9 Month Update

We started the month with Jackson’s and my first ever Thanksgiving meal, cooked by one of his Guide Parents, Lucy. We celebrated Jackson’s Naming Ceremony, which was such a lovely day. We had a trip to Odds Farm with his little buddies and of course had lots of Christmas fun, including a couple of Christmas parties and his first ever Christmas!!

Milestones

Last month, not a lot had changed. Well, this month, everything seems to have changed and I am loving every minute of it!!!

Jackson has been pulling himself up on every surface he can find and has now learnt to get himself down again, whereas before, he would get stuck and moan until we helped him down. He’s found Daddy’s Xbox and the on/off button, which he presses constantly!!!

He now copies us when we blow a kiss at him; he makes a kissing noise back at us.

He’s also talking a lot more this month and there is no stopping him. He says mama, dada, baba and yaya, not that he knows what they mean yet!

He got another two teeth this month, taking his total up to 8!

Routine

8:00am - wake up and bottle

8:30am – breakfast

10:00am – nap for about an hour

11:00am - bottle

12:00pm – lunch

1:00pm – nap for 30 mins to an hour

2:30pm – bottle

5:00pm – dinner

5:45pm - bath and bottle

7:00pm - down for bed

Each time he is having about 6oz of milk in a bottle and 7oz before bed.

Clothes and weight

He is in 9-12 month clothes now, however some already seem to be getting too small!!!

I got him weighed a couple of weeks ago and he was over 10kgs which is 22lbs 6oz. That takes him back up to just below the 91^st percentile!

Love Sophia xx

Happy Christmas

This is my last blog for Blogmas!
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time out of their day to read them throughout December and I hope that you have enjoyed them. 

In the New Year, as much as I have enjoyed Blogmas, I will be going back to blogging every Sunday. However, I am also going to be introducing one on Wednesday every week. On top of this, every now and then I will be practicing my Vlogging skills! 

Let me know if there is anything you would like to see from me.

I am now going to open the bottle of bubbly from our Christmas Eve box and watch a Christmas movie, eagerly awaiting tomorrow morning! 

Happy Christmas Everyone!!! 

Hope you all have a lovely day!! 

Love The Corbitt Family xxx

Leftover Turkey Recipes

It seems tradition that everyone, at Christmas, gets a massive turkey to feed way more people than they have coming for lunch! I love eating turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day but after a few, it gets a bit tiresome. I have found four very yummy alternative left over recipes, all from Good Food. Here they are...

1. Christmas Pizza. This first one I found I think would be a perfect one for Chris, who is obsessed with pizza! This uses left over sausage meat and the turkey. 
2. Turkey Singapore Noddles. This one sounds so yummy. It also uses the the left over ham from Christmas Eve or Boxing Day. 
3. Moroccan Turkey Salad. During the Christmas period, I eat so much good food, so I like this one as its a bit lighter and with the pomegranate, it makes it a little sweet which I love the idea of. Plus, this is a super quick recipe. 
4. Turkey Noodle Soup. This one seems the easiest of all the recipes. And with so few ingredients, it seems the cheapest too but sounds just as nice.

Let me know what your favourite left over turkey recipe is!

Love Sophia xx

Christmas Tag

I have seen this 'Christmas Tag' floating around and thought that I would share my answers...

1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie?
As you know from one of my previous blogs, my favourite Christmas movie is Elf. 

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Christmas Day. As much as I beg Chris to open them earlier, he always says no!! 

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
Generally my childhood Christmases have always been memorable. The year that my cousin joined us from Greece was pretty magical. 

4. Favourite festive food?
I simply can't pick between 'pigs in blankets' and cheese and biscuits. 

5. Favourite Christmas gift?
I think that my favourite gift was 'Baby Born Doll'. it was a baby doll that drank milk and ate food. 

6. Favourite Christmas scent?
A real christmas tree smell. This year I have had to use a candle to get this smell in my house, as we opted to get a fake tree!

7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
Apart from the normal leaving a drink and a carrot for Santa and Rudolf, we didn't really have any other traditions.

8. What tops your tree?
A white star.

9. As a kid, what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
I am not sure on this one but I am sure if you ask my Mum she would give a few answers!

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?
I think that the whole lead up to Christmas in December is amazing. 

The last question was my favourite so let me know what your best part of Christmas is?

Love Sophia xx

Winter Pamper Evening

I love a good pamper evening. I have to admit, they are few and far between now but even more appreciated when I do get the time!

First things first is I get my self a glass of wine...

Once the important part is done, I start running the bath and light some candles.

Under the running water, I add a bath product. This time it was some of the 'Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds' from Lush. I only use a little bit of this each time and it still completely fills the bath with bubbles. Once the bath is run I added Butterbear, also from Lush.

I switch on Spotify and play some music - what type of music completely depends on what mood I am in. Tonight, I chose one of their Christmas playlists.

Before getting in, I cleanse my face and then put a face mask on. At the moment, I have a simple Superdrug one. I also put coconut oil onto my hair, which makes my hair feel amazing afterwards!

I spend the next hour soaking in the tub. After my hair is washed, legs are shaved and my hands are like a prune, it's time to get out.

Out comes the coconut oil again but this time for my body, which makes it 'baby soft'!

Once I am dry, I then start on the nails - tonight I picked something a bit glittery (well, it is Christmas after all)!

Let me know what you do on your pamper evening.

Love Sophia xx

Day in the life

I have now been doing Blogmas for 19 days so thought that I would do something a bit different. Instead of another Blog, I thought I might mix it up a bit by doing a Vlog! For anyone that doesn't know what this is, it's a mini video diary and this one is of my day. Hope you enjoy.....

A day in the life 

Love Sophia xx

Christmas Eve Box

I have been searching the internet for other people's Christmas traditions that I could start with my family.

One I loved was a Christmas eve box! Obviously Jackson is still too young to understand Christmas so at the moment this is mainly for our enjoyment!

I picked up the box from TKMax

Inside the box I have some PJ's for Jackson to wear on Christmas eve. I got these from Primark.

For Christmas day, I have brought Jackson a plate and bowl to have his Christmas dinner on. Both are from Matalan.

Of course, Jackson needed a bib for his dinner and I found this amazing one from Tesco!

I will add these into the box next year as they are a bit old for him but theses will be to read during the day and before bed.

I am yet to put this in, however as this year it is mainly for our enjoyment, I will be putting in a bottle of Prosecco also!

In the future as Jackson gets older, I will include craft activities to do during the day on Christmas eve, DVD's to watch and maybe even some treats to eat!

Let me know what traditions you share as a family.

Love Sophia xx

Christmas Cake Decoration

You may have seen my previous blog about making my Christmas Cake. I thought I would share the next step with you - how I decorate it! I love making cakes but not the decoration part so much, I always have an idea in my head which is so creative and fancy but how it turns out is never the same! 

Most recipes use apricot jam, however, we didn't have any as I simply forgot to buy some! So I used strawberry jam instead. I heated the strawberry jam and covered the cake in it. 

I then rolled out the marzipan and layered it over the cake.

Then it was time for more strawberry jam!

I then rolled out the icing and laid over the cake too.

As I previously mentioned, I am no Mary Berry when it comes to decoration, so I bought some snow flake decorations and laid them on top. Some may say thats cheating but I would say it's clever, haha! 

The finish was a bit bumpy but overall I don't think it looks too bad! However, I will have to wait until Christmas to do the taste test!

Love 

Sophia xx

Baby gift guide

Christmas is fast approaching and I have loved buying presents for Jackson. I thought that I would share some gift ideas for babies! 

"Aeroplane & Balloon" Mobile 

I think that this is a gorgeous addition to a baby's room. We have a mobile in Jackson's room but have put it above the changing table and Jackson loves looking at it. 

Playskool Poppin Park Elefun Busy Ball Popper 

We have bought this for Jackson for Christmas and it looks so much fun! It plays music and shoots the balls out, what more do you need! 

Viga Wooden First Steps Baby Walker

This is such an old school toy but I think they are brilliant for babies, as it helps them walk and they have the wooden blocks to play with as well. This is on Jackson's wish list!

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube

Again, another wooden toy! This one looks simple and classy, unlike some other baby toys. This is great for their hand and eye coordination.

Skippy the Bouncy Space Hopper Cow, White

We go to a baby sensory class and they have one of these there, which Jackson loves. He's not old enough to be on it by himself but with my help he loves jumping up and down (and chewing on the ears!).

VTech Baby Crawl and Learn Lights Ball 

Jackson has had this for a while and LOVES it. This has to be one of his favourites. It plays music and rolls around the floor. 

That's Not My Penguin Book and Toy

I had to include a book into the selection. I love books and enjoy reading to Jackson, not that he understands a thing! This one, I thought, was a good idea. It has a little toy to go with it and the touchy feely aspect might make it more interesting for Jackson.

Let me know what you have brought any little ones in your family! 

Love Sophia xx

Tuna Croquettes

I always found making food for Jackson quite difficult. I sometimes felt that he ended up eating the same things day in day out, which is why I used Pinterest a lot and was constantly searching Amazon for the best cook book. That is how I came across the Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook. This gives simple recipes that even parents can eat, however most are quite bland and boring to me so I tend not to eat them as well!

Today I thought I would make him the 'Tuna Croquettes'

Ingredients 

• 2 large potatoes
• 185g tuna 
• Juice of 1 lime (however I didn't have this so used a satsuma instead)
• 25g butter
• 25g bread crumbs 

Method

• Peel and chop the potatoes and then boil them until soft

• When the potatoes are cooked, drain and mash them 

(Jackson tried to help!)

• Add the tuna, butter and lime juice

• Shape the mixture into sausage shapes and roll in the bread crumbs 

• Add to a baking tray and cook at 200C for 20 mins

With this meal, I also gave him green peppers, cucumber, raspberries and blueberries.

And now for the all important taste test.....

Oh dear!!!!! I don't think it was as bad as Jackson made out though, as even though he did pull the funny faces, he did go on to eat it all!

Let me know if you have any good recipes to recommend. 

Love Sophia xx

Christmas Jumpers

I love Christmas jumpers and have a few already, but I still like to keep an eye out for new ones each year! This year I have even been able to buy some for Jackson too which has been mega exciting! 

Here are a few of my favourite ones: 

New Look

Now this one is a brilliant Christmas jumper! There is no subtle Christmas theme - it is just screaming Christmas!

Dorothy Perkins   

This one is soooo cute. It is pretty cheesy but I think I like it so much because there are three polar bears on it, just like my family!

Next 

This is a more classy Christmas jumper. It's not in your face but still a little Christmassy!

Topshop

This one seems to be a favourite this year. It's more of a sweater material, so no itchiness and the slogan its quite a funny one. 

Of course, I had to share a few of my favourites for Jackson too! Here they are:

Zara

I think this is so cute! Plus, I think you could get away with this generally during winter.

Boots

Now this one is exactly what you think of when you hear Christmas jumper. I love the bright colours and the huge nose! 

John Lewis

This one is really sweet, not in your face but just enough so you know what time of year it is! The robin is such a lovely touch. 

Tesco

I had to throw in an over-the-top jumper. I think it is so funny and love that the lights are 3D!

Hope you enjoyed my Christmas jumper wish list. Let me know where you have got yours from this year! 

Love Sophia xx 

Being a Dad

Jackson being born was the most amazing (and terrifying) experience of my life. I remember the feeing I had when I first heard his cry, as he arrived into the world. That was the amazing part and the feeling was an overwhelmingly happy one, unlike any I had felt before. It was everything that was happening before hand that was the terrifying part because after a very long labour, Sophia had to have an Emergency C-Section, as Jackson seemed perfectly happy where he was and despite making very good progress throughout the day, he obviously changed his mind at the grand finale! I know tons of people every day have a C-Section and it is a perfectly safe and standard procedure, but when the two people you love most in the world (one of which you haven’t even met yet) are whisked off into pretty major surgery, it becomes a scary experience! However, the moment Jackson was out and we heard his cry, all of the scary stuff was suddenly forgotten and it then transformed into the happiest moment of my life.

Leading up to the big day, I would get nervous thinking about being a Dad, as it feels like such a life changing thing, and I would always feel like I wasn’t quite ready for it. However, from the minute Jackson arrived, there was no time to worry about it anymore, as you are just thrown into the role and it all just seems to come naturally as you just get on with it and learn as you go.

 I had two weeks off for paternity leave when Jackson was born and, although most of it was spent indoors adjusting to life with a baby and putting up with tons of visitors, it was more fun than any holiday I have ever had. Even though both Sophia and I were exhausted most of the time, there was something about lazing around whilst taking care of and cuddling our little boy, and taking him on little trips into town in the daytime, that was great.

 We had been together for nearly 10 years when Jackson arrived, but it was only then that Sophia learnt something about me; when tired enough, I can sleep anywhere! The night we came home with him was dreadful and we got absolutely no sleep. The next morning, we had to take him to the hospital for a check up at 8:00am and whilst in the waiting room, I had been sat down for less than 30 seconds when I fell asleep bolt up right in the chair!

A lot has changed since those first few weeks of Jacks’ life. I am obviously back at work, which can be difficult at times, not being able to spend all day with the two of them. However, I love it when I walk in the door in the evening and creep into whatever room they are both in – the look on Jackson’s face when he sees me is priceless! He gives me a massive grin from ear to ear and starts laughing. This period at the moment is especially exciting, as he seems to be doing something new everyday. Just the other day whilst I was at work, Sophia called me and I could hear him saying ‘da-da-da-da’. I couldn’t wait to get home and see him!

There is no doubt that becoming a Dad was the most nerve-racking thing I have ever done but I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone!

Chris