Delight of the week... Sleeping bags

I can remember when I was in junior school writing a test on idioms. The one I strangely remember getting wrong was "sleeping like... a log". I wrote "sleeping like... a baby". It has taken twenty odd years or so for me to finally comprehend the error. Sleeping like a log obviously implies lying in the place you fell. Sleeping like a baby (or in our case Leah), however, does not.

Our little lady's nocturnal habits involve wriggling her way around the cot in her sleep and occasionally crying out in frustration - while still asleep, might I add - when she finds herself stuck in a corner.

We thought that a baby sleeping bag might help. While it certainly doesn't keep her still - she somehow manages to crawl and stand up in hers, aspiring to be a star in the sack race one day - she is at least warm while on her nightly missions. She loves hers, and will actually now tell us when she's ready to go to sleep by snuggling up to it.

The perfect baby gift, my favourites are by Aden and Anais (Leah is pictured in this one) and The Gro Company.

Bali Baby

A few piccies of our recent trip to Bali with one curious and very sociable young lady. I think the photos say it all really... a lush escape where one is constantly greeted by friendly, welcoming faces. We stayed at Laguna Resort and Spa, Nusa Dua, and while we unfortunately got the very drizzly end of the rainy season, we did have one beautiful sunny day in Ubud hiking through the rice paddies, meeting locals and watching Leah's very special first encounter with an elephant just about her age.

If this all makes travelling with a baby look effortless, trust me, we've had to clock up a few air miles (Dublin, Perth, South Africa...) to master the art. And I believe there's still more to learn.

Before we had Leah, Gav and I dreamily talked about trips and hikes we would take with our new little addition. Why on earth would things change that much? I pictured him/her watching the world, wide-eyed from a snazzy sling... us snapping away at the sights (and our adorable munchkin)... our back packs now also holding a few biodegradable nappies and pots of baby food. Chuckle.

Now that my rose-tinted sunnies have shifted slightly (well, actually, they've been gnawed on by the teething tot and are falling apart), I can say that while showing the world to your little one is hugely rewarding and entertaining, it requires a little more planning than simply throwing nappies in your knapsack. A friend (who's just had her first little boy) emailed me asking for tips on travelling to Bali, so here is what I can offer...

Doing Bali with a Baby?
Breast is best - If you breastfeed, do. You won't have to worry about sterilizing bottles and boiling water to ward off Bali Belly. You'll also you save a fair bit of luggage space leaving out bottles and formula, and your baby's beverage will be there and ready whether you're in the airport lounge, 40 000 feet up or trekking through a forest. 
Add salt - Pack rehydration salt sachets or tablets in case you or bub do end up with a bit of a stomach upset. 
Bug off - Don't forget the Deet-free mozzie repellant. If you can get your hands on something like So Pure Mosquito Spray (it's pesticide-free, non-toxic and smells great... the girl in the shop told me I could even eat it!!) all the better. 
A bit of a squeeze - Chances are that you won't be able to cook or easily get your hands on pre-prepared baby food? Forget about packing an inventory of bottled nosh and go for easy squeezy baby food sachets like Rafferty's Garden, Organic Bubs and Only Organic. Life Savers!!! 
Stroll in the park - If your baby is still light enough to be carried in a sling or Baby Bjorn-type carrier, you'll save yourself a whole lot of space, luggage weight and stress leaving the stroller behind. I recommend leaving the stroller behind whenever travelling, if possible. I've had airport staff admitting that folding up some baby buggies requires a degree, and you can't be certain that yours will come out in one piece on the other side.
Resort to this - Now is not the time for camping out in a tree house (unless it's five star, of course). You'll all have a far better break if you treat yourselves to a hotel stay. The restaurants will happily provide a few extra pieces of fruit for babies at meal times. Chances are high that you'll also get a few free minutes to enjoy some wonderful Balinese cuisine as the waiters whisk your child away for a game of "chiluk ba" (peekaboo). And a hotel with a spa means one thing... you and dad can take turns enjoying hard-earned massages while your less-seasoned travel companion naps. 
Save a seat - Ask your hotel to arrange for a taxi pick-up at the airport, with a baby seat!
Baby-friendly sightseeing - Seminyak may be one of the main tourist attractions for its shopping, but with that comes with streets buzzing with motorbikes (and some serious headache-inducing fumes). Your time will be better spent up in the hills of Ubud (scenes from Eat Pray Love were filmed here), enjoying the tranquility of the forests and rice paddies. The Elephant Safari Park Lodge is also located in Ubud, and nothing lulls a baby to sleep like the lazy, lumbering steps of an elephant.


Enjoy!

Delight of the week... Hammocks

We housesat for my brother- and sister-in-law a few weeks ago and spent a few beautiful late afternoons enjoying the ocean views from the hammock... sigh. Hard work I tell you!

Leah loved it and it got me thinking about baby hammocks. I was always a bit sceptical about their safety, until I came across the Kanoe Motion Sensitive Organic Baby Hammock on Zimmer and Jee. Okay, the not-so-teeny price tag would probably have most dads saying "Woa, can I use it too!", but it isn't one of those baby products that you'll have to squeeze away into storage after three months. It's a calming cradle to start with, and come toddler time, it doubles up as a swing! With Leah cooped up inside this week thanks to grey skies and constant downpours, it sounds like a rainy day life saver to me.

Summer Lovin'

I have reluctantly vacuum packed all my summer frocks and my trusty hot water bottle has reappeared. Winter is definitely here and I'm already missing the days when changing a nappy didn't involve two layers, socks and a small argument. So here are a few nostalgic shots of our first carefree (and clothing free) summer out on the lawn.

One + One = ?

Since having Leah I've really found myself looking at my nieces, nephews and other people's children (yes, I'm a bit of a people watcher) and simply being amazed at how genes come together. The jury is still out on who our little lady looks like and I just love spotting the little bits of Gav and me (and other members of our family) that I see. She has Gav's lips and his dimple (although it's on the opposite side),  but my complexion and frown. Leah has Gav's hairline but she's growing her locks as slowly as I did. She has her grandfathers to thank for her big blue eyes and cracks us up with a little squashed up smile like my sister did as a baby. Those chubby baby cheeks... well it appears that those were inevitable. And as for personality, we're seeing her dad's sense of humour and charm and my aversion to sitting in one place for more than five minutes. Oh, and my rather poor patience level and short fuse. Eek!

Leah

Gav (left) and Me (right)

Does my bum look big in this?

I know I join a few million mothers when I concede that disposable nappies are a rather nifty invention. I wonder about anyone who has dared to head to 40 000 feet with a baby, a few cloth parachutes and a handful of pins, and I take my hat off to anyone who ever had to pack the pre-soak for a family holiday. But I have to say that there is nothing more adorable than a little bottom padded the good old-fashioned way.

In an attempt to be a bit more of an earth mother (nothing brings you down to earth like scrubbing nappies),  when Leah was born I decided that disposables would only be a travel/emergency option and stocked up on a set of bamboo 'Nature Nappies'. Yes, it's a little bit of hard work, but I like to think that Leah will appreciate being green somewhere down the line.

When I Grow Up...

I want to be a jockey!

Leah has now grown into her cousins' old horse, "Blue", and while having a pony is a lot of hard work, she seems to be very enthusiastic about her new friend.

Happy Mother's Day

I hope all you amazing moms, mums, mommies, mummies, mommas, mamas and ma's (whatever wonderful name you go by) had a special day. My little lady (now nine and a half months) and her daddy took me out for breakfast and a glass of bubbly at No. 44 King Street, one of my favourite cafés in the city. Little Miss Inquisitive may have had us running around most of the time as she now has places to go and people to say hi to, but I am relishing these wobbly moments as she now holds our hands and stomps her little feet around the place.

The Princess and the Pea

This video cracks me up every time I watch it. Leah is a little obsessed with peas at the moment. I think she likes the challenge. She was having dinner in the nude (this year's ridiculously hot summer, along with a messy meal were deciding factors) when I filmed this and it would have been longer if she hadn't kicked up a huge fuss to be lifted out her throne. It turned out there was a pesky pea beneath her delicate derriere!

Do I Have Food On My Face?

While little Miss Muffet is far more interested in the culinary potential of anything she can find on the floor at the moment, along with the odd handful of beach sand for added fibre, the last few months have been a treat watching her discover (and, more often than not, love) this world of deliciousness.

I remember when I was around 15 weeks pregnant reading that her little taste buds were developing, so it's been fascinating to now watch and wonder whether any of the flavours have been at all familiar. I like to think they were.

I'll admit to being a bit of a neat freak, but I've surprise myself and happily let things slide just to watch her relishing the mush of the day. And I have to say that, stained clothes and sticky floors aside, it's been worth it.

Beddy Bye Bye

Ah, it was a bittersweet moment when Leah figured out that not only can she stand up, but she can stand up IN BED! It's so adorable, but a complete lesson in patience trying to teach a tot that they should be horizontal when the world is sooo much more fun when you're vertical.

Baby Boot Camp

Well our little lady is now crawling, climbing and contemplating the advantages of possibly joining us on two feet. It's all very exciting, but also has me wondering whether I should have joined a gym for some serious stamina-building exercises instead of sitting on the sidelines cheering her on as she put in a whole lot of pre-crawling strength training of her own. She did push-ups inside, she did them outside, she even did them before naps. If she wasn't such a little wriggler I would have treated her to post-workout massages. Surely those little muscles must ache by the end of the day!

Thirsty work