12.6.12

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Having Ben home for a week was complete bliss. All three of us enjoyed every second of fun, games and lounging about with each other. Sure, the constant downpour of rain and the freezing temperatures (one day it was the same as it had been on Christmas Day apparently) put a stop to the picnics, gardening and walks along the canal we'd planned, but the snuggles on the sofa and lazing in bed more than made up for it.

Plus it was a week of firsts for Phiney. Knowing what a wiggle bum this little one is, we knew she'd love her bouncer as soon as her legs were long enough to touch the floor. And, boy, did she. To begin with she looked a little unsure, but as soon as the music started the girl began to dance and show us her moves. It was brilliant and she's been bouncing in it every day since. Only moving and bouncing when music is played. When Papa's around it's old skool hip hop. When Mama's in charge it's Rhianna and Whitney Houston. If you didn't know before, Ben is way way cooler than me. But in my books, you can't beat a bit of cheese when it comes to shaking your booty and having a dance.
Next up was some food. Food? This girl is growing so fast I can't believe we're already here. She's five months next week. Insane. Anyway, we always thought we'd like to try baby led weaning and over the last few weeks it has become more apparent with every mouthful we ate, that Josephine was getting very interested in food.

There hasn't been any meals yet, and we don't plan on starting those for a good few weeks, but there's been plenty of experimenting. Baby led weaning is all about our little ones learning about food. The tastes, the textures and smells. It's about giving them some food and leaving them to explore. Because we're not particularly organised we haven't bought Phiney a highchair yet, but her borrowed Bumbo complete with tray served us perfectly well.

Day one: A tree of soft broccoli, some skinless cucumber, a piece of avocado and a chunk of strawberry. The cucumber was apparently too boring for words and after a quick sniff was returned to the tray. The broccoli's strange texture occupied her for a while and she was licking it like a lolly pop with a quizzical look on her face. The avocado and strawberry? Unsurprisingly those got munched. Not entirely, but she certainly had a nibble.

Day two: Ben decided to try more interesting mixtures of flavours. On the menu (all homemade of course - Ben's been so excited about getting to this stage and making her first meals) was Tzatziki, houmous, a broad bean, pea and mint paste and a tomato (skinless and seedless), basil and onion concoction. We dolloped some on her tray and she went nuts. Scooping and licking the food off her tray like a cat, and "mmm"-ing all the way. She loved every. single. mouthful. What a joy to behold. But then, with us as her parents, the girl had to love her food. Ben and I revelled in this beautiful sight. Our first lunch together, snacking on the same pulses but with a couple of pitta breads thrown in for those of us with teeth. Since then there's been some yogurt and sweet potato mash too, all gobbled up with delight.
Yesterday Ben went back to work and his girls missed him so. We're not whole without him here. But when he walked through the front door last night, Phiney's face lit up and the biggest smile flew across her face. Papa was back, and our house became a home again.
  
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24 comments:

  1. How lovely are these pictures! Her little face lights up with every new experience. Bless!xxx

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  2. So adorable! It's a whole new world for her and it goes so fast that you have to capture as much as possible x

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  3. You daughter eats better than me! Such delicious sounding food. Enjoy every moment. I remember being surprised that babies enjoy really strong flavours. My daughter still hates baked beans and other "normal" kiddie fayre but hoovers up olives, smoked salmon and hoummous. She wont be a cheap date!

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  4. Look at that little face! So cute! Don't worry too much about getting a highchair, you may find the Bumbo to be all you need for the next good while- we definitely prefer it xx

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  5. So gorgeous Nell. I love the colourful pants you knitted for her. Isn't feeding fun!? Makes for wonderful photos :-)

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    1. Feeding is so much fun. Her face just lit up. She adores it. And the trousers - all kinds of awesome. And courtesy of my Mum! xx

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  6. Cutest post ever! I love the photos of her licking the tray for food....mmmm xx

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  7. seriously how is she 5 months already??

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    1. Lady, I know what you mean. It's insane. Beautiful profile picture btw. Love the fringe! xx

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  8. Such genius facial expressions from the PhineyBean. Not impressed that you make her listen to Rihanna...not impressed at all! xx

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  9. These pics are so so lovely, she`s such a hit.
    Hate to say it out loud, but those bouncers are a real threat for her sweet little back, I`m serious. They are fun to watch, but she should only be doing everything she can with her own power and muscles.
    Not sure about the mixture of food...do you have a lot of allergy risk in your family? Doesn`t it say to introduce one food at a time, as in take it slow?!?
    Sorry for being so critical, it just crossed my mind.
    She is such a cutie pie!!!

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    1. Thanks for your comment. We researched bouncers and which to get, if any, and found this one to be both safe and comfortable for a baby. The 'pouch' velcros tightly round her middle offering her plenty of support and we only put her in it for around 10 minutes a day.
      As for the food; the idea that you have to introduce one flavour at a time, is quite an old one. Baby led weaning is all about introducing your child to new flavours and combinations, and happily advocates allowing them to eat what you eat. There are no allergies in either of our families, and we are, of course, keeping an eye out for any reactions when we feed her in case she develops one.
      Nell

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    2. I guess educating yourself is the one and only thing you can do, really, can`t you?
      I never trusted bouncers and all the other stuff, but that`s probably because babe wasn`t quite physically developed and I`m super-aware ;-)
      Totally support the idea of "let them eat what you have", giving them a chance to taste all the good things and flavours. However, I still think it is easier to keep track of reactions on food if you take it slow as sometimes it takes quite a while for the little bodies to show a reaction. Lucky you don`t have allergy risks though!

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    3. Josephine is crazy strong, always has been, from the day she was born. So physically we aren't at all worried about using a bouncer. She holds herself upright bouncer or not, and wants to stand most of the time nowadays. If anything the bouncer is strengthening her more - she's now bouncing around on our legs, pulling her legs up and down, when she's not even in it!
      It's strange - all the talk of food allergies really isn't a big thing in this country. When I was discussing Baby Led Weaning with our awesome health visitor she didn't mention it once and no-one does on the whole. Of course we're keeping an eye out in case of anything but it's really not seen as something common enough to be scared or particularly worried about over here.
      On both counts, we're following our instincts - the way, on the whole, we're parenting. No-one knows our child better than us, and we trust Josephine to let us know what she wants or doesn't want. She's loving both the bouncer and the food, and that's good enough proof for us that what we're doing is correct, and at the right time for her.

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  10. Gorgeous! We tried our first boy with the jolly jumper and he couldn't stand it, screamed until we pulled him out of the thing.
    Which is rather ironic, given that NOW, at four years of age, he is totally obsessed with jumping! Lovely photos of your special firsts xo

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  11. Hello, Just found you via your comment on mine : ) My mum's always tells me how much I enjoyed my bouncer as a little one, I think I'd enjoy it now too given the chance! Those little trousers are very cute too - are they knitted?

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    1. Phiney is loving the bouncer. She's such a mover though, we weren't at all surprised!
      The trousers are knitted, yes. My Mum is a knitting legend xx

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  12. So cute! I was terrible when Lalie was starting solids - I kept COMPLETELY forgetting to feed her! It took me so long to get used to the routine and being organised for meals...
    Phiney is loving it! x

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    1. She really is Claire. I have to post the video. It's a sight to behold watching her eat.
      I have to admit the last two days, I've been so NOT on the ball when it comes to the food and all Josephine's had is a bit of houmous from my finger. Whoops. Need to remember, need to remember! xx

      ps. She looks so grown up in the boucer. So strong and standing with purpose. She's really tall too. Clearly she doesn't get that from her Mama! xx

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  13. P.S - how grown up is she in the bouncer??!?

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  14. We did the same with Elke. Just gave her bits and pieces of what we were eating at that time. I don't think I ever pureed anything for her as she hated anything too smooth and bland. Texture and taste - that was my girl!

    Phiney looks so happy in her bouncer. Too cute!! xx

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  15. How cute!!!! Love the bouncer pics and the ones of her hoovering up her food off the Bumbo tray are hilarious! x

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