Quick fixes, and Oh-So-Simple ideas

Aside from my botch-job covering the sharp bits on the futon, as pictured, I thought I'd take the chance to share with you a few other of the "Now why didn't I think of that" or "I wish I'd thought of that sooner" type ideas that motherhood has made part of my world. You know, those kind of things where you just want to *kick* yourself because they make life so much easier, and really, they're so obvious!

1) The little net bags you get for putting washing powder tablets in. Use them to put baby's socks in when they go in the washing machine. Keeps them together & you can find the socks again. Tiny socks have an amazing way of disappearing at the best of times, but if you can stop them escaping in the wash, then you stand half a chance of keeping your baby's feet matching.

2) Those silicon charity bracelets? Like the Livestrong ones? You know. They make brilliant reminders as to which breast you started the last feed from. And no-one looks at you peculiar for wearing one, or swapping it over from time to time, which they do if you use other things. And you can keep a bracelet on in the shower, which you can't with a safety pin.

3) Baby dislikes having their "wrinkles & crinkles" dried after a bath? Try using the hairdryer on a cool setting. Make sure your hand is in the line of the air flow as well, to make sure the delicate skin doesn't get too hot, but it's no different to a hand dryer in a public loo, and if your baby's anything like Squeaky, they'll love it within a couple of days. You might want to cure them of the Pavlovian reaction to spread their legs every time they hear a hairdryer before their first trip to the hairdresser, but other than that, it's genius, I tells ya!

4) A hi-ball sized beaker with a lid is just the right size to keep a packet of baby rice or cereal in it, and keep it dry. Cut out the name & mixing instructions from the packet & tape them to the outside as a reminder if you've got different packets on the go.

5) Nappy bags are just the right size to carry one baby swimming costume & one mommy swimming costume home from the pool when they're all wet, so you don't end up with a wet swimming bag. They don't fit the towels in though, you'll have to roll them, unless you've got a better idea?

And a completely unsponsored, unrequested, genuine recommendation, that fits with the oh-so-simple ideas theme. Sock-ons Seriously, how genius, and adorable, are they? A friend whose baby was born 6 months before Squeaky gave us 2 pairs as part of a Squeaky-welcoming gift, and I'm a convert. I've become this Sock-On Evangelist! I even managed to dye a pair blue-grey to match her eyes, by using the tried & tested method of leaving them in the pocket of my new jeans when I put them in the wash. Ooops. No, honestly, they did change colour, but they are still adorable, now unique, and still perfectly functioning.

Botch Jobs - I'm not spending money on THAT!!

Our living room sofa is a metal frame futon. Mostly because our house is so bloomin' awkward shape, it was the only one we could be sure of getting into the house. But being a metal framed futon, it's got quite sharp metal bits at the front, where it folds. As Squeaky gets bigger, and moves rapidly towards sitting, crawling and generally being all mobile-like, I figured it would be a good idea to find something to stop her being able to fall on them and cut herself open. I've bashed my ankles on them a couple of times, and they really do hurt.

Nothing exists for that, you'll be thoroughly unsurprised to learn. Until now. Take two bikini tops, of the triangular & padded variety (two tops, because there are three sharp thingies). Cut the triangles apart in the middle, so they still have their back and neck ties attached, and remove any extraneous bits of metal. Use the ties to tie the breast bits (cups? whatev.) around the futon, covering the sharp metal thingos. Be mildly amused at how your sofa is now wearing a bikini or two, but relax in the knowledge that the bikini cups are so padded you'd have to put some serious effort into hurting yourself on that bit at least.

It may not be stylish, but it works.

A couple of announcements

As I've signed up to a multitude of newsletters & the like, and am always on the hunt for something for nothing, I've been lucky enough to land myself quite a few free samples. Nothing too exciting as yet, sadly, but free is free is free, and that's good enough for me.

I haven't been asked by any of the people who've sent me free stuff to review it, but I figure, what the hey? So, coming soon, reviews of free stuff. Not only baby things, but the other stuff I've had free of late (tea bags, hair dye, etc). Consider yourself warned.

And secondly, the biggie! We're TEETHING! Oh, I am just so happy about that (where's the sarcasm tag on this thing?) Actually, so far, she's not doing too bad, I just have a mildly grouchy and very dribbly Squeaky on my hands, and Calpol & Calgel within reach at all times.

Swimming revisited

So today, as previously mentioned, we gave our usual swimming session in Aberfan a miss, to go over to Aberdare, where I'd been told the pool was warmer.

Drove half an hour to get there, and found. The pool was closed. For a school swimming gala (i.e. booked months in advance). Nothing on the website, nothing outside the leisure centre, nothing told to the other mums in previous weeks. Nothing. And as you can imagine, that lead to quite a number of upset children, and parents, who'd planned their day around a swimming trip.

That was their one & only chance. I'm going back to Aberfan next week, and staying there.

Swimming

When we went on our little jaunt to North Wales last month, we took the opportunity to introduce Squeaky to the joys of swimming. While both of us are swimmers, me moreso than SqueakyDaddy, we both learned late in childhood, and wanted to avoid the same happening to Squeaky. As per usual, she charmed everyone around her and took to it like, well, a duck to water.

On returning home, I popped into the council pool in town, looking for a parent & baby type session, or at least a good time to visit with a small squeaky creature in tow. The answer I got from the receptionists? "Just put her in the bath, she won't know the difference"! Honest! I only wish I was making it up. Most unlike me, I was too shocked to reply, and too shocked to make a scene, demand an apology, speak to the manager. So instead, I'm just telling everyone, in person & on the wilds of the internet. Don't go to Rhydycar leisure centre in Merthyr Tydfil, ok? (The fact the pool was closed for AGES due to a cryptosporidium outbreak they couldn't kill doesn't add much confidence either).

Fortunately, due to my good friends at the breastfeeding group, I've now found not one, but two, baby swimming sessions. One in the slightly closer to my house, Aberfan community centre pool, and one in Aberdare. We're going to try Aberdare tomorrow, as all the reports suggest the water's far warmer. Splish splash.

Food, glorious food

Since the Throwing Up Our Breakfast Adventures of last week, we decided to try a little experiment. Thanks to my joining Every Single Mailing List Evar, I had a load of free samples, including a small packet of HIPP baby rice. Just enough for a few days' of trying.

Honestly, Squeaky never ceases to amaze me. Not only did she love her baby rice, but within 5 minutes, she was trying to help me with the spoon! None of the dramas, tears & refusals I'd heard of from others, just plain old enjoyment. We've been eating it for 5 days now, and not a problem in sight. I was slightly dreading telling our health visitor, being as they recommend 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, but she was all for it. As long as Squeaky's happy, growing, and doing all the right things (and believe me she is, now), and she clearly wanted more than just milk, then they're fine with it. Just a warning not to expect her to be wanting a 3 course Sunday dinner by next week.

Now, as the freebie is running out, I've been shopping today, and we've got more rice, as well as baby porridge & some banana & peach breakfast stuff. The experiment continues, wonder which will go down the best, and which will just go down her vest.

Oh! I forgot to say!

We've been going to baby signing classes for 3 weeks now. I've been going to BSL classes for the last 4 years, though I'm only finishing my 3rd year right now, thanks to the broken ankle saga. So I thought it would be good if Squeaky & I could find some way that she could learn as well, so she could talk to me before she can actually talk, y'know.

And so far, she loves it. She's the youngest in the class, by a good few months, all the rest are sitting up unaided and crawling, at very least. But that doesn't stop her. She's fascinated by the class leader, she stares and beams at her throughout, interspersed with giggling at me. No actual signs from her yet, which is to be expected, it's only been a few weeks, and she's still very young, but she's getting the idea of waving hello/goodbye, and starting to watch and lift her own hands when I sign things to her. I'm really excited about it, truth be told. And wondering what her first sign will be.

Ah, but this week is half term. And I hate half term, because our schedule has fallen apart. No signing class, we couldn't go to our singing & exercise class because it clashed with my dental app't, and then we couldn't go swimming today because I still feel like I've been kicked in the jaw by a very angry donkey. When we go back next week, maybe I'll remember to describe a typical class. Or maybe some of our other groups too. You'd enjoy that, wouldn't you?