Elliot's 8 Month Update

Dear Elliot,

This month was all about pumpkins and Autumn. We have been on some lovely walks, although we have realised that we need a new baby-carrier, as you are far too heavy to be carried on our fronts now, hah!! We also had half-term so your brother had a week with no school, yay!!! 

One of the best things we did this month was your underwater photoshoot, which was made even better when we all joined in and had a full family photo. CAN NOT wait to get the photos back! 

Milestones 

I feel like you have completely changed this month, you don't seem like a baby anymore!!!!!!!!! 

You got 3 more teeth making a total of 6 and they are all almost completely through which makes you look really different. 

You eat loads now and basically having the same meals as us. You say Mama now too. 

The biggest change is that you 'army crawled' at the beginning of this month and now are in full blown crawling mode. You do still need some practise before you are catching up with your brother and sister though. 

Routine

I am still feeding you on demand but we have been trying to get you into more of a routine, when we are at home we are now putting you in you in your cot for naps: 5:30 - 6:30am -  Wake up8:00am - Breakfast 9:00am - Nap (anything from 30mins to 2 hours)12:00pm - Feed 1:00pm - Nap (anything from 30mins to 2 hours)5:00pm - Dinner  6:00pm - Bath with your brother and sister 7:00 - 8:30pm - We aim to get you to sleep
You have had many nights this month of not waking at all!!!! 

Weight 
You now weigh 19lbs 14oz and you jumped a bit closer to the 75th percentile! You do wear some 6-9 month clothes but I would say you are mostly in 9-12 months. 

Love you so much,Mama xxx

Elliot's 7 Month Update

Dear Elliot,

This month we had your Aunty's and Uncle's birthdays and your cousin's first birthday too! It was also a big one for us, with Jackson starting school and Florence going back to preschool, which meant that we have had some lovely one-on-one time. Dada and I also left you with your grandparents for the first time, while we went out for Lunch for our anniversary. 

Milestones 

Your 3rd tooth made an appearance and it looks like a few more are on their way! 
You are loving eating now and have tried loads of different foods. Next month I am going to try to introduce some meat. 

You have been an amazing sleeper this month (minus a particular week, for which I think those teeth were to blame), it was well needed!!! 

You had your first bottle and you took it so well. You have not taken another one since but at least I know that you will have it if you're hungry enough. 


You said 'Dada' for the first time, although you generally say it the most when you are tired and upset which is funny as this is when you want me the most!!! 


You love giving kisses now, and your cuddles are epic!!! 

Routine

I am still feeding you on demand and let you sleep when you want but this has roughly been your routine this month:
6:00-8:00am - Wake up
8:00am - Breakfast 
9:00am - Nap (about 30mins)
12:00pm - Feed 
1:00pm - Nap (about 30mins)
4:00pm - Nap 
5:30pm - Dinner  
6:00pm - Bath with your brother and sister 
7:00-8:30pm - We aim to get you to sleep (doesn't always work and sometimes you come back down with us) 

You have had many nights this month of not waking at all!!!! 

Weight 

You now weigh 18lbs 14oz and are basically on the 50th percentile! You fit into mostly 6-9 month clothes but you do wear a few 9-12 month outfits too. 

Love you so much,
Mama xxx

Elliot's 6 Month Update

Dear Elliot,

This month we celebrated your Yaya's birthday by going away to Brighton for the night and we have been lucky enough to go away for 2 nights in West Wittering as the 5 of us as well, which was just wonderful. 

Milestones 

This month you found your thumb and I don't think it has left your mouth, which is new to me as your brother and sister took a dummy.  

You now roll all over the place and don't stay in the same spot for more than a couple of seconds. 

Your 2nd tooth came through too, bringing you back to your happy self. 

You even treated your Mama to a full night's sleep, just the once though (you didn't want to spoil me, haha)! 

We started weaning you at 5 months and 2 weeks, following the 'baby-led' method, so there has been a lot of playing with different foods with the occasional eating. So far, you've tried broccoli, courgette, carrot, cucumber, avocado, tomato, banana, strawberry and some bread. 

Routine

I am still feeding on demand and let you sleep when you want but you're naturally falling into more of a routine now:

6:00-7:00am - Wake up
8:00am - Breakfast 
9:00am - Nap (about 30mins)
12:00pm - Feed 
1:00pm - Nap (about 30mins)
4:00pm - Nap 
5:30pm - Dinner  
6:00 - Bath with your brother and sister 
7:00-8:30pm - We aim to get you to sleep (doesn't always work) 

During the night you normally feed at around 10:30pm, 1:00am, 4:00am, 5:00am (sometimes) and 6:00am. 

Weight 

You now weigh 17lbs 11oz and are just above the 50th percentile! You fit into mostly 6-9 month clothes with some clothes being 9-12 months, which are still very big on you. 

Love you so much,
Mama xxx

Open Letter to Florence, July 19

Dear Florence, 

The last time that I wrote to you was before your first birthday and now you are 2 & 1/2! Well, what can I say about my gorgeous, innocent, curly blondie? You have certainly turned into a fiery diva (I think deep down you must be a red head, haha)! I am pleased that you can hold your own as, in a family where we are outnumbered by boys, you need to be a strong woman. I saw a quote the other day that said 'I hope my daughter's sassiness helps her run a company one day and not a gang in prison', this pretty much sums it up! 

While I am saying all this, you are probably the cutest you have ever been right now. The way you say 'come here' when you want us to play and wanting us to tickle your back when you get tired is just adorable. You had moments of jealously when Elliot came but already you are coming round to not being the baby anymore and I love it when you say 'heeellloooo' and 'you alright' to Elliot in your sweet voice. You love it when he laughs at you and you shower him with kisses. 

You have done your first 1/2 term at preschool which you really enjoy, even though you only do 3 hours a week at the moment (that was all I could take right now). It gave me some time with your big bro before he starts school and I will do the same with you when you get to that stage. 

I had so much fun on our holiday to France and I think that your favourite part was all the swimming - you have no fear in the water which terrifies me! We are keeping up with your swimming lessons but I am also thinking about starting you in ballet, as you still love dancing and I think that you will be brilliant at it!!! 

We are heading into the school holidays now, 6 whole weeks with you all at home. I am looking forward to the slower mornings and fun things we are going to do all together. 

Keep your sassiness and your mega-cute side because we love you for it. 

Lots of love 
Mama xxx

Open Letter to Jackson, July 19

Dear Jackson, 

I looked to see when the last time I wrote to you was and it was when you had not long started preschool. Now you are starting school in just 6 weeks! It's crazy how fast the last 4 & 1/2 years have gone. Everyone tells you it goes quickly, it really does. 

You are so excited about school. I told you today that it was coming up to the last day of preschool and your little face lit up and you said 'do I go to big school now?' I'm afraid you still have 6 weeks with me first though! 

We have bought your school uniform already and I know everyone says to wait until later but I got 5-6 year sizes so they all have room to grow into. I don't think that you will shoot up 2 years worth in the next 6 weeks (maybe I'll eat my words now, haha!!). 

You have so much confidence nowadays - on our holiday you would walk up to other children and just start chatting away. A family arrived at the caravan next to us the day before we left and hearing you talking to them was so lovely. You barely let them get a word in, chatting away about your holiday. 

Since my last letter, you have become a big brother again and it has been wonderful watching how you have been this time. You are so caring and protective and if I am busy with Florence or something else and Elliot cries, you are straight over trying to comfort him. Even Florence has started copying your behaviour and the 3 of you are so lovely together, which makes Dada and I so proud. 

This will be the first year that you will not be going to Greece since you were born. To be honest, it's only my 2nd ever year of not going - unfortunately it was not in our budget this year but I am going to try to make this summer the best ever anyway!!! The great thing is that Dada will be around more and we may get a few bonus days with him! We did have an amazing family holiday to France last month too, which should get us through the rest of the summer holidays without another trip! 

On Thursday mornings Florence has started going to preschool, which has meant that me and you (plus Elliot) have had some special bonding time and I have loved it. We have had time at home making your potion kits, been to the skate park on your scooter and had coffee mornings together. You have asked, on the odd occasion, if we could send Florence everyday and spend time as just the 2 of us all the time (I wont tell her you said that, haha) but it does make me happy in my decision to send her one morning a week. 

I am going to miss you so much when you go to school but I am going to make the most of the summer with you and treasure our weekends and school holidays even more in the future. 

Your Dada and I are so proud of you and love you so much. 

Love Mama xxx

Slimming World

After I had Florence, I joined Slimming World to lose the baby weight for my sister's wedding. Now, after Elliot has joined our family, I have done the same but this time with the knowledge that I will not be having any more babies! I started on the 6th May and I had put on the most that I have put on out of all of my pregnancies - a whole 2st more than my pre- Elliott weight. So far, I have managed to lose an amazing 1 stone and 7lbs, bringing me only 7lbs away from my 'target', which to be honest I might now move down another stone. 

I haven't found it too difficult so far as I am still breastfeeding so I am allowed more dairy, which is your 'Healthy extra A'. To be honest I am allowed so much of it that I don't keep count! 

Here is an example of my meals each day: 

Breakfast: Blueberry Wheats with extra blueberries and skimmed milk.
Mid-morning Snack: Banana. 
Lunch: Pasta with lots of veggies. 
Mid-afternoon Snack: Melon. 
Dinner: Tandoori kebabs, rice and salad.
Evening Snack: Yogurt, fibre one bars and berries. 

The biggest thing that I have changed is eating more regularly, so mid-afternoon the tiredness and hunger doesn't kick in, which is when I would usually head for the biscuit tin. 

I have been using a lot of the Pinch of Nom recipes - they are so easy to follow and full of flavour. 

One thing that I am really struggling with is trying to fit in exercise! I have started the Body Coach's 7 Day Challenge (only 15mins per day) but I as I write this I am only on day 3 and already struggling to walk, haha! 

Recipes that I have loved are: 

http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-chicken-tandoori-kebabs-slimming-world/

https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/spaghetti-carbonara

I keep giving myself mini targets, this month's being to get to the next stone bracket, for which I have another 3 pounds to do in 2 weeks. The next one will be to get to target, even though I have already mentioned that I want to lower it, which makes it about 7 pounds in 4 weeks. I think that it will be harder now I am getting close to pre-pregnancy weight, plus now it is the school holidays but I will give it my best! 

Elliot's 5 Month Update

Dear Elliot, 

This month has had lots of family and friends time and most importantly we had your Dada's birthday, as well as your cousin's Christening. To top it all off, we have had the best weather too!!

It's crazy to think that next month we will start thinking about weaning you. Time needs to slow down!!! 

Milestones 

You rolled front to back, only a few times so far but you're getting there. 

Sleep is still not that great but luckily you are pretty darn cute! 

Your first tooth came through, which was horrible and I really felt for you. The second is on it's way but hopefully then you'll get a bit of a break!!!

Routine

We have started to get you into more of a routine this month:

6:00-7:00am - wake up. 
9:00am - nap. 
(The middle bit has no routine and you are fed on demand). 
5:30pm - bath with your brother and sister. 
7:00-8:30pm - we aim to get you to sleep (doesn't always work). 
10:00pm - dream feed.
For the rest of the night, you often wake a few times and in no particular pattern. 

Weight 

You now weigh 17lb 1oz! You fit into mostly 6-9 month clothes, still wearing a few 3-6 month outfits but I think they are going to be packed away soon. I have also got you out a few 9-12 month ones and even though they are giant, I have still put them on you. 
You're currently in between the 50th and 75th percentile. 

Love you so much,
Mama xxx