Peek-a-boo

DIY Day: Valentine's inspired Hair Accessories

There is no reason to inhibit yourself from expressing your love to someone. The words have a pure intention of kindness and seek to flatter - no harm in that. And while words communicate one's emotions, a gift allows expression of one's affection in a more obvious way.
This installment of our DIY Day is a little project inspired from one of our previous collections. These adorable Valentine's inspired hair clips look so cute!  A little present for your daughter, or for your daughter to give to her friends.

Step 1: Components

You will need:

• 3 x 3 inches pieces of fine felt cloth (or any non-woven fabric). Colours of your choice
• Hair clips
• Scissors

Optional

• Threads of contrasting colours 
• Sewing needle 
• Glue 
• Heart-shaped stencil 

Step 2: Cutouts

Draw a heart shape over the felt cloth. You can use a stencil for a neat look, or fold the pieces to draw a slanted semi circle. 

Cut out the shape. 

Using the scissors, make a cut on one side of the heart shaped cloth, as shown in the picture

Step 3: Complete

Slide the hair clip through the cut, and close the pin.

Cover the top part of the pin using either of the following decorating techniques.

• You can glue on top, a felt cloth of same colour, or use a thread of contrasting colour to sew the piece.
• Cut out a smaller heart of a different coloured cloth and sew it on top
• Use a base heart with jagged ends
• Create a personalized design

An adorable gift for your adorable little girl

14 things you need to know about feeding solids

A few things you might need to know before attempting to engage in the messy combat, or may already know but might have forgetten. Here they are just-in-case:

1. First Foods - What

It is often advised to start weaning with rice cereals. They are iron-fortified and easy to digest. However, from a nutritional point of view, they are purely starch and may contribute to constipation (if your baby is allergic). 
You can try whole grain baby cereals, like wheat or barley, which are tastier and loaded with fibre.

2. First Foods - When

Offer cereal once a day in the beginning, either at breakfast or at dinner. When offering new foods, try to give them in the morning, to guage the reaction throughout the day. 

3. First Foods - How

Use your finger as the first spoon. Wash your hands thoroughly and then dip your forefinger into the cereal to bring it near the baby's mouth. When she opens it, place a few drops on her lips and let her suck on the finger for a while. Next, place a few drops at the tip of her tongue, and then gradually move to place cereal in the middle of the tongue. Let her practice sucking off cereal from your fingers for atleast  weeks before introducing the spoon.

we meant your mama's fingers, not your own

4. Track reactions using a food diary

Keep a food diary to record the dfferent foods you introduce each week (or every 3 to 4 days). Track the reactions of the baby to eliminate foods that may cause allergies or any other problems.

5. Solids are not replacement for breastmilk/formula

Throughout the first year of your child, her primary source of nutrition will come from breastmilk/formula. Solids are introduced only to facilitate the baby to learn how to move her tongue and swallow, and also familiarize her with new tastes and textres. In no way do the solids replace breastmilk/formula as the basic diet.

though meant in a different connotation, he is absolutely right!

6. The fist rule

Your baby has a small tummy. Avoid feeding large portions in a single setting. To measure how much to feed follow the fist rule: look at your baby's clenched fist, that is how big your baby's stomach is. Take into account breastmilk/formula as well when deciding the amount of solids

i've eaten equivalent to two fists .. i can't eat no more!

7. Develop a feeding schedule

By the sixth week after introducing solids, try to develop a feeding schedule: three meals a day. Along with cereal, incorporate fruits and vegetables into your baby's diet as well. 

You can form a feeding schedule in the following way:

• Breakfast: cereal and a fruit serving
• Lunch: fruit serving and vegetable serving
• Dinner: cereal and vegetable serving

8. Stay strong

It may take up to 20 attempts before your baby actually agrees upon a particular taste/texture of food. Till then don't give up if she refuses to feed. Try again in a few days or mix the new food item with another that the baby prefers, gradually increasing its ratio in the mixture till the babt becomes accustomed to the taste.

illogical baby

9. Choking hazards

Be very careful of the texture of food you feed to your baby. Avoid chunks of food that may possibly lead to choking. Children under the age of 1 year cannot comprehend the size of a bite they can masticate at a time. Therefore, feed solids in small bites, and familiarize yourself with a choking rescue procedure. 

10. Add juice

As your infant progresses in attaining new flavours and textures, include juice in his diet, making it part of one meal in a day.

11. Use a sippy cup

When feeding juice, dilute it with water in an equal amount, and not more than 3 ounces in a day. Always give juice to your baby in a sippy cup and not a bottle. Sucking from a bottle will bring the juice in direct contact with your baby's teeth and may contribute to cavities.

these are so adorable that it makes me want to drink out of this instead a glass

12. Introduce finger foods

Between 7 to 11 months of your baby's age, try introducing finger foods. This will not only help your baby keep his hands occupied while you feed him in peace, but also lead to him developing better motor skills. 

13. Let the mess be

Instead of striving to keep a clean face, let your baby mess around with his food. As this article very aptly describes, feeding time is more than eating. 

i'm baby bear *roar

14. When all else fails ..

 .. Oppa Gangnum Style!

Well, there you go. Our humble attempt at making your life a little easier. 

However, the only judge of your efforts will be the cutest critic in the whole world: your little baby.

baby: 'mother, i believe these peas need a little dash of basil'

Why I love myself as a Mother

I may come off as a narcissist, but it's true: I love myself. 
It's a feeling that I believe I owe to myself since I can't bother with who does and who does not. Everyone has their reasons to hold feelings of their choice and I respect that.

It is indeed all that matters in the end. 

I love myself as a human, as a woman and as a citizen of this planet. But most of all I love myself as a mother. Not just cause I have with me (perpetually) a tiny cuddle toy who gives me his complete attention, but also cause it's just so much fun!

I'll agree that being a mother brings with it baggage that includes stained cothes, constant wails and of course dirty diapers, but here are a few things that make me love myself as a mother:

Purchase of a toy (indirectly for yourself) is justified

Growing up implicitly implied that I give up playing with dolls. It was hard to part ways with the love of my (toddler) life, my Barbie.

'and I-I-I will always love you!'

*I will love you too. sniff*

For the longest while I thought it unfair of the societal rules to take away from me an avenue of joy that did no harm. Boys become men and still they can play video games. Now I'm no feminist, but I just missed my Barbie.
However, now when I have a kid I'm socially allowed to indulge in my secret love for toys. Well, a baby boy may not justify the purchase of a Barbie, but toys in general make do.
Manufacturers have become so smart at exploiting parents that they haven't left any stone unturned in making toys for every occasion. Every time I step into a toy store, it is a wonderland! I fall in love with every tiny piece of toy that's in there. And that is why, while it's been only 7 months since I had a baby, he already has a seperate storage closet exclusively for his toys. 

not 1, not 2 .. I want all of these cute buggers

Permission to start a new collection of baby gadgets

A child has granted my conscience the permission, and my husband the obligation to purchase gadgets that pose to contribute to the betterment of the baby.

While some may boast of the new iPhone, I now have a collection of useless baby gadgets to do the same. 

For some reason they seemed so relevant to raising a baby at the time; but now they just add chaos to my already cluttered room. 

since I needed to get back in shape, a jogging stroller was a must .. 

.. and since the baby just started solids, a gyro bowl was necessary ..

.. now I think these Toyota Creatures shall be a good way to baby -proof  my iPhone

Repeated attempts at becoming a Yummy Mummy

Beyonce had a child last year and within months she looked even gorgeous than before.

Beyonce: 'that's me 3 days before .. and then that's me 3 minutes later'

Since I have a child now and I want to look gorgeous, the activities I have been indulging in post-birth have led me to follow a lifestyle that is considerate of what I eat, what I do and what I wear.

What I eat

Because the baby demands high energy levels, I need to include carbohydrates in my diet. Striving to lose weight alongside, I am left in a conundrum. 

The solution for me then is to break down my meals into 5 times a day. I try to include carbs and proteins that seek to to provide me with the required calories. 

I also try to control my vicious habit of snacking. I won't say I'm there yet, but I'll consider myself a hero for doing so!

a hungry woman is like a dynamite on fire .. ready to blow up

What I do

Regular exercise.

That my friend is a must, since preganncy left my body with a lot of flab that needs to be tended to. I choose Monday as the beginning of a new dawn, with Sunday usually ending in a little guilty pleasure loaded with calories.

And if I workout I have every excuse to buy cool sports gear!

these are so gonna be the next pair of weights I buy!

What I wear

Think Victoria Beckham. 

She is yummy mummy personified. And that is why whenever I buy accessories now, I have a standard to maintain (which is just an excuse since I love shopping anyway).

red and oversized .. perfect to complement my still shrinking body

firm footing for the baby, but style for me

.. ridiculously large flairs for the pooch ..

.. a little dash of self-love ..

 .. parenting publication for my support group .. 

Playmate to dress-up

Since children are already attention-seeking agents, I make the most of the opportunity to experiment with mine by dressing him up; and he always likes it. Well even he doesnt, he wont remember a thing till he grows up (and other kids tell him how cool he looked when he was a toddler).

at times he's my rock-star .. 

.. and sometimes an aspiring mark ruffalo

It is a taxing job, I admit it. But it's so wonderful with a human being relying solely on you to feed him, bathe him and play with him. Children are innocent creatures who will lov their mother selflessly. And though the aforementioned reasons may be why I love myself as a mother, the best part of it all is the loe of my baby itself which right now is a culmination of ma-mas and da-das, and still so adorable.

Peek-a-Boo

If only they knew *rolls eyes*

Monday Moves: teaching opposites

Talk to your child. 

He may not quite fully understand what you're saying to him (especially if he's an  infant) but they'll try their best to engage in a converstaion. He may babble and drool, and also scream at times, but in the midst of all the chaos your child can turn out to be a source of inspiration!

To return the favor (and also help your child develop his cognitive skills), talk to your child in a way that benefits him in the long run.  Teaching opposites can be a good start. Use everyday objects or routines as tools to help with your lesson.

This week I have tried to do the same: an exercise that tones your lower body core while also help you to teach your child vocabulary.

Squats or the 'High and Low'

• While facing your baby, stand erect with your legs shoulder width apart.

• Extend your arms infront of you so that they are at 90-degrees to your torso (aiming for a Frankenstein pose here).

'grrr .. me no like exercise'

• Keep your back straight to balance your body.

• Slowly lower your torso, pushing your weight down on your thighs, till your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Do not drop your behind lower than your knees. In such instances the knees push ahead of the toes and may weaken in the long run.  

• Tell your baby, 'This is Low'

• Maintain the tension in your thighs as you count up to 3 in the position.

• Slowly pull yourself up to the original position.

• Tell your baby, 'This is High'

• Start from a single set of 10 reps and increase the reps by 5 each week.

Lunges or the 'Left and Right'

• While facing your baby, stand erect with your legs shoulder width apart (since squats had a monster we'll have a pretty doll here standing in the attempted position, only without the heels).

'i love my awesome heels'

• Bend the left leg at the back and pull forward your right leg to dip your body to lunge.

• Tell your baby, 'This is Right'

• Return to original position.

• Repeat with the opposite leg. 

• Tell your baby, 'This is Left'

• This is 1 rep. Work up to a single set of 10 reps, gradually increasing 5 reps each week.

This is hardly a 15-minute workout, and is also very useful for mothers who have fussy babies and demand attention. 

And if you choose to incorporate the daily english lesson who knows by the time your child steps into his teens he just might be abe to beat Doogie Howser M.D.  

'till the day we meet little man'

Peek-a-boo

Pretty Little Things

Girls just wanna have fu-un
When the working day is done.
Oh,girls...
Girls,
Just wanna have fu-un...

*shrieks and giggles*

Recently, after doing a blog post on a fun project one can share with their daughter, I realized how colourful the world of a young girl is! 
From pink walls, to glamorous barbies; adorable stuffed toys and bright bed spreads, everything about a little girl is fun!
However, what fascinates me the most about a little girl's world is her accessories. Therefore, when I came across these pretty accessories by Artesania by Aisha, I couldn't help but imagine them upon young fashionistas.
Whether your little girl likes the angelic look, or prefers bold colours, these accessories can complement either of the fashion styles your daughter prefers.

Subtle and Soft

For the ethereal look ...

Bold and Striking

Those who love colour ...

Rich and Dynamic

If her style is as eclectic as her ..

Bright and Animated

To match her colourful personality ...

Go on, let your little girl have some fun dressing up!