5 Ways To Entertain A Poorly Toddler!

16.3.16

There's nothing worse than seeing your little ones poorly and suffering. Indiana has been really ill these past few days which has been horrible for us all. We had to keep her home from nursery as her temperature was so high and we suspect she has hand, foot and mouth.

But how do you entertain a poorly toddler? Especially when your stuck indoors? Here's some fun activities that are simple and easy for everyone to simple!

1. Indiana actually requested painting so this was easy! Kate from My Family Fever even made a fab suggestion of messy play using a tuff spot - "Chuck some sand, play dough or shaving foam down and let them explore! Takes their mind off feeling rubbish too" - I think we need to invest in one of these!


2. All that paint needs cleaning up, so make an activity of it with water play! Hannah from Budding Smiles even suggested a soak in the tub if they get extra messy, "Toby did loads of painting when he was poorly with hand foot and mouth, then had a nice warm bath to wash the paint off and relax".


3. Dress up your baby brother and have a little boogie! Parker absolutely loves it when you sing and dance so this is a fab activity for everyone. I just pop music on my phone so this can be done anywhere!


4. Fellow bloggers Jade, Fiona, and Chelle all suggested simple sit down activities - stickers, books, colouring - simple but lots of fun!


5. And if all else fails stick on the TV and snuggle up! Be it copious amounts of Bing on CBeebies (a fab suggestion from Emily), a Disney movie, or like Victoria's little boy, a show on Netflix. Keep drinks and snacks to hand, and just enjoy those extra cuddles.


The Siblings Project | March 2016

15.3.16


I think Parker has really grown since February's post. He's developed such a cheeky character now, and becomes less of a baby every day! He's on the move now which has been great fun for him - not so much for Indiana though.

She's now taken to taking away any toy Parker is trying to play with, or sitting on him when he's trying to play. She's become a little rougher with him this month too, and I have witnessed her pushing him over a lot too. I'm not sure if the jealousy is starting to show - is it because we're praising Parker for all his new tricks and she's feeling left out? Or whether she just thinks she's 'playing' with him.



Whatever the case we're hoping it's just a little faze, and she'll go back to being the sweet loving big sister! Parker hasn't lost his fascination with his sister luckily though. He looks up to her with awe and always wants to know (and get involved with) what she's doing... it's so sweet!

Their favourite game this month is for Indiana to get into Parker's cot with him. They roll around giggling together - Parker covering Indie in slobbery 'kisses' and Indie squealing with delight. It's so lovely to watch, and makes me so proud to be their mummy. Indie loves helping Parker with his food though too, which although isn't the most helpful (he feeds himself haha), really shows how kind she is.


Gro Egg Room Thermometer | Review


While at The Baby Show recently we met the lovely team from The Gro Company. We were given the chance to test out one of their products that we've both been eyeing up for ages, the Gro Egg.

The 'egg' is a room thermometer designed to give quick, easy readings, making it perfect for a nursery. Just plug it in and it will glow and show the temperature. Easy as that! The colour shown will depend on how hot or cold the room is. This makes it very easy to tell whether the room is too hot, too cold, or at that perfect temperature.

The yellow glow is a comfortable temperature, blue is too cold and red is too hot. You can then adjust the room to suit - adding/taking away layers for example. The glow is then gentle enough to act as a nightlight, which is a lovely little bonus.




As well as the glow, the little screen shows the accurate temperature, so you can see what's classed as too high or too low. A little sad face accompanies the red glow and a sweet little smiley face will show when it's a comfortable temperature! The box also explains everything in more detail, and gives you a guide on how to dress baby to suit the temperature.

To add a little extra to your Gro Egg you can also purchase shells separately. There are 3 different options: an owl, monkey or penguin. These are a cute little touch, and make it fun for your child.



Honestly I don't know why we've never purchased one before! I was always worried that the nursery was too cold, despite using the free little thermometer that comes with the Gro Bags. This gives a quick, accurate measurement, and also looks SO sweet sat on the side in the nursery. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone with a baby or expecting. The egg currently retails at £21.99 and the shells are £4.99 each.

Disclaimer - we were given the gro egg and shell free of charge for the purpose of this review, however all opinions are honest and my own

Parker's 7 Month Update

5.3.16

This month has been a big one for our beautiful boy! Yesterday he turned a whole 7 months old. Where the time has gone I do not know, but the amount he's learnt in that short time is amazing, and everyday I can't believe how lucky I am.

I last went to the weighing clinic when he was 28 weeks (he's now 30+4), and he was 17lbs 8oz. He's got the most gorgeous rolls and chins for days - I absolutely love the squidge they seem to get when they start eating but are not yet moving enough. He's still in a mixture of sizes, but I really need to take out his 3-6 month leggings, they're basically shorts on him and I feel terrible haha.


He's having 4/5 bottles during the day, although this will vary depending on how long he naps for and if he's feeling extra hungry one day. Food is still his favourite part of the day. He's loves nothing more than munching away on his meals, and gets very frustrated if you don't give it to him quick enough!

I want to say sleep is improving, but I really don't want to jinx anything. We've had nearly a week of waking just once for a bottle now, and that I think I can live with after months of waking every 2/3 hours... one night he didn't have milk until 5am - an actual miracle! We always try to pop his dummy in / rock him before trying milk. But honestly sometimes we'd just rather feed him as he goes back to sleep much quicker, and seems like he wants it too. He sleeps on his side now too, which is super cute.


We've had some huge milestones this month! Parker now sits very comfortably, and if you sit him down he'll sit there happily playing as long as he has toys in his reach. He can reach and lean forward and steady himself now too. After weeks of spinning in circles he can finally crawl forward! He's an army crawler just like his sister - I call him my little caterpillar because he looks so funny wriggling across the room. We also got our first word this month. I still can't believe he said dada first - so much for being a mummy's boy!


We're still no closer to teeth. We've had awful colds, lots of dribble and even a new trick where he sucks in his bottom lip, which I thought may have been linked to teeth. But nope... still waiting!

I cannot believe how grown up and big he looks now. He's developing and learning so quickly, and I know the next milestone is just around the corner. I'm so excited to watch him learn, but just wish he would slow down a bit. I don't think I'm ready for my baby to grow up just yet!