Saturday 22 February 2014

Harry at 3 Months


Wow, how time has flown.  I sound like a blogger mummy broken record but honestly time has zoomed by and my teeny tiny baby has now grown into a little man!!

The past 12 weeks have been the most challenging and emotional I have ever experienced, whilst also being the most amazing and incredible!
Being a mummy no doubt the is HARDEST thing I've ever done!!

The love I feel for my little star is completely indescribable and just when I think its reached its peak he does something that makes me love him even more!!!


Height/weight: Bad mummy hasn't had Harry weighed in ages. We seem to be constantly busy with appointments for his ears etc! We will be getting him weighed next week! I can safely say that he is a bit of a chunk though!

Daily: You can read about Harry's current routine here
Mornings are my favourite time spent with my little dude. No matter how the night has gone there is nothing better than seeing my sons smiling face when I go into his room to get him up! It reminds me why I LOVE my job as a mummy!!
I think H has started teething which means he has been a bit if a grumpy pup for the last few days but we have been giving him calpol and plenty of things to stuff in his mouth and chew on!
He is completely besotted with his playmat and will spend a good hour bashing and shouting at all the dangly toys! 
He's such a smiley character I adore spending my days with him


Bedtime:  Harry still loves his baths and has really hit until the swing of the bath bottle bed routine. He goes down no trouble at all once his belly is full! We don't hear from him again until 11pm where I give him his dreamfeed. He is still taking a good few ounces at this time so I don't see him dropping that feed anytime soon. He has however dropped his night feed *dances around the room* ! We are still having to get up for him in the early hours as he cries in his sleep but popping his dummy in usually soothes him back into lovely slumber! 

Eating: Little H is all about the milk and will take a full 6 ounces every 4 hours usually starting at 7-7.30 am
He is on Aptamil First Milk formula with added coleif for his colic. We will need to wean him off that starting next week but coleif saved our lives!!! It was amazing!


Clothing: Harry's 0-3 month clothes are getting a little tight to say the least, so the 3-6 month stuff will be making an appearance very soon! I'm looking forward to getting him in some of his lovely new clothes but I must say I will miss him being so tiny!!
My fave shops are still The Little White Company and John Lewis for really good quality clothing but Tesco and Next do some really cute bits too at fantastic prices!

Milestones: Little H is a proper smiler now and is well on his way to laughing too!
He can hold his little toys now and has started to put everything in his mouth!
A big milestone for Harry is that he has started to take some of his daytime naps laying on his back! This is a huge achievement for a baby who loves his tummy time!
He's so so close to rolling over and we keep trying to make him by giving him little pushes!!
H can hold his head up quite firmly and I am SO excited for when he can sit up!


Hearing: We put Harry's hearing aids in everyday for as long as we possibly can. They are quite frustrating for us as they give off a lot of feedback (like the sound of a microphone when you hold it to a speaker) We are concerned that he will end up with ringing in the ear permanently but the audiologist assures us that it won't.
We still don't know how much/if he can hear but be does seem to respond when we chat to him or make certain sounds a bit more with the aids in. He also seems a bit more vocal himself with them in!
I still say a silent prayer everyday that they are working for him or that a miracle will happen and he gets his natural hearing back!

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Tuesday 18 February 2014

miamoo Travel Set

Harry's all about perfect skin and he absolutely loves being pampered and preened! So when I was given the opportunity to try out some miamoo baby products I jumped at the chance!

Little H has been very lucky in terms of his skin so far and hasn't suffered from any dryness, rashes or baby acne so I love that miamoo's products are jam packed with natural ingredients and free of nasty parabens and synthetic colours and fragrances.



I received the Travel Pack which contains splasy wash, fresh locks, baba oil, huggy lotion, spritz and wipe, cheeky cream and a wash cloth. All those delicious products are all contained in a clear zippy bag - perfect for on the go!



Splashy wash is a 2 in 1 bath product that can be used on the face and the body. It smells of citrus and feels really gentle yet cleansing on Harry's little bod!



We use fresh locks shampoo on Haribo's tiny mop of hair! It smells of lavender which is actually my least favourite scent but for some reason I really like how it smells on Harry! The lavender also helps to relax and soothe baby to promote a good nights sleep!

After bath time we spritz a little baba oil all over little H's body.. Not something he enjoys unfortunately! It contains sweet almond and lavender oils which nourish the skin and are perfect for a bedtime baby massage! I am determined to make Harry enjoy this ritual!!!!



I tend to use huggy lotion on Harry's skin in the mornings before we get him dressed for the day. It sinks into his skin almost immediately leaving it ready for me to put his clothes on quickly before he gets too chilly! It also smells really good!!

The spritz and wipe spray is a fantastic little product which I use to freshen up Harry's bits between nappy changes! It's full of really nourishing ingredients which really help to cleanse baby's skin


Last but by no means least is the cheeky cream which is my favourite product in the whole set! In fact it may be my favourite product that Harry owns! Again it is a multifunctional product, a barrier cream that can be used on face, hands and bottoms!! I mainly use it on Harry's cheeks as they tend to get a little dry from central heating, wind and the everyday elements that life throws at him. The cream works wonders and really soothes his face instantly!



You can get your hands on a miamoo travel set for £15 directly from their website but because they are lovely people they are offering my readers 10% off - just use the code Blog13 at the checkout!
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Saturday 15 February 2014

Man Date





This week Harry took a very special trip to London to see his buddy Grayson aka Sqeaky G, with Sarah and Albie in tow!

Read all about it from Grayson's very own point of view over on Hannah's blog!
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Monday 10 February 2014

The Mummy Tag

I was tagged by Emma to do the Mummy Tag, a great way to find out more about us mum bloggers!



1. Are you a Stay at Home Mum, or a Working Mum?
I'm on maternity leave until Oct 2014 so right now I am a stay at he mum but I will be returning to work

2. Would you have it any other way?
I definitely think I will be ready to go back to work when the time comes.. I quite like the routine of having a job and also having my own pocket money! Harry has the most amazing nanny lined as well up so he will be just fine!

3. Do you co-sleep?
Nope. When Harry was first born he wouldn't sleep in his Moses so there were occasions when we let him sleep on us in the night but we both didn't think it would be good for him or us to co sleep properly. I actually don't have anything against it though and I think it can be a lovely thing to do if you're comfortable with it. I do however think that it can create bad habits and will cause problems when trying to get your baby to sleep alone

4. What is your one must-have item for your baby?
Harry loves his cot mobile! He spends a good hour in the morning playing with it! If you're having a baby then you should definitely get one to keep them entertained so you can get dressed/have a nap/drink a strong caffeinated beverage

5. How many kids do you plan on having?
I think I would like just 2 children but right now Harry is all we need and we are quite content with just him for a few more years! 

6. Date nights? How often do you have them? 
Not all that often but this weekend Mr H is whisking me away on a romantic spa weekend for a Valentines/new mummy treat! I may take the opportunity for copious naps

7. Your child's favourite show?
Little H is actually a telly addict already.. Whoops! He is also most definitely his fathers son as he is all about watching football!!!! Help me.

8. Name one thing you brought before you had the baby and never ended up using?
Most of his newborn clothes! They grow so so fast in those early days/weeks so Harry didn't get much wear out of his tiny wardrobe! Oh and of course his Moses basket was a total waste of money as he never slept in the damn thing

9. Your child's favourite food?
Ummm... Milk!? He also really likes drinking the bath water!!

10. How many cars does your family have?
Just 1 right now but I will be getting a new one soon.. Although I hate driving!!

11. Weight gain, before pregnancy, during, after and now?
What a depressing question. I actually don't have a clue about my weight gain during or after as I don't own any scales!

12. Dream holiday with your kids?
Errr.. Disneyland of course!!!!

13. Dream holiday without your kids?
Probably still Disneyland!! Or the Maldives

14. How has your life changed since having kids?
My life is totally different now but I love it. I now wake up every morning with a huge sense of pride for my little family! Being a parent has it's extremely stressful times of course but the overwhelming feeling of love for your baby is indescribable

15. Finish the sentence "It makes heart melt when..."
My little bubba talks to me!!!! I just want to squidge him so hard and eat his little chubby cheeks!!

16. Where do you shop for your kids?
I have an unhealthy addiction to The Little White Company so when I can afford it I will splurge for Harry in there. Most of the time his clothes come from supermarkets, Mothercare or Next

17. Favourite make-up and skincare products?
Estée Lauder double wear foundation and concealer is a must to mask those new-mummy dark circles and MACs Pure Zen lipstick is to die for.
I have been using Origins skincare now for the past month and I am planning a post all about it as I think it's fabulous!

18. Huggies or Pampers?
I have only ever tried Pampers! 

19. Have you always wanted kids?
Yes I have!

20. Best part of being a mum?
when you become a mum you seem to enter this new and exclusive exciting club! Us mummy's stick together and I have already made so many new friends from becoming a member!!
Oh and also when you get stopped out in public by a stranger overly appreciating how cute your little boy is!

I tag the following yummy mummy's..

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Thursday 6 February 2014

#HelpingHarryHear


Today our little superstar got his first set of hearing aids! He was sooooooo brave and very well behaved even though there was a lot of poking and fiddling about with his poor ears!!

Only time will tell if, and how much, baby H can hear but we have only been home a couple of hours and he seems to be reacting to noise and is more alert than ever!! 

I thought that seeing Harry with hearing aids would make me feel sad and sorry for him, but I actually think he looks rather cool and more beautiful than ever!
I feel a huge sense of pride at being able to say that I am this amazing, special dude's mummy!
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Monday 3 February 2014

Harry's Current Routine



Since Harry was 5 weeks old he has slept in his own cot in his own bedroom.
I will hold my hands up and say I really didn't have a clue how to start putting him into a routine at all and I googled like a mad woman, ending up completely confused and trying to start something different every day.  Mr H and I also went down with flu over Xmas which threw us off course even more and made restless nights and early mornings all the more difficult to deal with, and we would end up cuddling our little boy constantly to soothe him.  Harry was starting to dictate our days when it should be the other way around! 
After a visit from my lovely god mummy (now known as super god nanny) we have a proper routine in place, I feel in control and most importantly we have a happy baby.
I have been asked by a couple of my mummy friends what sort of routine we are following so I thought I would do a big ol' post all about it in the hope it will help other lost and struggling parents!
Now I really want to stress here that every single baby, parent and situation is different and what works for us might not work for you - I wish some of the forums I was reading had said this to me first off!!  I have also realised that breastfed and bottle fed babies are quite different and routines need to be adapted to cater to how your baby feeds.  Also any medical issues etc can also affect how a routine works so follow advice from your GP and not Google!  Lastly, this routine is for when we are at home and isn't necessarily quite the same when we are out and about for obvious reasons
Firstly, I'll explain the type of baby Harry is (was).  From day 1 he LOVED to be cuddled tightly, arms and legs tucked in and snuggled in a blanket.  Most newborns are the same but this seemed to continue and actually became ridiculous as I was rarely seen without him sleeping in my arms. This was a huge problem when it came down to night time as he refused to sleep in his Moses basket no matter how hard we tried so when he hit 5 weeks we put him in his cot in his own room.
  Harry is also quite colicky and we found it extremely difficult to settle him between 7pm and 11pm at first. He doesn't have full on colic which I know can be so horrendous for parents and babies due to endless hours of crying, but he just had a touch of it and quite a sensitive little tummy.

We give Harry his morning feed when he wakes up, in his nursery with a lamp on so its bright enough for him to know the day is starting.  He will wake up between 6 and 7 so that's when we will also start our day.  After a nappy change if its really needed he will go straight back in his cot to either to play with shout at his musical mobile or to drift back to sleep for a little powernap. We then take this opportunity to have a quick shower and get ourselves ready for the day.  When hes bored of playing in his cot I get him changed and dressed for the day. Its now time for Harry to come down for  a kick about on the rug and to watch a bit of ITV and before we know it its time for his next feed.  After hes given us an almighty burp we have a good chat, lots of smiles and a bit of playtime on his mat and bouncer. He gets bored quite quickly so we move him about, talk to him and basically tire him out ready for his next nap.  When he shows signs of being drowsy (yawning, fidgeting and grizzling) we take him up to bed for his next nap.  The day pretty much goes on like that right now with him going between 3-4 hours between feeds and a little longer during the nights.  Sometimes we let Harry sleep on the sofa or in his bouncy chair but we do try to take him up to his own bed as much as possible.
Before his bedtime feed we give Harry a bath to get him nice and sleepy for night time.  This is usually between 7.30 and 8.30 depending on his feed times during the day.  He absolutely loves a bath, even if he is having a screaming fit beforehand the second his little bottom touches that warm water he completely relaxes!  He has also been known to fall asleep in the bath hehe! When we're out and all dried I'll spend a couple of minutes massaging some lotion into his skin whilst he lays on the fluffy rug in his nursery - Harry HATES this bit of his day and screams at the top of his lungs, so we have to make sure we have a warm bottle ready immediately after!  I will then turn off the lights in his room and feed him in there, where he drops off nicely (most of the time!)
We give him a dreamfeed still at around 10.30 - 11pm to keep him going through till about 4am at the moment which is pretty good, so he is only waking once for a feed and doesn't really wake for anything else other than maybe a suck of his dummy!
 
When we first introduced the routine if Harry cried when he went down we would wait for 10 minutes until we went in to see to him, this really helped to help teach him soothe himself.  We did go in sooner sometimes if he was really going for it on the old tears!  When we went into him we didn't interact too much or pick him up we simply stroked his head, face or tummy until he settled again.  That was usually all we had to do to comfort him and sometimes we needed to give him his dummy.  If he still wasn't having it after a few minutes we picked him up and held him close so he felt secure until he calms down but not so he falls asleep, and we then put him back down in his cot.  We followed these "rules" every single time we put Harry down to sleep and we found it took less and less time to soothe him as the days went on.  We now don't have to do the waiting 10 minutes hardly at all as usually if he does cry we can tell its for a reason - usually that he needs a big burp or hes been sick a little!
 

Another point I should mention is that we let Harry sleep on his tummy when he sleeps (cue readers shocked face and red mark from health visitor) He has never ever slept on his back he just point blank refuses to and has a much better quality of sleep on his front and for a lot longer.  I am fully aware of the "risks" that are made clear to us mummys and daddys about SIDS associated with front sleeping and I completely understand that its not for everyone but if our little guy is happy then we are too
 
We feed Harry every 4 hours during the day which he has adapted to really really well.  We used to do every 3 hours but this  ended up in him just grazing and not actually taking a full feed.  Exceptions to this are when he is clearly going through a bit of a growth spurt and really does want to feed and feed and feed!!
So there you have it.. long winded huh!?  As I said this is what works for us right now and I am sure it will be all change again in a few weeks or months, but we will continue to keep a routine going as Harry grows.  We are also a little apprehensive that his routine will totally change when he gets his hearing aids this week as we know this will be a huge change for him! 
 
I would absolutely love to hear about your routine with your little ones!

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