Sensory Rainy Day Play…

Wow, what a hiatus. Sorry, I think the winter blues must have really gotten to me (either that or I was having too good a time!).

Firstly, remember that baby that I just had like a few months ago? He is a whopping 9kg+ 6 month old now, and he is also on the move as well! He isn’t quite crawling yet but he “knee-hops” around and shuffles himself over to where he wants to go – now I’m in trouble, aren’t I? Plus the toddler also turned 3. What?! I thought he was just a baby, how is he now 3?

Anyway, today was just a normal day at home with a toddler and a baby. It was raining so peacefully in the morning that the kids actually stayed in bed til 6.30am (an achievement in this house)!

Of course, since it is freezing and raining, the toddler insists that he needs to play outside on his bike (which he got for his birthday last week). After grumbling all through breakfast, I let him go outside to play only for him to fall off his bike into the biggest puddle in our backyard. And the baby gets food all over his clothing (he won’t take a spoon so it’s messy BLW for us). 2 outfits straight into the wash, sigh.

Then, in a moment of inspiration, I decide we are doing to do some sensory play stuff with pasta, rice and barley. I’ve seen friends of mine doing really awesome things with their kids. Unfortunately, things often get more messy with my kids… Apologies that the pics are not clear as well as I can’t seem to get them to sit still.

First we were putting pasta on the Father’s Day card to make the words “Happy Father’s Day”…

And then the toddler decides to become Masterchef and cook up a delicious yet messy concoction for us to savour. The mess is aggravated by the fact that the baby thinks he can cook too, so a bit of a tussle ensues and more stuff flies everywhere.

The thing I did like about this exercise is that it took up the whole morning! It allowed Jacob to have a whole lot of imaginative play, from cooking food to making it rain and snow. Eventually we had to clean up (and Jacob loves his hand-vac and did attempt to clean up though in truth he scattered it more) and by then it was already lunchtime.

In the afternoon, we decided we’d take the rice and barley to feed the ducks – a healthier option than bread perhaps! We also got to say hello to the new spring ducklings – this lot have already been there for a few weeks, and there was another brood of very little ducklings too.

Then, of course, puddle jumping. The most dreaded time of our walk for me, but I have come to terms with the fact that Jacob would be heading home completely drenched. Trust him to find the deepest puddles ever!

I must say I absolutely love doing all these fun things with the kids, despite the mess and the amassing laundry I have to deal with. I am quite sure that these little things that we do are actually big things in my kids’ lives. Here’s to the many days ahead – sunny, rainy, whatever the weather! 🙂

10 months old!

Was it really 10 months ago that my little boy was a fresh new face into this world? I can’t even fathom how much our lives have changed in that time, but it’s been a wonderful time!

Here is my 10 month old cherub, thinking “Mum, why would you make me wear this hat?”

He’s not walking yet, which is a relief, though he does like to scale areas like the playpen or the sides of the sofa. He is an avid crawler though, and gets around very quickly (and follows me around the house like a pet! Awww…)

He’s covered with yoghurt in the above pic, which is supposedly one of his favourite foods except he doesn’t take anything from a spoon now. He loved having food pouches squirted into his mouth, but mostly he loves handling his own food, as messy as it can be. Favourites are (in stick form) carrots, broccoli and asparagus as well as apples, bananas and strawberries. He’s also at the “dropping” stage where everything he eats goes on the floor at least once. Sigh. At least it builds immunity?

Sleep-wise, he’s not too bad lately. We had a few issues when he was growing teeth (his fifth and six ones are already on the way!), but we have also had a few nights where he’s slept through (which is BLISS). 

He loves the outdoors – being pushed in the pram in the reserve, playing on grass, watching dogs play, etc. It is getting a little cold and rainy now that it’s winter, but we still get a chance to have a play outside once in a while.

He’s still a sociable baby and loves meeting other people at the social things we do each week, like church, charity work and meeting up with friends/family. 

I can’t deny that I am SO proud of my little boy and what he’s become (even if he is a bit of a rascal at times). I look forward to many more days, months and years full of joy and fun with our little family! ❤

On a final note, I’m feeling generous so I’m running an EOFY sale with 20% off ALL wall stickers. Get the promo code on our Facebook page and thanks in advance! Have a great week everyone!

9 months new!

Please take note, I am starting this at 8.00am on Monday morning. I must admit that I have been posting less of late, and there is a reason for this. Since Jacob’s been more mobile, he has been a bit more of a menace and has been taking up a bit more of my attention.

Some of the reasons why it takes me longer to write blog posts:
1. Jacob LOVES the computer. Every time I use it, he wants to use it. Even if I try to avoid him or distract him, he’ll be back and will bang on my keyboard. Quite often I just give in and put it away. So I usually only blog when he’s sleeping (or if he’s heavily distracted).
2. Jacob doesn’t sleep much in the day anymore. Our usual routine is 45 mins in the morning and 45 minutes in the afternoon (though it has been fluctuating lately due to his teething). The rest of the time is usually spent entertaining him.
3. Because he doesn’t sleep much, housework piles up so I use his sleeping time to do housework.

I think it’s just a vicious cycle, but I can’t complain because I do love spending time with him. Sometimes I give him a bit of TV time (like now) for a bit of a break for myself. I’ve borrowed some German kids DVDs from the library and I believe both of us are learning here!

Anyway, it’s 2 days early but I thought I’d better write this before I lose track of time. In 2 days time, Jacob will be 9 months old!! I’ve said this so many times, but I’m still shocked at how time has flown by and how much he has grown and developed. We are beginning to see more and more of his personality, and it’s really exciting.

Height: Haven’t checked lately but I know he’s grown as he’s outgrown some outfits. He’s somewhere between a size 0 and size 1.

Weight: Based on my digital scale, 8.6kg. He used to be 75th percentile but now his weight is around the 25th percentile. Average weight for his age is supposed to be 8.9kg. It’s probably due to the fact that he’s not just mobile, he’s a crazy crawler and climber. He burns off a lot of calories! But as long as he’s healthy, I’m happy.

Milestones: Not walking yet (thank goodness!) but he’s close. He crawls relatively quickly (almost as fast as I walk) so it’s no use now when I put him down somewhere and run to do something else, because he just follows me. He loves opening and closing drawers, pulling himself up onto things (to potentially climb) and playing the piano (He can reach the keys if he tippy-toes).

Sleep: Still not sleeping through – I fear for my sanity at times. It’s only particularly bad if he sleeps too late (hence is overtired) and when he’s teething. His top teeth have descended and slightly cut through but there’s still some growing to do, I reckon.

Favourite foods: Yoghurt (with ANYTHING in it – he once put his omelette in it and ate it.), Weetbix and fruit for breakfast, eggs, carrot sticks (or anything in the form of a stick really), pumpkin, bananas, teething rusks. He’s quite a good eater now though he is still fiercely independent at times.

Favourite books: The Bad-Tempered Ladybird (I borrowed it from the library – Jacob laughs every time I say “Hey you, want to fight?”), All Monkeys Love Bananas (especially the part where they go “Bleh! Yuck!!”), Any book mum is reading (because he’ll want to bite it).

Favourite songs: Ohhhhh…. the grand old duke of york (he loves the up and down motions), 5 little ducks (though I usually start with 3 because I can’t be bothered going on and on about those ducks).

Favourite toys: Remotes (he has his own remote but he just assumes ANY remote is his. TV, aircon, etc.), the play table (thanks Priscilla!), stacker cups in the bath (he just pours water out of the bath), any musical toys that make music, my laptop and phone.

Funny/cute things he has done (and sometimes still does):

– He likes to explore in the oddest of places. One day he went into our bedroom and disappeared – and then I found him under the bed! Other places he has decided to play in include inside a glass display case and on top of a box of oranges (like literally lying on the oranges). 

– He always makes me feel bad for using the computer because he comes up behind the computer and peekaboo’s me from the side and front of the computer. So I just put it away and play with him. Sneaky!

– He knows how to run – in the air! When we lift him up and he’s excited, he’ll run in the air (while flailing his arms and squawking). 

– He makes the funniest sounds ever. Yes, the normal bababa and gagaga but he also hisses at us sometimes, or makes rasping sounds. He blows raspberries, snorts, grunts, squawks, screeches and simply guffaws with laughter at the randomest things.

– In general, he’s just really random. He just comes up to me and suddenly slaps me on the face. He can be eating a piece of banana and then suddenly he’ll make some really quick hand movements to squish the banana and it flies everywhere. He’s happy, then upset, then curious, then loving. So random, but I love him all the time.

Message from Jacob: 6+60.31020gg+00hbgv1f2f0 020.0zu-h”**-+

This is a record – posting this on the same day that I started writing! It’s about 9.00pm here now, and it’s also Game of Thrones time. I love Mondays! ❤