Since when has my baby started calling me when I leave the room ?! I mean I've heard of babies crying when their parents aren't in sight, but my child full on calls me and since she has now mastered mama beautifully, she calls out mama!!! It works and I come running everytime it is full on Bambi Style calling but totally adorable. 


As I mentioned last month the weaning has improved so so much and I know she will actually eat at mealtimes rather than purse her mouth completely shut, which she went through a phase of doing. I  can also finally tell she has some favourite foods and meals, she makes little noises when she’s really enjoying her meal!!. Her favourite breakfast is banana with weetabix and she loves tomato based meals and sauces she seems to really like flavoured foods which is good and I hope that means she won’t be too fussy as she gets older but we will see! Her meals have started to take over her milk intake too and at 8 months she only has a maximum of 2 feeds during the day (not including breakfast feed and nighttime.) If we are out and about if she’s desperate for milk I take a bottle of expressed milk if I know we are going to be out all day. Or, for an emergency I do carry a follow on milk ready made bottle but she rarely has this and to be honest she sometimes just has water and misses the feed  completely. If there’s a lot going on around her she does not want to miss what’s going on !   


Clapping her hands is a favourite trick of hers now too and everyone gets a round of applause if they sing to her, give her a toy she wants or iggle piggle comes on the tv!! She copys clapping if you are doing it and also understands what “clap your hands” mean and will do it if you ask her to. Her association to words is brilliant and she understands what so much means! I’m constantly talking to her so I think this helps a lot even when we are out and about People look at me as if to say who are you talking to. My baby of course ! If you ask her for iggle piggle she will pick her iggle piggle toy up. If you ask for a kiss she will give you a kiss. And she obviously knows who mama and dada are. I think it’s made me realise actually how much does go into there little heads and giving them the stimulation they need at this age and beyond is so important. 


She has also become very good at pulling herself up onto furniture and if it wasn’t for a last minute successful attempt at crawling I was pretty convinced she was just going to let go and start toddling around. However she has got it ! literally overnight she has finally mastered crawling and gets into everything! This is definitely the moment you realise all the things that need baby proofing. Our home is quite small but she just gets into everything!! It is so amusing watching her explore everything and find new things and this new found freedom has definitely helped with wearing her out ! She has been sleeping so much better since she’s used up a bit more energy so there is a bonus for me now permanently needing eyes in the back of my head! 


As for the sleeping in her own room I’m pleased to say she is still in there ! We have a healthy mix of her starting off in her own room and at some point around 4-5 she comes in our bed until 7:30 ish so I’m happy with that and this means we all get a half decent nights sleep. She has no space awareness though so as soon as she is in our bed me and Reggie have the equivalent of a small single bed to share whilst our tiny daughter sprals across the rest of the kingsize bed. Not cool! Its a good job she is so cute !

I thought it would only be right to do my spring summer wish list seems Emelia has hers! Just like hers there is plenty that I want !!

Zara -mini tote with handles  

Zara- Navy contrast tie top

Floral angel sleeve dress

Woven pointed shoes

Elemis Superfood range

I have had my eye on this range for a while Vegan anti ageing skincare that smells amazing !!

ASOS kurt Geiger Retro glasses

The professional pearl primer

Maximum healthy glow primer !

Robyn x

I see sunshine in the near future !! This makes me so so happy. And I am currently battling with trying to refrain from buying anything else for Emelias wardrobe!! Its so hard when there are so many beautiful bits out there!.. There are a few of essentials that she does need however there is plenty that she definitely doesn't and I just want for her! So Here is her little wish list and a few bits that may find their way into her closet from our favourite shops! I am also very aware that our summer is very short lived so it would be very unlikely she would get through all of these! I will link everything aswell

Jacadi-
Striped ruffle bloomers: https://www.jacadi.co.uk/newborn/girls-1-to-12m/bloomers-rompers-jumpsuits/lizette-2014417-972.html

Lemon print dress: https://www.jacadi.co.uk/newborn/girls-1-to-12m/dresses/lizetta-2014831-791.html

Peter pan collar t-shirt : https://www.jacadi.co.uk/emmy-2014581-701.html

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Marks and spencer
Woven,Bibshort: http://www.marksandspencer.com/pure-cotton-woven-face-bib-short/p/p60146076?image=SD_04_T78_2310E_T3_X_EC_0&color=DARKGREY&prevPage=plp

woven embroidered romper http://www.marksandspencer.com/embroidered-woven-pure-cotton-romper/p/p60145592?image=SD_04_T78_7031P_D0_X_EC_0&color=PURPLE&prevPage=plp

Pram shoes: ​http://www.marksandspencer.com/baby-leather-bow-pram-shoes/p/p60132600?image=SD_04_T72_3208P_Z4_X_EC_90&color=WHITEMIX&prevPage=plp

Matalan

White romper: https://www.matalan.co.uk/product/detail/s2682401_c359/girls-mock-dress-romper-newborn-23mths-white

lemon cardigan: https://www.matalan.co.uk/product/detail/s2681431_c404/girls-cardigan-newborn-18mths-lemon

Stripe dungarees: ​https://www.matalan.co.uk/product/detail/s2679326_c228/unisex-stripe-dungaree-bodysuit-newborn-18mths-grey

Mamas and papas

Bloomer set : https://www.mamasandpapas.com/en-gb/t-shirt-bloomer-set/p/s42ldx2

Mothercare

mint bib shorts: https://www.mothercare.com/newborn-girls-newborn-18-months/mint-broderie-bibshorts-and-bodysuit-set/LPH492.html?cgid=clothing_newborn_girls#sz=12&start=9

Blue broderie dress: https://www.mothercare.com/newborn-girls-newborn-18-months/blue-broderie-dress-and-knickers-set/LPE204.html?cgid=clothing_newborn_girls#sz=12&start=19

Childrens salon 

Babidu grey shorts set: https://www.childrensalon.com/babidu-girls-grey-shorts-outfit-211407.html

Trotters 

Lapinou Jemima ditsy romper: https://www.trotters.co.uk/baby-girls/rompers/jemima-ditsy-bobble?

Cute couture

Dr Kidd grey 2 piece : ​http://cutecoutureboutique.tictail.com/product/new-ss18-dr-kidd-dress-7967967



​Robyn x

“How does she sleep at night?” quite possibly the most asked question to a mother in the first year of their baby’s life closely followed by “does she sleep through the night” and then finally “is she in her own room”. Up until only very recently the answer was no to all of those questions. Well at least now it’s only two!! I’ve written Why I was so hesitant to move Emelia rooms and if it’s worked or not!

If you follow me on instagram you may have seen in some of my recent stories I posted about putting Emelia in her own room. I documented the first couple of days but I wanted to write down my thoughts and feelings through this process for future reference for myself (to remind me when I want more of the sleepless nights involved!) and to maybe help guide other mums. For a lot of people I know that putting there child in there own room is something that is extremely easy to do, and a natural process that just happens as there baby grows. For me however, I found it so difficult. It sounds strange but It wasn't like I was overly emotional about her going into her own room because she wasn't a tiny newborn still etc. There were quite a few factors why I just really feared the transition and knew it may not be as plain sailing as I hoped for. One of those reasons was because she just didn’t appear to be in any sort of sleeping routine at night and adding a second room to the situation could be hell on earth! Another factor was Emelia does not self settle. She feeds to sleep and has done from day 1 and I was desperate to break the sometimes 6 times waking habit before putting her in her own room. I kind of got to the point where I didn't see this happening with her being in our room and actually moving rooms might be beneficial and help with a new routine, so I just went for it! Reggie didn’t see the issue with her still being in with us, and this isn’t being rude to him but to be honest its rare that he even stirs when she wakes in the night let alone experiences the discomfort of having a baby sleeping with you, on you, kicking you, attached to your boob hours on end etc. But anyhow one sunny afternoon after another night of cradling my boob leech all night, armed with Ewan the dream sheep, and the stiffest back I’ve ever had, I decided to go for it.


So in the end we didn’t put Emelia into her own room until she was 8 months old (and I know this is still young anyway). I think as a parent you always compare yourself to what everyone else is doing, and second guessing your decisions is inbuilt because you want to make the best decision for your child every step of the way. But I am really guilty of overthinking just about everything when it comes to Emelia and one of these things was putting her in her own room. I did not know wether I was making the right or wrong decision, wether it would help with her sleeping pattern or worsen it. And so I just thought you know what keep the crib up in our bedroom and if it all goes tits up she can move back in tomorrow !


Emelias Nursery is lovely. She has a beautiful spacious cot, and lovely comfortable mattress, and the best bit is its right next door to our bedroom so I dont have far to get to her. But the idea of moving her into her own room filled me with dread. I envisioned myself pacing back and forth from our room to hers 5, 6 times throughout the night whereas at least she settled quickly when in with us. A quick feed and she would carry on sleeping peacefully. Being in her own room trying to settle her without a feed could be awful! Emelia was sleeping more and more in our bed and I knew that I needed to try and get her settled into her own cot otherwise she would always want to be with us. I have no issues with co sleeping I think it works amazingly well for unsettled babies, helping families get more sleep and also breastfed babies that still feed throughout the night. I’d like to add my child quite happily slots into all of them catorgorys! But my milk monster was just way to dependent on milk for sleep, and only sleeping soundly when about 1cm from my face. I know that having her close is lovely but wanting to wean her off breastfeeding quite soon, I knew this step would probably help with that too and not doing it all at once would help for a smoother transition.


I am happy to report that she has settled beautifully in her cot. I really think she appreciates the space and generally finds it a lot more comfortable than the hard as rock base of a crib mattress! Sleep wise, she still wakes a lot. Although, I can quite often settle her with just a little reassurance or a little cuddle which is a massive turning point, and her expectation of having milk every time she wakes has changed. Half the time she isn’t even properly awake and starting afresh with different techniques getting her back to sleep in her cot has become a lot easier. I am also sleeping a lot heavier myself than what I was when constantly on tender hooks with a baby sleeping next to me. Supposedly in the next to me crib but actually just in bed with us!

I do think the fact she is breastfed does contribute with her sleeping habits and to be honest most formula fed babies seem to get into a nighttime routine easier. This just seems the way it is. Breastmilk is easier digested in comparison to formula and in my opinion from what I have seen and heard formula really does help with getting them to sleep. Every breastfeeding mum I know struggles with nigh-time sleeping. (Obviously I’m aware of exceptions )


Ive said it before, but its always so so easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing and think that your way is wrong. But for different child the time frame you put on things, and techniques you use will possibly work for you but not someone else. Circumstances play a massive part in this aswell. I guess it just boils down to what works. Sometimes its just not possible to have baby in a separate room. And other times it really is just easier to safely co sleep to ensure your getting the maximum amount of sleep, and avoid feeling like a complete zombie. Emelia still hasn’t slept through the night and although it’s super tiring at times I do enjoy that time with her at night. She’s so on the go during the day now that having her so sleepy and cuddly is the best thing. But I’m hoping with time her sleep will eventually improve. I mean it has to one day surely !? I am going to put a separate post up of our actual bedtime routine just because this post would have been so long!

Robyn x