Mamatography: Week 2

9th - 15th January

9/1 One of the things I love about our house is that because we live on a hill, the houses below us drop away and we see so much sky! Every day brings a different view...

10/1 A trip to the Zoo

11/1 This morning's sunrise taken from our bedroom window

12/1 Finger painting fun!

13/1 This week has been a week of baking for us thanks to Eden finding a new love for cooking - she also loves the washing up part!

14/1 Making a den in a corner and behind a chair at Grandma and Grandad's house

15/1 Relaxing in the bath with lots of bubbles

Check out more Mamatography weeks here:

Mamatography: Week 1

2nd - 8th January 2012

I really love taking photos and capturing moments in time. It's a New Year, so I've signed up to take part in Diary of a First Child's Mamatography Challenge 2012. The aim is to take a photo everyday that represents something that happened in your day, and to post them up on the blog once a week. Sounds like fun, so I'm up for the challenge and looking forward to having a record in photos of daily life in 2012.

Here's Week 1 of my Mamatography challenge:

2/1/12 Iggle Piggle sadly lost his red blanket while out shopping today, Eden requested Mummy make  a green replacement.

3/1/12 Special birthday card made for Great Grandma

4/1/12 It may just look like a mess, but Eden spent a good 10 minutes 'organising' each item , placing it carefully exactly where it is on the carpet!

5/1/12 George, our kitten, had also been cuddled up next to Eden in this shot, but jumped off as soon as he saw the camera!

6/1/12 Finishing off a 'Happy New Year' painting started at the library's toddler session this morning

7/1/12 Some of the stash from our Ikea shop today

8/1/12 Finding the cats on Eden's bed - 'Bit naughty' as Eden would say!

To see other blogger's posts in the Mamatography Challenge click here

Bitten by the sewing bug

Regular readers may remember the Advent Calendar Bunting that I made for my daughter back in September (which by the way was a BIG hit with her this December, but that's another story). It was made using a basic mini sewing machine that I picked up for £4 at a car boot in August, I was impressed with the results even though the project was a complete pain and took three times as long (at least) thanks to the sewing machine not coping well with the material. With this in mind, I've been on the hunt for a decent 'proper' sewing machine for the last few months.

Just before Christmas, I bought a Silver Crest one that was on offer from Lidl. I did my research beforehand and checked reviews, all of which were very positive. From the set-up to the sewing, I've found it easy and enjoyable - and this is coming from a COMPLETE sewing novice, I am well and truly a beginner, and like to learn by getting stuck in and doing. The Silver Crest sewing machine has 33 different stitches, and comes with various different 'feet' - so far I've used the basic foot and the zipper foot - it's easy to interchange them. 

I purchased just in time to make a few Christmas presents for family. Due to my lack of skills and knowledge in using a sewing machine, I was surprised at the results, which I felt were good enough to actually give as presents without being embarrassed about wobbly edging and the like showing me up! So here's a few piccies of my recent makes:

Cath Kidston-style knitting needle case

The zip using my new sewing machine

Owl doorstops and paperweight

And this is a Very Hungry Caterpillar baby playmat that I made for our new arrival in March - can't wait to use it!

VHC play mat

   

A belated Happy New Year!

I know, I know - I'm nearly a week late with it, but just wanted to wish all my followers a Happy New Year! Hope 2012 is a good one for you!

I've been taking a break from my blog over the festive period, it's been a busy time hosting our first Christmas in our new home, for our extended family. Having visitors is certainly a good motivator to get all those little jobs done around the house that we've been putting off!

This Christmas was also my first attempt at cooking Christmas Dinner, and I cooked it for 14! We managed to squeeze all 14 of us into our little dining room by pretty much emptying it of furniture (apart from the piano) and finding 2 big tables and borrowing some stools. After Christmas day before putting all the furniture back into the dining room, we took the opportunity to take up the old carpet and put some laminate down instead - so much more practical for eating with little people.

Eden is now 25 months, and it was wonderful watching her understanding of Christmas festivities this year. Having Eden around has made Christmas time so fun and magical!

I'm looking forward to the year ahead, in a little over 8 weeks time we'll be meeting our new addition to the family and I'll be a Mummy of Two!

Pumpkin Seed Play: Lightbox and Owls

Earlier in the week we carved a HUGE pumpkin. I kept all the 'innards', making various recipes with the pumpkin flesh, and drying out the seeds for Eden and I to play with and to use for craft.

Today we did some mixing and pouring of the pumpkin seeds on top of the lightbox:

Then we made a Pumpkin Seed Owl. I drew the outline of an owl on some card and cut it out, and left the rest to Eden (with a bit of guidance from me)... she was as delighted as usual to be let loose on the glue!

Eden then wanted to listen to our 'Owl Babies' CD, and dance around the living room with blankets as capes or 'wings' pretending to be Mummy Owl and Baby Owl. Of course I joined in the merry fun, cape and all, although it's probably for the best I didn't take a photo....!

Quick Christmas Craft this evening...

After sewing fatigue from making Eden's Advent Calendar Bunting a few weeks ago, I got the sewing machine out for the first time this evening to make this Christmas Tree decoration for her. Every year we buy her a special decoration for the tree (actually she has a few each year as friends very kindly have given one to her one in previous years too). This is her third Christmas, and so I thought I'd make my own for her this year. I'm pleased with the results - it's a little big, but better too big than too small for a sewing novice like me :)

Today I also ordered the materials for my next Christmas Project....

Encouraging better behaviour

Over the past few weeks I've been attending a parenting course which has given me some great tips on how to guide Eden in a positive way that builds up her self esteem and confidence and achieves good behaviour. Many of the tips I was sort of doing already to a certain extent, but the course has helped me name and identify these techniques and therefore improve my awareness of what works. Here's a few of my faves:

Praise
I've always tried to praise Eden, to be encouraging over good behaviour, to be enthusiastic when she perseveres and achieves something difficult (like stacking beakers when she was younger), or for example, when she holds it together when frustrated and we avoid a tantrum. I'm sure when I praise her this makes her feel good and that her efforts have been noticed, making her more likely to repeat it again next time.

I especially like to praise and encourage her when I know she overcomes something really difficult for her - like sharing when she'd sooner not, or when she steps out of her comfort zone and does something new and fun for the first time despite being understandably apprehensive initially. I think this has contributed to the fun little girl we have, who is open to new experiences and not easily phased by change.

Rewards
Eden loves her stickers at the moment. A couple of weeks ago, we were struggling to stop her throwing her food on the floor when she'd finished her meal, something she's done regularly since sitting at the table for meals. Toast wasn't a huge issue to clean up, but a plate of rice was a different story! By introducing a sticker every time she kept her plate on the table when she'd finished, we resolved the behaviour quickly within a couple of days.

Phrasing Positively
I love this! If I say to you 'Don't think of kangaroos' what are you thinking of? In the same way, rather than saying 'Don't run' I say 'Can you walk please'. It works for lots of different situations:

• 'Don't pull the cat's tail' becomes 'Be gentle with the cat please'
• 'Don't ignore me' becomes 'Can you listen when I'm talking to you'

All of these I've found are 'tools in the box' for me when it comes to being a parent and encouraging good behaviour.   

Wow Toys Review and Giveaway

Wow toys have a fantastic selection of bright and eye-catching toys for preschoolers, made to the highest safety standards. Importantly for us grown-ups, they're all PVC-free and battery-free! Many of their toys offer a sensory appeal for the early years as well as attention to detail for the older child to discover - offering great play-value.

Eden was very excited to receive Casey the Camper Van to review. It's captured her imagination and for the past week since we received it, it's been a permanent feature in the middle of our living room floor that she just keeps coming back to. 

What we love about Casey Camper Van

• Casey is bright and colourful, with lots of extra features for preschoolers to explore. 
• The attention to detail makes it fun for kids (and grown ups) to play with
• The Camper Van has a realistic engine sound when driven along the floor
• There's plenty of opportunity to encourage imaginative play and motor skill development through the features and extra props that come with the Camper Van
• Eden loves setting up the table for a picnic, swapping round the boy and girl in the driving seat, and putting the dog to bed in the camper van  

Competition Time

Wow Toys have generously provided a Motorbike Max to giveaway to one of my blog followers. All you have to do to enter is visit their website and pop back over here to tell me what your favourite toy is from there. 

Extra Additional Entries (optional)

If you'd like extra entries you can do one or all of the following. Leave me a separate comment below for each that you do

1. Follow me on Facebook
2. Follow Wow Toys on Facebook
3. Follow me on Google Friends Connect (link on the right of this page)
4. Follow me on twitter and tweet the following - 'I'd like to #win a Wow Toy with @Pondering_Kate. Enter here http://ponderingsfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/wow-toys-review-and-giveaway.html   

Terms and Conditions

• Competition closes on Sunday 30th October 8pm
• Winner will be picked randomly using random.org number generator
• UK entrants only please
• No cash alternative

ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions
Loquax Competitions

AND THE WINNER IS....

  NATALIE HOLLAND


Congratulations Natalie! Please get in touch to claim your prize, and thanks to all who entered!

DIY Lightbox

As the nights draw in, this is a fun activity to do in the dark! I've been meaning to make Eden a lightbox for a while now, I just couldn't figure out how I'd do it. Lightboxes can be really expensive to buy, and I've seen them for sale at £80-£100. The lightbox I've made for Eden cost just £3.50 - bargain fun! Today we experimented with various objects I found in Eden's bedroom, but I've got lots of plans for explorative play with it, particularly over these forthcoming dark winter months where more time is spent indoors.

Setting up the lightbox: plastic shoebox and battery-powered LED light

Testing out various objects

"I wonder if I glow too?"

Plastic milk bottle tops

Check out more play ideas here:

Autumn Finger Painting

Following on from our Autumn Screech in the woods the other day, Eden and I created our own leafy autumn pictures, using finger paints and tissue paper. The pictures took a couple of days to complete, as we had to let the paint dry in-between stages.

The first step was to paint on our trees using brown paint. We tried various ways of making the trees - Eden used her hands to make branches on one, we tried blow-painting using straws on another, and we also painted freehand trees using the traditional paintbrush! We then left the trees to dry.

The next session was a finger-painting session to create orange, red and yellow leaves on the trees. Eden (at 22 months) did brilliantly dotting her fingers on the paper to create leaves.

The final step was to add some tissue paper grass. We tore up green tissue paper, before scrunching it up and gluing onto the pictures.

Our finished leafy autumn scenes:

Proudly displayed on the wall in Eden's craft corner. Whenever we finish any artwork now Eden always holds it up and says 'Wall' - she knows the drill!

Tried and Tested: Vital Baby Unbelievabowl

Over the last few weeks we’ve been trialling the Vital Baby Unbelievabowl. It’s a child suction bowl, and I was keen to test out its suction power having tried a few previously with Eden with little success.

The Unbelievabowl is available in fun and bright colours that are appealing to the eye. To Eden’s delight we were sent the bright pink bowl! It is BPA free and latex free, and spare bowls are available to interchange with the suction pad.  The bowl has high sides and I've found this works great in assisting Eden’s progress in using cutlery, as she’s able to use the sides as an aid to scoop food up onto her spoon and fork.

The bowl itself twists and clicks into place onto the suction pad. It definitely requires an adult to do this and so tampering little fingers won’t get very far in attempting to untwist it.

As for the suction, I tested out the Unbelievabowl on a few different surfaces and was genuinely surprised at its suction power. It works really well on smooth plastic surfaces such as high chairs, and it’s important to make sure the surface is clean, dry and grease-free to aid sticking power.  I also tested it on our wooden dining table – it did have suction, but quickly unstuck from the surface, in all fairness I don’t think any suction bowl would stick well to wooden surfaces, I’m yet to find one. It’s more suited to highchair surfaces, but is therefore perfect for the early stages of weaning – a particularly messy time when anything that cuts down on spillages is a parent’s new best friend.   

The Unbelievabowl retails at £4.99, which is I think is reasonable value for a suction bowl that works and makes life easier for us parents at mealtimes. Additional bowls for the suction pad are sold in sets of 2 for £3.99. The Unbelievabowl is available to buy from the Vital Baby website as well as being stocked in Boots, John Lewis, Mothercare and Toys R Us. 

Vital Baby products are bright and fun and thoughtfully designed. For more information and to view their varied selection of products visit their website, or follow them on Facebook by clicking here.

Autumn Screech

When my husband was growing up, he and his siblings were often taken for a Sunday afternoon walk to the local woods. The walk was referred to by his family as a 'screech' - a chance for fresh air, to let off steam, for some family time and a good-old run around.

Last Sunday we took Eden for an autumn day 'screech' around Cannock Chase. Having relocated back to the Midlands 6 months ago, we're keen to explore the local countryside. Cannock Chase reminded us a lot of the New Forest, which is near to where we moved from, minus the ponies.

We ran through the leaves, climbed trees, collected pine cones and had a great family time together! Autumn's a lovely time of year to have fun exploring the great outdoors.