads of them. For general wiping/mopping up but also as bibs and mostly for Toby to chew on.
5. How many kids do you plan on having?
Two. I have a brother who is exactly two years older than me and we got on great when we were kids (and still do). I’ve always said I would like a boy and girl and to have them two years apart…but that does mean getting pregnant again scarily soon!
6. Date nights? How many do you have per month?
Ha! We have only been out together without Toby twice since he was born. It’s quite hard not having any family close by – it means there’s a distinct shortage of willing babysitters. My mum is coming up in a couple of weeks though so we’re going to leave her in charge while we go to the cinema and try not to fall asleep.
7. Your child’s favourite show?
He doesn’t have one. He loves watching the TV but he just watches whatever we’re watching. I haven’t started showing him children’s TV yet.
8. Name one thing you bought before you had the baby and never ended up using?
I can’t really think of anything. We had lots of clothes that he only wore a few times before growing out of.
9. Your child’s favourite food?
He’s only just started eating solids but so far toast seems to go down well, as does fromage frais – we’ve not tried them together yet though!
10. How many cars does your family have?
Just the one.
11. Weight gain, before pregnancy, during, after and now?
I put on about three stone during pregnancy. I’ve lost about a stone of that, so two more to go. Which reminds me, I really must write another weight loss update post soon.
12. Dream holiday with your kids?
We’re hoping to go camping in France this summer. That was what we did for all my family holidays growing up and I absolutely loved it. And I think when we have older kids we’d like to take them skiing. (I quite fancy going to Disneyland and Universal Studios in Florida but I think the hubby might take a bit of convincing!)
13. Dream holiday without your kids?
There are so many places I’d love to go. I’ve been on two American road trips – one on my own to San Francisco, LA, Arizona, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, the other was our honeymoon to Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC and all down the east coast. I absolutely love America and really want to do another road trip round the Deep South; New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis… But then I’d also really love to go to Australia and New Zealand.
14. How has your life changed since having kids?
I don’t think you can really imagine how much life will change, no matter how much you read or how much you think about it, until you actually have kids. I miss some of the freedom of our life before Toby, everything takes much more planning now! Having total responsibility for a tiny human being is a bit overwhelming at times but I think I’m finally starting to get used to it.
15. Finish the sentence “It makes heart melt when…”
Toby looks at me and gives me a massive gummy grin.
16. Where do you shop for your kids?
Mostly supermarkets! Usually Tesco or Asda. I did get quite a lot of things in John Lewis in the January sales too. There are so many lovely baby clothes out there but I just can’t justify spending a lot of money on things that only last a few months. Toby’s clothes are all getting a lot of use though. My friend has twins three months younger than Toby so all his clothes go to them.
17. Favourite make-up and skincare products?
I hardly ever wear make up. My skin is really dry so I tend to just use E45 on my body. I do like Clinque Moisture Surge for my face but it’s quite expensive so I always get my mum to buy it for Christmas and birthdays.
18. Huggies or Pampers?
Neither! We are cloth bummed all the way. We did use Pampers for the first six weeks or so after Toby was born though. And we use Huggies Little Swimmers in the pool.
19. Have you always wanted kids?
When I was younger I just always sort of assumed I would have kids. But then when I got to 32 and I’d been single for eight years I started to think maybe it wouldn’t happen. But then I met the hubby and the rest is history!
20. Best part of being a mum?
Watching this tiny human, who I grew in my tummy, develop and learn new things every day. I love seeing the concentration on his face when he’s trying to figure something out.
So that’s me, now it’s your turn… It’s seems loads of people have done this tag already so I’m not going to tag anyone specifically – if you want to do it just grab the questions and away you go.

Toby is seven months old

Seven months old and standing

Yep. It’s that time again! Another month has gone by and Toby is now seven months old, so what’s he been up to since his last update?

Well, there have been quite a few developments since last month. Toby now weighs 18lb 11oz  and is already wearing 9-12 month sleepsuits and vests! Weight-wise he has gone from being in the 9th centile when he was born to now being in the 50th. And his height is still in the 91st centile! He’s almost grown out of his first car seat now so we’ll be having to buy a new one in the next few weeks.

After his random, only being able to sit up at Baby Sensory, Toby can now sit pretty well unsupported. He still topples over sometimes if he reaches for something but most of the time he can stay upright. He still prefers to be on his tummy though and is really pushing himself up on his arms and trying to get up on his knees too. He has started shuffling himself backwards sometimes now too – especially when I am trying to change his nappy when he rolls onto his tummy then pushes himself backwards off the changing mat (we’ve been changing him on the floor for quite a while now!). He can now roll to either side to get on his front, and roll back again! I wrote in last month’s update how he’d learnt to roll onto his tummy but would shout when he wanted to roll back again but it only took about another week before he worked out how to do it himself. Toby is also now able to stand up holding onto the furniture, but only if I put him there. He has started trying to pull himself up a bit on his cot too – I don’t think it will be long before we have to lower it.

We have teeth! Well, teething symptoms have ramped up again this week. It feels like both bottom teeth have just about broken the gum, although it’s hard to really see anything at the moment. Luckily teething hadn’t bothered Toby too much (until yesterday!). We’ve had lots and lots of dribbling, lots of chewing things, red cheeks and a few very nasty dirty nappies and then yesterday (typically while I was at work for the day and daddy was in charge) Toby was really, really grumpy – he didn’t want to sleep, he cried if the hubby tried to put him down and it was generally a very miserable day for them both. I’m hoping that now they have broken the gum things might ease off a little bit. Fingers crossed eh?

Weaning is going reasonably well too, although Toby still doesn’t seem that interested in food. I wrote a guest post about our first few weeks of baby-led weaning on Redhead Babyled a few weeks ago. Since then Toby has tried lots of different things. He has started trying to get things in his mouth occasionally but mostly he only eats if we hold the food for him. He does seem to like trying to feed himself with a spoon though – so far porridge and fromage frais have been favourites. With these things I give him his own spoon to try and use himself and feed him a bit with another spoon which seems to work pretty well for us. We’re just going to continue offering Toby lots of different foods and combine giving him a chance to play with his food and feed himself along with holding things for him so he can eat that way. I’m sure he’ll figure out how to get things in his mouth himself soon enough. His manual dexterity is improving all the time and he has almost worked out his pincer grip now.

I think that’s about it for this month. I’m absolutely loving this phase of babyhood – it’s just awesome seeing Toby learn new things and become more and more like a little boy every day.