Festivities

We left everything really late this year and so the Wednesday before christmas I was rushing round like a maniac trying to track down a Christmas Tree. All the usual places were sold out but then I managed to find some at a petrol station. There was the choice of really short or really tall ones.........so I plumped for a really tall one, and I mean a REALLY tall one!

It barely fitted inside the car, poor Joel must have wondered what the heck was going on.

We had to chop a big bit off the top and finally got round to dressing it the night before Christmas Eve. We bought Joel some decoration as we thought it'd be nice each year if there was a box of decorations that were his which we can add to.

Christmas Eve the neighbours delivered some freshly baked scones and a home made card.

and the postman delivered us a stack of parcels from Jill wrapped in fantastic homemade paper.

On Christmas day Joel got a nice new hat, though it's a little on the large size!

And a really cool finger puppet version of The Hungry Caterpillar

Not to mention lots and lots of other nice things. I don't think Joel knew how special a day it was but we did.

Winter

I'd set out with every intention of telling you all about Joels adventures and firsts. Time seems to slip by though and before I knew it it's over a month since I've blogged. So I'll bring you up to speed.

He can now roll onto his tummy and in his own funny way crawl. He uses his face as his arms aren't strong enough yet but he is so determined to be on the move he keeps going anyway and manages to travel across his play mat.

He had his first go in his door bouncer. Didn't do much bouncing but instead pirouetted round and round on his toes. It was so funny and lovely to watch.

Today he had his first try of his highchair. I had to put a cushion under him as he is still quite small for it. I gave him some baby rice and he played with some toys with Myrtle sat by his side. No doubt the position she will assume from now on.

And every time he goes out he wears this fleecy pram suit which I customised with a nice bright orange J. I thought I'd have loads of time for crafts whilst at home with a baby but there's no time for anything much!

Men in tights

I had no idea that a practical fashion solution for chilly legs, wooly tights, would cause such a stir. I've received praise ('Good for you' or 'I wish I'd done that when he was little') and ponderings ('Tights?') in equal measures from other mums on this. For some reason over the last 20 years this seems to have become something exclusive to girl babies. Why is that? After all they are babies, not little boys or little girls.....yet.

There used to be a far more unisex approach to baby clothes, so when did we get so uptight about gender?? Babies used to wear long nighties, with matinee jackets over the top (like this one above) and were only dressed up for visitors, imagine how practical that would have been, no need to undo and do up poppers on grows five or six times a day. Here's a contemporary version of this combo.

When they went out baby tights were common use for boys and girls, perfect for warm wriggly legs of all sizes. Yet in my quest for tights I found any multipack of super bright colours was plighted by a pink pair, or a pair with daisies on them.Clearly these products are not stocked with boy babies in mind.

Anyway I have managed to get my mitts on some plain brights and some stripey brights so thought I'd share some of the fashion combos Joel and I have put together, they made us smile and hope they make you smile too. We don't go for all the miniature adult outfits that are in the shops. You can have so much fun with babies, so why should their fashion be so serious?