Bendy, Giggly, Clever and Strong!

I can't believe we're over half way through our first, fantastic Tatty Bumpkin course already, this has been a great way to build on the baby yoga we had already done and I'm so glad we found Andrea (and Baby of course)! Cliched as it might be, time sure does fly when you're having fun. Honey and I have had a great time listening to stories and singing songs, not to mention being spoons, trees and animals. As I've mentioned before, the babies really get to know the routines within the class and all have their favourite parts which make them giggle and smile in that super cute way only babies can!

Honey wears... Jumper dress by George @ Asda

Yum yum!

Honey has worked her way through most of the Hipp Organic pouches now and it's safe to say, she thoroughly enjoyed her first job as a taste tester! Inevitably, she preferred the sweeter, fruit based purées but has also devoured chicken curry, risotto, casserole and pasta bake to name just a few. In the words of Len Goodman 'yum yum, pigs bum!' #Hipptastetest

Honey wears... Jeans by JoJo Maman Bebe

Dance like no one's watching...

Two things I often hear Mum's chat about are 'getting out of the house' and losing weight.  There are lots of options for the first one and while I appreciate that not every new mum is brimming with confidence, try to remember that everyone's in the same boat! Baby groups and classes are not only a great way to get out and meet new people, they also offer unique opportunities to bond with your baby over a shared new experience. I didn't even know there was such a thing as baby yoga or that baby wearing dance classes existed but they have turned out to be two of our favourite maternity leave pass times!

Lots of companies offer a free or discounted taster session the first time you go to a new class, this is a great way of finding things that are right for you and your baby. It's not just about finding the right activity, it's also about ensuring you get the most for your money by trying to find classes or groups that happen while your baby is at their most content (e.g. Not at nap time or at a time when they usually have a big feed). There are also some lovely, completely free activities run by the library service across Gloucestershire, Honey and I meet friends at Cheltenham Children's library once a month for 'Bounce and Rhyme', then head to Blue Skies afterwards for a gossip (and a cake)!

The second most popular topic of conversation, losing weight can prove more difficult for many. The best course of action is to take things slowly and enjoy it! With my fitness instructor hat on, I should tell you that training at least three times a week, incorporating both resistance and cardiovascular training will give you the best results, but with my new mum hat on, I know that this can be a challenge! In my opinion, variety is the key, you are more likely to want to exercise if you are having fun. At first, just start with a gentle walk as soon as possible (unless you've had a caesarian, then please listen to the advice of your doctor about when to start exercising), you'll be surprised by how much ground you can cover in those first few weeks as you proudly push your new travel system! As your body starts to get used to your new level of activity, you may well find yourself automatically walking further and more briskly! From 6 weeks, why not give Sling Beat a try, you wear your baby so no child care to worry about and you can take the routines at your own pace with the variations supplied but remember, the more you put in, the more you get out! You could also carry on the fun at home by playing Just Dance on the Wii either while wearing baby or while baby is asleep.

Things you can do with your baby in tow are key, there are circuit training classes in Gloucester which advertise 'bring your baby', or why not get on your bike (Specialized do a tiny helmet suitable from a head circumference of 44cm). I have even been known to rollerblade behind the pushchair, which Honey thinks is hilarious, especially when we go down a hill at speed! Something we have just started doing is jogging (yes really, for those of you who know me, you will know how unlikely this sounds). It's hard at first but you soon get into it, we have been using the NHS' couch to 5K app which breaks you in gently and talks you through intervals of jogging and walking, as well as giving you advice on recovery and next steps. The best thing about this, is that Honey can come too, I try to go out at nap time so that she sleeps through most of the run and sometimes even long enough for a quick shower afterwards (using 2 in one products like Nivea in shower moisturiser to speed things up)! If it's not nap time, then she happily flirts and smiles with passers by and laughs at the ducks (we run through Pitville Park so ducks are not as random as they sound)!

Honey wears... Sock ons by sockons.co.uk

Photo © Nick Ashton

Photo courtesy of Mini Moments

Bienvenu! Willkommen! Benvenuto! Marhaban مرحبا

So Honey has had her first MFL lesson.. well not quite but we did get to attend a Babel Babies taster session today! Babel Babies brings the fun back to learning a foreign language with a relaxed approach and no verbs to conjugate! Each session has a focus language (today was French) but also touches on a wider range of languages too (German, Italian, Spanish and Arabic today). We started with some songs, I was able to join in where I could pick up a pattern but you could tell which Mums were regulars as they were able to sing every word! Next we had some stories and finally, one last song, accompanied by a little dance. Afterwards, Honey and I felt inspired so went straight to the Children's library to check out their European languages section and brought home some books for story time!

Honey Wears... You Make Me Smile T shirt by F&F @ Tesco

What I go to school for...

An unexpected favourite activity, is taking a trip to the school where I work. Honey loved being the parcel in baby pass the parcel today and adored having snuggles with all the staff! There's no shortage of playthings at school either (and I'm not talking about toys)... People's glasses = amazing! Staff lanyards = awesome! Jen's hair = fantabulous! I'm now formulating a plan to sneak Honey in with me when I go back to work!

Honey wears... I wish for... Jumper by Next

Food Glorious Food!

Honey and I are so excited (well, I'm excited, Honey is eating a book) to have been chosen to test out some new baby food recipes. It's a win win situation, Honey gets a load of free and hopefully delicious food and I get a gift voucher and a free magazine for helping her! We have been really lucky this year and have won cash, gift vouchers, baby products, event tickets and even a cardboard, 3D Christmas tree (random). I definitely recommend spending a few minutes answering questions when the baby clubs send you emails and also signing up with mumsurvey (you earn a small amount of cash for each survey and are entered into weekly draws to win larger amounts, I was really sceptical about this until I won £20 a few weeks ago) or Bounty's Mum Panel.

Honey wears... Birdy bib by Nuby

Fantastic Gymnastics!

Honey tried Gymbabes (Tumble Tots for tinies) today and had an absolute ball. She shrieked with delight at the start of each new activity and had a wonderful time exploring tunnels, tents, slides and more. The best things she did was to have a go at her first 'backwards roll', one of the lovely leaders gave us some really helpful tuition and another leader showed Honey how to strengthen her arm muscles to help with her crawling (which is currently taking her backwards, round and round and sideways rather than forwards)!

Honey wears... Vest by Gwen Stefani for Harajuku Lovers @ Target

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Honey has had a fantastic Christmas and New Year. She was thoroughly spoilt with lots of gorgeous presents including a new car seat for when she gets a little bit bigger, a brilliant trike and lots of awesome clothes for her 9-12 month wardrobe! She loved unwrapping her presents, mainly so she could eat the paper and chew the gift tags but I guess that's her perogative...

Honey wears... Christmas bib by Make Your Marque