I loathe the hot weather, I sun hate like a vampire.  Unfortunately avoiding it isn't an option; resistance is futile.

But just because the sun is out doesn't mean you have to put the slings away, on the contrary the pros of baby wearing still apply and in my opinion outweigh the cons.  There are things you can do to ensure it's a little more comfortable for the both of you.

Review: Monkey Mama Teething/Fiddle Necklace

www.tiarasandprozac.co.uk

I've spent a lot of time nursing.  In total I've nursed for over 7 years.  A lot of baby items I find superfluous and terribly gimmicky and thus refuse to be lured in by their ridiculous beguile.  Other items are just absolutely necessary.  Then there's those items that you never knew you needed until in a sleep deprived frivolous mania you buy one and then wonder why on earth you'd never bought one sooner.

If you're a breastfeeder chances are you've been scratched, pinched and poked by the talons of your vicious spawn mid feed as their wandering paws 'explore' your landscape leading to you exploring the depths of your blue vocabulary.  It's not that they're gits per se... They know not what they do. Honest.   They're just curious little beasts. They're also easily distracted and without something to focus on can become fussy at the best resulting in stretchio-nippleo syndrome (yes, I did just absolutely invent that term) as they attempt to pull away and look at something whilst still in the process of nursing.  Ouch. Sods.

With Thing Two I bought a 'nursing necklace' which was basically a long necklace of lurid plastic beads.  It was supposed to enchant her. It was supposed to entertain her. It was supposed to stop her gouging into tits with itty baby claws .  Yet the only thing it achieved was making me look like a prat.   Even The Dude wouldn't entertain it unless he wasn't feeding and he could wear it.  Much more fun to grab a fistful of my flesh and pinch whilst feeding.  But hey,  it's okay, he stared adoringly into my eyes as he did it.

The only thing that occasionally engaged their hands was a muslin placed between their grappling fist and my ginormo boob of doom.  If the muslin remotely attempted to impart an iota of modesty to us it was ripped off with an angry growl through a suckling mouth full of boob. What can I say?  My kids are proud of feeding and like to show it.

With Moomin being our last ever baby I'm on a mission to try the things I've been curious about.  I've been drawn to the beautiful simplicity of wooden fiddle necklaces for a while.  They're beautiful and wearable. They're understated and tactile.  They don't scream out baby or functional. Then I found the teething necklaces.   Thing Two was rather partial to teething on the leather strap of my Mother's handbag; strange child.  It still bares the teeth marks.   As I'm a babywearer it would be handy to have something always  at hand for Moomin to chomp on with the added bonus of being able to fiddle with it instead of yanking my hair. I bought mine from the lovely Monkey Mama Necklaces.

As soon as it arrived I put it on. It has an adjustable cord so can be worn as a long pendant when nursing for baby to fiddle with or to chomp on when sat on my knee. Worn shorter she can access it when in the sling.  Without a baby it simply looks like a funky necklace.

What can I say?  She loved it.  As soon as her hands began to stray and grab fist fulls of my flesh I'd dangle the pendant near them and she'd grasp it.  She's since fallen asleep several times clutching it tight.  It was invaluable at entertaining her at the recent influx of school performances keeping her occupied in my arms and on my knee as she fiddled and gummed it.  She evidently finds something satisfying and comforting about the tactile nature of the wood and the beads.

The only problem I face now is that as I wear it daily I find myself wanting a selection of them in different styles and colours! 

I highly recommend them regardless of wether you breastfed or babywear as all babies have curious hands and pesky gums. 

You can buy one from Monkey Mama Necklaces.  She makes a variety of fiddle necklaces and teething necklaces varying from natural to subtle to fun and colourful.

***Disclaimer: I received neither payment nor gift for this review.  I bought the necklace myself and was impressed enough to share.  All views and images are my own.

Please note these are not a toy.  These should be worn by an adult and babies and toddlers should be supervised at all times.

www.tiarasandprozac.co.uk

Sling safety: Ticks

There's has recent been in the news the tragic story of the death of a five day old baby whilst being carried in a sling which inevitably has brought into question the safety of slings and babywearing.

Nothing can detract the depth of tragedy in this case yet I also think it's important to keep perspective.  The reports all cite there have been six recorded deaths in the UK of infants in slings.  One is right in thinking that any death, let alone six, is devastating yet this six isn't quoted as per week nor per month or even per year so one can only assume that that figure is six deaths, total.  Lets also note that whilst throwing this figure around they do not expand on the matter as to whether the babywearing safety guidelines were followed nor the types of sling used especially as Infantino recalled two of their bag slings due to safety issues.  If you dig around long enough you'll find stats to support human death in many commonly used and unlikely things too.

The various reports state that the sling was used correctly as per instructions however it fails to disclose the type of sling used.  There is a world of difference in technically putting a sling on properly and in wearing it responsibly.  Instructions may state what goes where yet whilst wearing there are several important factors to be aware of and check referred to as TICKS which are not found in any of the paraphernalia the NHS give to your nor in many slings bought.  I'd like to see a copy of this displayed on the noticeboards, in the birth to 5 book even in the pesky bounty packs.  If people don't know this information exists and is out there, how can they familarise themselves with it?

Anything can be potentially dangerous.  There have been multiple incidences of infant deaths due to prolonged time in car seats, do we roar about banning carseats or do we raise awareness and educate on the correct use-age of them?  No baby should die it goes against everything we should believe in yet they do.  It's awful, devastating and as a mum, quite frankly terrifying.  In cots, in beds, in car seats, in prams, in slings and even in their parents arms.  Although dubbed 'Cot Death' that is a misleading term for SIDS as SIDS doesn't discriminate, it can happen anywhere.

We now know that infants should not spend prolonged periods of time in a cars seat and should not be encouraged to nap/sleep in them.  We now know that you shouldn't co-sleep if you smoke or drink etc.  We now know that baby should be places in a cot with feet to the bottom, on their backs.

All we can do as parents is to assess risks and address them.  To make whatever we do as safe as possible.

It's like co-sleeping, when done safely it has many benefits yet rather then educate on how to do it safely, the media regale us with horror stories of bed sharing gone wrong.

It's potentially dangerous to cross a road, to travel in a car etc do we cease to do so or do we educate ourselves to minimise the risks?

My deepest and sincerest condolences go out to the parents of this baby and indeed to any parent who has suffered the agony of infant loss.  There are simply no words that can eradicate your pain.  Just the very existence of such tragedies chills me to the bones and makes my heart ache. 

I'm a babywearer.  Will I cease to do it?  No.  Will I babywear Moomin when she arrives?  Yes.

Am I being irresponsible?  No.  It's about being informed.  In my opinion the benefits to both mum and baby from babywearing, when combined with safety awareness, far outweigh the potential dangers.

So, once you've mastered a) putting the sling on and taking it off and b) putting baby in and taking it out again it's vital you familiarise yourself with TICKS.

Remember the babywearing ABC's:

Be it a wrap, ring sling, pouch or structured character baby should have a nice deep seat and together their bum and legs should create an 'm' shape as shown below:

Image from JPMBB

Your newborn will naturally assume a C shape of the spine curled up.  Until recently many recommended that when wearing your newborn you have them 'legs in' (froggied) yet research has now concluded that optimal positioning is legs out from birth.  Moomin was an incredibly curled up baby for many months yet even she was legs out happily:

Please also keep in mind that the 'cradle position' is no longer recommended nor safe to carry your baby.  Regardless of sling your newborn should be in a tummy to tummy position.

If you're at all worried about using your sling and would like some advice, please do look up your local trained Trageschule consultant or pop in to your local Sling Meet.

Useful links:

Research on positioning 
TICKS - for safe babywearing
Trageschule UK 
Sling Meet
Information on car seat safety for infants
Information on safe co-sleeping
Information on prevention of SIDS

Babywearing a pre-schooler

The Toddler always gets a choice of Buggy or Sling when we go out, he used to always choose the sling yet lately more and more often it's the buggy.  So, just when I feared our baby wearing days were winding down he surprises me and asks for the sling.

When in the sling, he never shuts up.  Ever.  Wherever we go regardless of how far he will talk, and talk and sing  and it's so lovely to actually hear him.  Most of the time when he's in the buggy, we simply can't hear him with the traffic, wind, how low down he is and the fact he's facing forwards.

He loves the perspective from up there, the way he can reach out and touch the trees and bushes as he passes savouring the textures across his playful hands.  He loves to wave at passing fire engines and the fact that when he's being worn, they too can see him and nearly always wave back at him.   Often i'll find his little hands pawing through my hair gently or holding on gently to my arm, relishing the contact and the endless availability of it.

There's so many presumptions regarding babywearing a toddler or preschooler...

I bet that's back breaking!

Actually, no.  If you use a proper sling that keeps the child in an anatomically correct position, the weight distribution is even and it's actually, believe it or not, comfortable.  I'm not masochistic enough to intentionally and repetitively inflict excess pain upon my being, I carry him because it's often easier then using the buggy.

He'll never walk being up there all the time.

He actually learned to walk at 8months and 3weeks of age.  This is despite the fact he was exclusively worn in a sling without using a buggy until 18m and even then the buggy was only used VERY rarely for the next year.  He can run too...and jump, climb, hop, forward roll do stunts, you name it.

Aww poor kid, he's so upset he must hate being up there in that contraption.  It's cruel!

He hates queuing unnecessarily and being at a standstill.  Regardless of whether he's in a sling or a buggy.  As such he'll display this by moaning, shouting, tantrumming etc.

I frequently see babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers throwing tantrums in buggies yet nobody ever seems to think it's because they're in a buggy it's always because they're tired, hungry, hot/cold or bored yet should one in a sling show a similar reaction people often immediately assume it's because they're in the sling.

It's not all bad, you do get genuinely curious people who positively remark on how comfortable and cosy he looks with a lovely old woman once declaring how nice it was to see a wee one close to their mum being carried like they should be.

Regardless of age, whether it's your wee newborn or your pre-schooler there's many parental benefits to babywearing:

* You're hands free, this is ideal for when out and about and even more so if you have another child with you who wants to hold your hand or be chased etc.


* Public transport is infinitely easier.  I'll admit there is an element of satisfaction being able to walk straight onto the bus and sit anywhere whilst seeing many parents with their Mercedes style prams being unable to fit on having to wait for the next bus in the dark, cold, wet weather and hope that one isn't busy too.

* Navigating around shops is so much easier.

* When your little one fancies getting down and having a walk, you're once again hands free to chase after them without having to juggle pushing a buggy one handed.

* It's lightweight, if your toddler wants to walk you can even fold it up and pop it in a bag or in the case of some carriers, keep wearing it totally unencumbered.

* Eating out is easier, no trouble having to find somewhere to stash the buggy or struggling through doors and up steps.

* You don't have to worry about terrain if you go offroad or want to take a shortcut.

* Much easier when attending events like school assemblies for older children.

* Personally I find the buggy, in comparison, cumbersome, difficult to navigate with, murder to push up hills and uncomfortable to steer.


So although these days it's mostly buggy or walking, I'll cherish these now rarer occasions when he chooses the sling, feeling him close and enjoying the freedom to explore.

As he's our last baby, I'm all to aware of how fast time passes and that i'll never again have my own squishy newborn to wear.  Do it whilst you can, and experience the special connection it brings.

Babywearing The Toddler

I hate using the buggy.  It's roguishly awkward and to be honest, a pain in the posterior not to mention frightfully knackering to push. Thankfully for the most part we only use it when convenient or necessary yet have walked miles on end with him comfortably on my back.  However, recently The Toddler has been showing a preference for it, so respecting his wishes, I always give him the choice if practical.  However, on Thing One's birthday meal (yes, I haven't forgotten I will indeed bore the pants off you with one of those terribly mumsy posts all soppy and whimsical about the little bugger soon.  Lucky lucky you.) it would have been impractical to take it with us yet the walk afterwards is simply too far for his little legs (and our sanity) to endure so into the sling he went.  It's so nice to actually hear what he's saying again, I adore the hugs, the way he plays with my hair....the grip of his little soft hands idly on my arm.  He can see more, interact more and it's quite frankly easier all round.  I forgot how much I'd missed him being on my back.  Babywearing isn't just for wee babies.  With it not being all the time now, it merely makes it more precious when we do.  It just feels....right,

The Toddler

Because it's been a while and they're so small for such a remarkably heart breaking short amount of time within which they undergo so many changes and really do light up our days, I figured it was about time for another post dedicated to him.

I suppose technically he's The Preschooler now what with him turning three, yes three, next month.  Excuse me whilst I weep.  No really.  Seeing as The Husband is most clear in his 'No more babies' line, The Toddler is my last beloved little person and I find the dramatic pace at which he's growing up terribly alarming whilst my womb positively wails 'please sir, can we have some more?'

Next month he will be three.  So far we've been breastfeeding for 35 months.  He's not worn any kind of nappy for around seven months now (he pee's at the toilet, standing on his tippee toes!, In an absurd way it's incredibly cute).  He still doesn't sleep through.  We still co-sleep.  He talks more and more every day, we understand about 75% of it, he often has to resort to charades to enlighten us with his insights and demands.  He is undeniably friendly and incredibly polite, not a door opened for us goes without him chirping 'thank-you!' He has a rather extensive and amusing amount of quirky idiosyncrasies already.  He genuinely is a beautiful, charming, funny, sarcastic little sunbeam.

A few toddlerisms from him lately:

Whilst we were out and about and he was as usual in the Wompat on my back, we could hear the noisy chorus of birds around us to which he repeatedly shouted with increasing irritation 'SHUT UP TWEET TWEETS! SHUT UP!'

The day before this whilst once again high up on my back in the sling we caught him trying to physically reach up and pluck an aeroplane from the sky.  Bless.

Just last night, at bedtime, The Husband was lovingly trying to read another book to him when The Toddler shut it half way and declared 'The End' followed by 'Get bent **** (He still refuses to call him Daddy/Dad and insists on always calling The Husband by his first name.  He's always done this) Go away.' Charming!

He is still insistent on foraging for his own food and frequently raids the cupboards and even drags his little stool in the kitchen on the sly so he can raid the fridge which often results in me finding little gems like this in the fridge.....

Whilst chatting about his upcoming birthday:

Me to h: 'what do you want for your birthday?'
The Toddler: 'Robot!'
Me: 'anything else?'The Toddler: 'Chocolate cake!!!!'Me: 'anything else?'The Toddler: 'Doughnuts!'Me: 'okay, anything else?'The Toddler: 'A cow.'[pause]The Toddler: 'and a clipclop!!!'Okay, that's that sorted then.....

He still adores dressing up, twirling in tutu's, rolling his eyes at you in complete disdain and attempting to control Things 1 & 2.  He frequently calls out for 'elf rescue!' and is fabulous at fighting The Husband should he dare to bug me.

Best go, he's just tried to cover up his intrusion on Things 1& 2 upstairs with a rather sweet 'Goodbye my friends! My best friends!' as he zooms down the stairs at 80mph on his arse.

Mecca of Misery

The Toddler is trying to exterminate me, again.  I have never had a child to go such prolonged bouts of teething.  It feels like we've took one step forward and then three steps back with bedtime taking a small forever and multiple night wakings, feeding all night.  Exhausted would be an understatement.  If he really has his heart set on making me cry he really ought to just poke me in the eye and be done with it, much less time consuming.

The days and consequently weeks appear to be on fast forward,  I feel like time is mere sand slipping through my open fingers.  It seems like only yesterday when it was September and now half way through November that frightful panic is bubbling below the surface as I trip over thoughts of Christmas Shopping, again.  I had finally got some sort of an incomplete list of 'to-buy' for The Spawn ready only to find that typically two of the main gifts are inevitably out of stock, which is bloody awkward.  The Husband keeps bemoaning that he doesn't want any gifts (although he's not shy of posting links on my facebook of things he rather likes) I have ordered three things for him and bought another.  We had a somewhat disastrous trip to the dreaded Primark yesterday avec Le Petite Filous (No not a yogurt you weirdos, it means Little Rascal aka The Toddler)  Bare in mind that Primark is a mecca of misery at the best of times for anti-social people-loathing people such as myself and The Husband but needs must and all that jazz.  The Toddler has realised that if he declares he needs a wee, he get's an exit pass from the sling/buggy.  However, the cheeky little bugger then refused to have an actual wee and proceeded to quite literally run The Husband (to whome patience is not a virtue) ragged, uncharacteristically refusing to hold his hand and making a rather impressive bid for freedom.  Cue my browsing cut short (just when I was contemplating a Borat Mankini and fold away portable pint glass for The Husband, shame) as I joined the queue of doom to the cacophonous of The Toddler wailing his wee heart out, twang...snap...there goes some more of my heart strings.  Gulp.

So laden with the rather impractical paper bag of Primarni goodness whilst praying to the gods it doesn't rain and thus melt the bag, although it will probably rip long before then anyway, we made a short sharp exit.  I eventually calmed The Toddler down and back in the sling on my back he went.  To say nerves were frazzled would be somewhat of an understatement to say the least.  The Husband was most furious, his bad mood hovering above us like a little black raincloud because obviously it was all my fault  (sorry Husband, sorry god) as is everything (world poverty, nach.  Disease and famine? yup.  Death? sorry, that was me too) so homeward bound we went.  I was hoping to walk home just as we'd walked there (approximately 2.5 miles each way) yet with each furthering step my wibbly ankles protested more and more until I had to admit defeat and stop at the bus stop.  Typically the 'frequent' buses become infrequent the instant we decide to wait for one (I must have lied when I was seventeen. Or something)  Still at least catching the bus avoided passing the park again which we let the toddler run rampant round en route to town that morning.  I perched upon the edge of a seat next to an old woman to many coo's and ahh's at the angelic little dude on my back which only intensified when the little bugger fell asleep.

Finally home with a sleeping toddler who I had to resettle in bed (I rather needed my own nap to recover from the abysmal day) I have socks, I have layering tops, I even have a nifty drumstick flavoured chap stick (I kissed a girl and i liked it...) yet apart from a pair of Superman Socks for The Husband, my Christmas shopping list is still alarmingly long (and disastrously incomplete).  Bother.

We tend to get mere token gifts for The Adults in the family and concentrate on The Children.  Scratchcards have already been done so i'm torn between Monopoly money inside a card or perhaps the slightly quirkier idea of poker chips like these maybe? yet in typical MamaUndone fashion I go off on a tangent and get all dreadfully distracted upon seeing this, which I know Thing One would be positively mesmorised by.  See? It's impossible to do any kind of Christmas Shopping without finding yet another thing one of The Spawn would like.

I'm now going to whale about in the bath for a while, whaling being the important word here seeing as i've piled on even more weight and my jeans are now uncomfortably tight, so to commiserate the fact I of course have had to self medicate with chocolate for breakfast (again)  The Idea was to be a size smaller by Christmas, not a size bigger.  Arse.  Big arse even, literally.

I need to fortify myself for yet another attempt at Christmas Shopping next week.

...Whilst sulking because I really really really want to see the new Twilight film.  Shut up.  I know.

A very brief introduction to slings.

Babies are born with only one curve in their spine (as opposed to the adult 4). the baby bjorn (also tomy and other carriers of same sort) is a poorly designed carrier that allows all of babies weight to hang from his/her pelvis which puts undue stress and pressure on the pelvis and spine (bare in mind the risks are more of a problem if you want to babywear and not if you just want to use a carrier now and again)
http://www.continuum-concept.org/readin ... tress.html
http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/show ... php?t=1281

For a VERY BASIC introduction to the types of slings

The type of sling you want will depend entirely on you and your baby. Its such a personal choice.

The main types are:
1. Pouch sling (such as hotslings, peanut shells and brightspark slings)
These are generally 'sized' (so it's important you measure yourself correctly) They're quite small, easy to fold up and store under the pram or in the changing bag and super easy to slip on and off as there's no adjustment factor so you just pop baby in and pop baby out. They can be used from birth to toddler with many different carry positions and can be used when breastfeeding for handsfree feeding etc.
The cons however...the weight is distributed on one side only and they offer no lower back support to the parent. Also as they're sized generally only you can use it and not dh etc.

2. Ring slings
Just like Pouch slings except they're adjustable so can be worn by anyone and you can tailor the fit and support. Wrap conversion ring slings can be especially supportive and comfortable such as Girasol, Oscha etc or You can get your own woven wrap converted by a company such as Ocah.
Ring slings have a variety of shoulder types such as gathered, hot dog and SBP so It's worth experimenting to see which suits you.

3. Wraps
Probably the most versitile sling out there. Endless carrying positions, multi-user possible due to the sheer adjustability of it, excellent support for mum and baby. Bare in mind 'stretchy' slings like a moby are especially good for young babies yet aren't really supportive enough for an older baby or toddler yet woven slings like storch, Kokadi, Natibaby, Oscha, girasol etc are.
Cons? The main con is that they're a learning curve to use, once mastered they're easy peasy but you may be bemused at first as you're presented with what is essentially a very long piece of cloth!

4. ABC / SSC (asian baby carries / Soft Structured Carriers)
These consist of the Mei Tais, Connectas, Ergo's, Yamos etc etc
Both of these are like the more structured mainstream carriers you can by but infinately better for baby's phsyiology and mums. SSC's often have buckles or clasps whereas ABC's are usually with ties.
The MT is my absoute favourate sling. It's VERY comfortable,. versitile and easy (mine is a joeysling) I used a MT until my daughter was around 2, walking many miles...with Sciatica and lower back issues that were not at all exacerbated.

It can be trial and error. Many sites often have end of line and ex demo slings going cheap. They have excellent re-sale value and there's plenty of places were people sell and trade/swap their carriers.
You can buy off the peg ones such as babyhawk, joey slings, rose and rebellion, wompat etc or You can get custom made ones from the likes of up & away carriers, Madame Goo Goo, Ocah, Kitten creations, babies in space, kinderpack, Melkaj and many more.


One of the first places to look up is your local slingmeet:
http://www.slingmeet.co.uk/
Here you can meet up with other babywearers, experiment with their carriers ask them questions etc.
www.thebabywearer.com is like a bible on babywearing and the review section is helpful as it doesn't just review types of slings but loads of different makes/brands of each type too.
www.naturalmamas.co.uk is a fabulous resource and community with a wealth of advice and experience not to mention a great preloved board.

Slings have a very good resale value and many mums love selling and trading them etc so if you get one and don't get on with it, fear not you can easily trade it for something else or sell it.
groups.yahoo.com/group/UKbabywearin...

Old yet useful

It's not often I babywear The Toddler around the house. He is simply far too active and independent and would much rather be wrecking the lounge, stage diving off the window sill or making puddles on the carpet with his beaker.

However there are times when needs simply must, times when quite frankly I need to know exactly where he is and be assured he can't go anywhere. Not that he minds in the slightest he is rather enamoured with being worn on my back happily peering over my shoulder, restyling my hair with sticky fervent hands and burping repeatedly down my ear.

I have never been fortunate to be a true slingaholic, predominantly down to the financial bones of it or rather the lack of finance not to mention an inability to justify the albeit practical, frivolity of it. The most slings I have possessed at one time has been four with generally two of those up for sale. I have flirted briefly with pouches, rings and wraps yet I fundamentally lack the necessary patience and skill to be aquainted with them long term. I'm strictly a soft structured carrier mama.

My current 'stash' is my beloved toddler Wompat which I use everytime I babywear him out and about (selling both my fabulous Madame Goo Goo and a decidedly pretty Oh-Snap to fund) and my sentimental old Joey Sling which is the first 'real' sling I fell in love with when Thing Two out grew our bushbaby cocoon. There's something awfully poignant about a sling you have worn more then one of your babies in and as such I simply can't bare to part with it. IT has remained throughout the comings and goings of numerous other slings.

Yet It's not been used regularly since he was wee and is no longer knee to knee on the little chap.

Yet when I need to wear him at home its the Joey I turn to. I adore the familiarity of it, snuggly and soft like an old cherished t-shirt and even with a 26lb 28month old, still so comfortable. Unlike my stunning custom Melkaj I once owned, the Joey has much shorter and more manageable straps for a quick up.

So wether It's hanging washing in a wet garden or cooking tea whilst The Husband runs errands and the elder spawn play outside, if I need to sling him at home, the Joey comes out to play (he often resents being in his highchair whilst I cook and should I let the little bugger loose he turns the stereo on, the microwave on, the washing machine on, shouts at the dog, helps himself to biscuits from the cupboard and generally causes sweet bloody mayhem)

Although as I mentioned previously It's no longer knee to knee on him he always seems decidely happy and remarkably comfortable in it.

It's so easy to forget how lovely old outgrown slings were and so nice to see them in use again. So although often neglected and retired from daily duty, replaced by the Wompat, it does still have its place and use and not just within my heart.

Hopefully we have a lot of babywearing days left yet and get to venture into pre-school carriers, perhaps reviewing and road testing (first I'll need a lottery win) a few to banish the idea that you can only wear little babies and show case some of the amazing talent out there such as Up & Away carriers, Opitai, Monkey Mei Tai, Madame Goo Goo, Softai etc to name just a few of the immensely talented and creative sling makers out there.

I'll leave you with a few snapshots of The Toddler in our old Joey this evening.

To nap or not to nap...

So we are at that awkward stage with The Toddler insofar as to say he clearly isn't ready to give up his daily nap (and skipping it has the rather bizarre effect of making him wake even more during the night) yet he doesn't appear to want his nap until inordinately late in the afternoon which again has an unsavory knock on effect to bed time. As it is he usually goes to sleep at 10pm ish (Yes, I know...) and gets up around 8am ish (with anything from 2-10 wakings)

If he has a nap in bed, he will sleep 1-3hours. If in the sling or buggy he will sleep 30m-1h.

As the pictures show, he randomly fell asleep twice this week on no-nap days, late in the afternoon. The first being in the sling on a bus and the second occurred whilst having a snuggle and a feed on the sofa watching Only Fools and Horses. I happened to glance down and there he was asleep!

So it would appear that he will nap impossibly late in the afternoon regardless of wether we decide on a nap.

Toddlers.... strange things.

When The Toddler doesn't have his usual nap in bed...

...This happens

<<< Rewind

So the backtracking for posterity and all that jazz.  Two weeks ago was my birthday, i'm really not a birthday person at all.  However, due to an unexpectedly lovely birthday this year I decided to try and embrace it somewhat.  The Children presented me with a cuddly penguin and a penguin hand puppet first thing in the morning which brought a smile. Out of bed, hair freshly washed, make up done, a new (to me) dress on and...............The Husband had a migraine so he went to bed.  Oh.  Right.  Okay. Nevermind.

The Mother had come homne from Spain the night before.  I had plans.  I knew i'd get a small amount of money for my birthday and I wanted to go to the chinese buffet and take along The Mother, The Husband and The Toddler.  But no, The Mother 'wasn't hungry' as The Brother o'mine (who she'd just spent two weeks in Spain with and who still lives with her at the grand age of 36) was buying kebabs for her and The Father that evening.  Allrighty then.  I'll just fester indoors like every other day then.  I'll admit I was becoming somewhat churlish by this point verging on petulant because it was my birthday and nobody really gave a flying fuck which lead me to believe I was right in the last decade that neiother should I.

In the end The Mother and I ended up bussing it into Bolton, it being somewhat of a novelty to a) bus it there and not walk and b) actually have some money to spend.  Whilst we were out The Husband was to make my present from himself, a cake. 

For the first time in a small forever The Toddler fell asleep whilst out, in the sling which was all kinds of lovely. Even more so because I was front carrying him, something I rarely do these days what with actually liking to see my feet and all, yet when bussing it it really is wiser to have him on my front, i like to sit down.

Homeward bound and a cheeky takeaway for tea purely based on the fact that quite frankly I refused to cook. 

A week ago it was The Husband and mine's anniversary.  Married for 8 years and together for 12, now if that isn't a cause to up my meds I don't know what is....Needless to say that was another none event due to lack of money, appalling weather and a poorly Thing One.

Onwards and upwards eh? There's always next year.

Adventures in hair dying

Having abandoned Operation Blonde and admitted total and utter defeat I embarked on back to red.  That feels much better now.  Granted The Husband jests that due to the neon nature of my hair colour and the paleness of my skin (The Cullens have nothing on me) I look like match, oh he's such a comedian. 

The eBay purchases have proved somewhat hit and miss, generally the misses being the boobs of doom rudely refusing to fit into things that my hips and waist would.  Then there was the rather darling little dress that fits fabulously yet utterly stank of body odour.  Delightful.

Despite being a dedicated babywearer after he turned 18 months we occasionally use the pram mainly if we have a lot of shopping, if Thing One or Thing Two want to push him, if I'm simply too knackered or in pain (mainly due to the somewhat awkward positions I end up in as a result of The Toddler feeding through the night like a newborn which absolutely jiggers my shoulder) and of course in the rare episodes of excessive temperature outside.  It's a misconception that babywearers only babywear, granted some may but buggies and slings aren't mutually exclusive and you can combine the two.  We have a Hauck Infinity which we bought for Thing Two (amongst other buggies) and it was lovely for The Toddler rearward facing, however, now he's 26 month he's decided he'd rather face forwards and is quite frankly sick of the site of us so to save him creaking his neck irrevocably we have turned him forward facing.  The pushchair is somewhat cumbersome though and I fancy something a little more sprightly for when I choose to have a buggy today so tomorrow we'll be having a Cosatto Yo! delivered. 

The Toddler is being a little sod and can open the gates so The Husband has come up with the rather unique idea of moving one of the sofa's to block the kitchen door, which we then have to move every single time we need to go into the kitchen.  It's ridiculously exasperating. 

He's also still teething which thus means he's still not letting me sleep for more then a few broken hours at a time.

Sunday Walk