Fairy cakes

I gave Benjamin a class in baking today. We made fairy cakes and I even let him lick some off the spoon. I talked him through the steps and even lowered the bowl while I was whisking it, although this caused a bit of the mixture to fly out, ho hum.

I have to admit that my first batch came out rather more solid than I would have liked. I realised I used the wrong recipe though (I used the fat free swiss role one...not recommended). Benjamin didn't seem to mind though, he woofed one down, so no fussy eaters in my house!

I then used the fairy cake recipe from my school recipe book. These cakes have turned out a lot better. If you would like the recipe please email me.

I wonder whether Benjamin will become the next Jamie Oliver?!

Rambling apology for lack of postings for a wee while!

Apologies for the lack in postings on here, but I joined a gym and felt I needed to use it lots in order to make it worth being a member, what a nightmare! So I have been going to a fair few classes and have been taking the boy swimming.

...I then got run down (prob due to all that healthy exercise), we then went on a family holiday to Cornwall (which was very restful). (NB We caught up with my Auntie Susan, Uncle Frank and Cousin-in-law, HyeonSook, while we were there, which was great...I better say this so it makes them smile when they read it! :-))

Then, (yep my excuses have not yet ended), I caught up with the washing, got ill again and then we had Benjamin's first birthday :-).

Anyways! I am back to being healthy again, but have to I admit that I have signed up to sell washable nappies, so that might distract me a little from my postings, but I will try a bit harder to write a few every week :-)

Baby swimming top tips

It took six months before I enrolled Benjamin in baby swimming classes at our local pool. I guess it was something new and despite me being a strong swimmer I was a little apprehensive about taking him. We love it now though, both the swimming lessons and going swimming as a family at the weekends.

If you are going swimming on your own here are my top tips:

• Buy your baby a washable swim nappy (Mothercare does them among others), this means you don't need to keep buying the disposable swim nappies, so it will save you money,


• It might be worth also buying a full length cozzie for your beloved as pools can be a little chilly (you can find one of these at a car boot sale if you are lucky),


• Get there in plenty of time so you don't feel rushed and so you can bag yourself a changing room with a working pull down changer, (Not one that might dangerously dangle your darling towards the floor!)


• If your baby is weaned take him a snack and drink for afters, another mum friend suggested this and I can vouch that it does sooth a tired whingey baby!


• If you are on your own forget about going to the loo and washing your hair afterwards!


• If you are allowed forget about using the locker, just take your bag onto the side of the pool as faffing with a locker whilst holding baby is a logistical nightmare

(I you have any more top tips please email me and I will add them to the list).

Finally, lessons can be great fun, they include stuff like singing nursery rhymes whilst swishing your baby or toddler round in the pool, teaching them to kick their legs whilst chasing a toy and Humpty Dumpty jumping off the side of the pool :-).

Going swimming as a family is also fab as it really feeling like we are having that quality family time that people talk about :-). I have to admit that Gary was the first to take B into the water as he is less phased by cold water than me, (I designated myself chief photo taker and towel holder on this occasion!).

5 Little Speckled Frogs Rhyme

This is a great little rhyme to enjoy with your baby or little one. I have put the lyrics below in case you don't already know them.

So the rhyme:

Five little speckled frogs

Sat on a speckled log
Eating the most delicious bugs -
Yum, yum.
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were four more speckled frogs.
Glub, glub!

Verses

Four little speckled frogs...
Three little speckled frogs...
Two little speckled frogs...

Final Verse
One little speckled frog
Sat on a speckled log
Eating the most delicious bugs -
Yum, yum.
It jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool,
Now there are no more speckled frogs.
Glub, glub!

Actions make it more fun so either count down the frogs using your fingers or you could try setting up 5 teddies on a log and then one by one jumping them into an imaginary pool!

I tried jumping 5 assorted cuddly toys one by one into an inflated baby gym/ring thing today and I think it helped keep 10 month old Benjamin's attention.

Visit your local garden centre with your baby

If you are looking for a free outing with your baby or toddler I can recommend visiting your local garden centre. If you live near Kingsley (near Bordon)in Hampshire, then the Country Market is a great to visit (http://www.countrymarket.co.uk/location.htm).

Country Market has a number of different shops in one place and is really worth a wander round.

They have aquariums filled with amazing fish that would rival Portsmouth Aquarium for sure. There are also huge goldfish in open tanks that you can get very close to. They have a wide variety of stock for you and your little one to look at, I have never seen anywhere quite like it.

While you are there it's worth also nipping into the pet store to say tweet tweet to the birds and wee wee to the guinea pigs and then, later, having a wander round the garden centre to admire the plants.

If you fancy it they also have a lovely coffee shop upstairs with comfy sofas and toys to keep your baby or toddler amused. I have to admit that it is a little on the pricey side, so I don't go there often, but it is nice to sit in there with my mum pals.

(I will add a photo once the snow and slush has gone).

Our visit to see the geese and ducks

I wrapped B up well mid morning and tucked him into his cosy pram. We then diced with death crossing the icy road and walking along the slippery footpaths to get to the pond which is nearby.

I thought it might be nice for Benjamin to see the geese and ducks, but on the way there he protested and then fell asleep....ho, hum, perhaps I might show him this photo tomorrow!

On the plus side I had a nice walk in the sunshine :-)

Baby Neptune DVD by Baby Einstein

Following our water theme this week we watched the Baby Einstein Baby Neptune DVD this morning.

This one isn't a free online resource, but I think it's great value for money. We bought the Baby Einstein box set of DVDs on recommendation of a friend, it contains 26 DVDs.

They mix film footage of real life animals, scenes, people and objects with footage of puppets. They are all backed with classical music, which is supposed to be great for baby's development and my hubby, Gary, approves of! It is all done in a fun, simple and beautiful way that grabs the attention of babies.

We love it, I really think that Benjamin gets a lot out of the DVDs. Often I sit with him and we watch them together, but he also watches them on his own and they keep him amused. The DVDs have dialogue on them, but I add to it :-) . I also leave him to watch them on his own.

The Baby Neptune is just one of the DVDs, it introduces your little one to all things watery....from rivers and the sea to your washing machine! It is just over 20 minutes long.

There is even some bonus material on the DVD:

• Footage of an aquarium scene - I might be tempted to put this in the absence of us having an aquarium,


• Pictures that you can print out for your little one to colour in - I have to admit that these look a bit too advanced for B and


• Some TV flashcards - a bit too advanced for B again.