Chop Chop

As part of a treat for 'I can Listen' (sometimes...), Isobel had her haircut today. Perhaps a tad wacky, but hair cut ensued as she was elevated in a car, which she tried to drive and beep, and with the added bonus of Peppa Pig on continuous video (mega favourite at the moment and useful when they need to keep their head down) - what more can you ask for? Hmmm -perhaps a lolly at the end for a fully satisfied customer? Done!  And with Elis asleep in the pram, Mummy even had time to flick through a mag - miracles do happen!

First Plaits

Last weekend Isobel stayed still long enough for me to try my hand at plaiting - something I haven't done for a very long time. Makes her look much older - I sometimes wish we could freeze time!

Cheese

Not quite sure where this has come from, but Isobel has started picking up a camera, phone and saying 'cheese' and then posing for photos.....?

Sunny Weekend

The Sun finally arrived this weekend - it was scorching!! After a busy Friday of seeing friends and Isobel helping out in the local yarn shop (Hmmmmmm) we spent Saturday at home, with the hose and paddling pool out. I went out to do a spot of birthday pressie shopping and these glasses just happened to come home with me.

Easter

I can't believe Easter has come around already! We have enjoyed being at home this week and installed in our new kitchen. Still a great deal of painting to do but we are just enjoying the relatively new calm whilst the plaster work dries out!

Managed to test the oven out with this year's Simnel cake:



And made a couple attempts at an Easter tree......





Isobel enjoyed her Easter egg today....(she insisted on wearing her scarf and sometimes coat around the house today).

Words and Visitors

Isobel has been uttering a few new sounds. Good Girl seems to be the favourite. Although Good Girl was said as she was flinging some yogurt or some such, but she gets it most the time. Downstairs, all gone and Teddy are also new to the vocab. Due to the fact Isobel doesn't have enough toys (ahem) we bought her a little pram and she just loves pushing it around - usually with dolly not in it!



On Sunday Liz, Dan and Natalie came over for lunch and it was fun to see them again - we always leave it far too long. Always amazing to see how the girls have changed. Isobel was asleep when they arrived so emergying from her sleep she initially wasn't quite sure about all these people in the kitchen. However it didn't take her long to get into the swing of things.



After a walk and madame consuming a whole muffin, she had a second wind and did her first round of washing up!

Sundays at 15 months

As I looked back at the photos I took on Sunday, Isobel seemed to be very busy. After a lie in (yay!) she went to the shops with Daddy to buy the croissants for breaky - and she really enjoyed them!



Very serious playing with dollies took place in the morning - carrying them around, putting them to bed with a good night kiss or making sure they have a drink it was all quite exhausting! She also likes to help feed Yannick - taking his tin of biscuits out of the cupboard (heavy.....) and placing it down beside his bowl. She likes to do this again and again - and I am sure Yannick appreciates having his bowl full to the brim........!





In the afternoon we took a whiz around the block in her trike where she loves to swing her head side to side - need to keep an eye out for lamposts and postboxes.





Then home we came for a snack (she was very grown up sitting at her table) and a bit of a go with the crayons. She has also discovered a new thrill of walking backwards - and finds it hilarious.



It was a lovely Sunday - busy, but relaxing.

Handbags

Seeing life from a different perspective is giving Isobel a thrill as she walks around everywhere. The new thing this week is taking Mum's handbags with her - and even dolly. How can a one year old be so girly? She also spotted a friend's bracelet on the table last week and in a flash it was on her wrist!

Halloween and Baking

Isobel found her first Halloween a little bit scary. Having made some pumpkin soup earlier in the day, I decided to play around with carving out a face. Then decided to put it on the window sill outside. Consequence - lots of trick or treaters - the ones who Isobel found too much kindly removed their masks to reveal they were just ordinary boys! Managed to be out of supplies by 7pm so shut up shop (all lights out).

Have also been trying to get ahead on the baking stakes in preparation for Isobel's birthday tea party on Friday. Thinking of using these fancy cupcake holders which Granny gave me. As the life line group of mum's meet up on Friday afternoons anyway - it probably won't be vastly different, but will be trying my hand at coloured icing at some point later in the week. (Not sure when as will be working the evening before her birthday...Ahhhhh). Thank goodness for the freezer which is nicely stocked with scones and cup cakes. Just waiting for the shopping man to bring the bubbly and clotted cream - a fantastic combo!

Isobel has been sporting the lounging look this weekend (when not feeling under the weather):

First Painting

Isobel came home from her time with Amey, the childminder today armed with her first handpainting! First of many I expect and I am sure she had a GREAT DEAL of help!! However, it is a first so I had to mention it here.

Nine Months

Well several milestones have been reached in the last week. Isobel is Nine months - how did that happen - where did the time go? I turned a year older - first birthday as a mum - and on Tuesday made the huge step of returning to work. Very strange and I am sure it will take me a while before it feels 'normal'. Time with Isobel now seems very precious and there is overpowering sense of once having left the office to be home as quickly as possible. On the plus side I have probably read more in the last few days than I have in nine months! Richard seems to be enjoying looking after her and sounds as if their fun and games are wearing her out. The paddling pool has been out and Isobel has been modeling her Daddy's Oz purchase.



The latest is 'commando' crawling, pulling herself up wherever possible and having learnt how to sit up from lying down. Makes for interesting times putting her to bed - she much prefers sitting to lying down. Plastic tat toys are all the rage and I am sure our heads will be spinning with computerised voices. Anything on our plate is sure to be interesting and must be had (pity we don't have a dog).

Gnashes, Renos and Outings

The big news this week is (drum roll) Isobel has two bottom teeth - both popped up this week and are fiercely sharp so Mummy's fingers are no longer available for chomping on...Richard came back from his trip away and got stuck into the banisters. The lovely (Ahem) 1950s? spindles we had have now gone and are replaced with more traditional ones. The grooves of the original ones were still there, but has been quite a tough job and the finishing woodwork happens tomorrow.

Before:



Progress - and much safer for Miss Isobel



In an effort to clear the house to allow the DIY King his space, Isobel and I joined Helen, Sophie and her Aunt Susie on a jaunt to Islington. First lunch in Carluccio's - quite a grown up lunch really - made a change from the local East Dulwich/Park cafes. Then browsing (and purchasing of course) in Loop which had a tantalising range of yarns. Luckily Isobel fell asleep as we approached the shop - good timing!

Sunday we drove up to see our friends, Liz, Dan and Natalie just south of Cambridge. Natalie is 6 months older than Isobel - so just 'it' in Isobel's eyes. She loved having her lunch and dinner, playing with Natalie's toys and having a swing together.

Food, Glorious Food

I know Isobel's food exploration is just like that of any other baby her age, but as a future note to myself and perhaps for her, I thought it would be good as a record to post an update on the things she is eating at nearly 8 months old. This morning she tried a tiny bit of croissant - yum yum (they were buttery)

Delicious



All Gone


At lunch after her 'textured' puree, she got stuck into a slice of ham and a slice of mature cheddar. Scrum McYum. Whilst we were in Oz she was very partial to avocado and other milestones have included:

Beef, Chicken, Salmon, Cod, chicken liver (MMMmmmmmm), toast (but mummy to remember to keep away from the granary - very interesting nappies), bread sticks are a fav and excellent distraction when the adults need to eat, pasta, rice, porridge, mango, blueberries (very tasty with a bit of banana), lentils (goes mad for them!) and of course good old fromage frais!
I need to wean myself off Annabel Karmel and start making my own con-
coctions.

Paddling

Having had our usual jellybabies swim on Friday morning, the threat of thunderstorms seemed very unlikely as we walked home. So, the new paddling pool came out for the Friday afternoon gathering along with the beach tent (still no sand). Homemade lemonade, plus a feast of yummy food for the mummies. The babies did try a strawberry or two. Two of the babies are on holiday so we look forward to seeing them both again very soon.

Blessing

The past week has been a bit of a rollercoaster with various things going on. We had a lovely weekend though and went down to my mum's in Somerset for Isobel's blessing so two of the god-parents and some family could be part of the celebrations. It took place in the church where we were married and Isobel slept blissfully throughout the service - completely unaware. Despite the clouds, we ended up having a fabulous lunch outside and it was fantastic that Leonie, Judith and Wyn and Julie could join us. Thank you to them for driving down at the crack of dawn and navigating their way around the hippies at Stonhenge (Summer Solstice).
We had kept the top layer of our wedding cake, but nearly six years on and having hacked it open, it wasn't deemed suitable for eating (although that didn't stop some people......!).


We bought a 'beach' tent for Isobel which hasn't yet had the sand under it, but it is great in the garden for a bit of shade whilst the garden is in limbo mode. Isobel seems to enjoy playing in there!


Our cat Yannick was also diagnosed with diabetes which rather threw us as he has always been so healthy (cat fights aside). So we are keeping a close eye on him and were at the vets at 0830am Monday morning to learn how to inject him. Trying to associate the injections with food, but not sure if he has fallen for that yet! Here he is in healthier days. Isobel was very pleased to see him home again.

Easter Visit

With Richard away, Isobel and I braved the car journey on our own and went down to Somerset to stay with Granny for Easter. We were very lucky with the weather and Isobel seemed to enjoy seeing the little lambs frolicking about in the field. We made a quick escape from
one field after the sheep decided to be approach us in a vocal manner......
Isobel found Russet fascinating and Russet in turn was very patient. On Easter Sunday we had a lovely lunch and then Granny Mary (great Granny), Robert and Badral and cousins arrived for tea.

As well as walks, shopping (for Miss I of course)it was warm enough to sit outside
and enjoy a kick around on the grass.

Mmmmmmm - could I try some of that please?

Just when you think you have got to grips with feeding, wind, sleep etc, along comes a new challenge - weaning - the hot topic amongst us mums at the moment. As usual the advice leaves you spinning. Start now, wait until 6 months, start with baby rice, why not try baby led weaning (BLW), to puree - or not to puree......I have gone against the books and in an impromptu moment last Friday, gave Isobel some of my banana to suck. She seemed to like it and wanted more. On Sunday we tried a bit of cooked broccoli - not sure, but the roast parsnip seemed to be a success. Today she was sitting on my knee as I ate an apple. Before I knew it, she had lent forward and had her mouth around my apple - sucking away at the juice. So we'll try a bit of BLW, but I might also give baby rice a go next week.....watch out walls.

My first parsnip
Originally uploaded by Katie C-O

Here is the video....