Family Photos from Fluke!

I can not resist that tiny heiny!!!!

 

 

Hat Hair!

My fave x

It is always a special time returning to Willington Hall where Mr Woo and I were married almost four years ago. Four years ago on November 30th :)

9 Months!

 Just look at those cheeks in that hat! It's officially cold. 9 months ago it was also cold, much colder actually. Baltic cold. But this tiny lady brought the warmth of joy into the late January frost. She's brought more and more joy as each day, week and month passes. 

She has developed a very funny sense of humor. She loves to make us laugh and loves to laugh herself.

Matilda still only has the 2 teeth on the bottom, but is still teething sadly :(

Only having two teeth does nothing to slow her down when it comes to eating anything and everything. She LOVES vegetables, especially peas. I gave her a bowl of broccoli, green beans and peas. The broccoli went straight on the floor. The green beans were chewed and then went on the floor. Every last pea was eaten very carefully.

 She's eying up my salad box in this photo...I love it when she puts her hand on my arm like that. She's so sweet.

 Matilda hasn't been very well lately. It started with ear trouble. We were given two different antibiotics which really upset her stomach and caused vomiting. She developed a burn from the loose BMs and has been having steroid cream on her bum for that. It's taken almost 2 weeks for her tummy to get back to almost normal.

 Even through all of that she hasn't lost her happiness. People always remark on what a happy baby she is. Here she is modelling her first winter coat, it has leopard print lining of course!

 We're sort of all over the place with naps....some days she takes her morning nap and two afternoon naps, some days only one long afternoon nap....some days she won't nap at all!

 She's a growing & changing girly! I can't believe how grown up she seems already!

Here is her signature nose crinkle. It melts her Daddy's heart every time!
She is so much fun, I am so very thankful, even on the days that I'm struggling, for such a good baby girl. 

As the days grow shorter and shorter we're snuggling down for the quickly approaching winter.
The cold short days also mean that it's now only WEEKS until we board a plane to Charleston instead of months! I can not wait to introduce my sweet Mouse to the rest of my family and friends. Get ready!

Rough Day

I'm having one of those days. I'm feeling harassed and unappreciated. 

I guess we shouldn't expect to be appreciated as a stay at home mother. I don't expect Matilda to say "gee thanks Mummy!" but for the dishwasher to be emptied on occasion, the tub to be rinsed out even once, the vacuuming to be done from time to time or even the trash to be taken out without me having to ask WOULD BE HEAVEN!

I'm feeling very frustrated with this mess we call home. I never, ever get to stop. Matilda hasn't been very well lately so I have to change her diaper as soon as I think she's wet. She is in a phase where she tries to get away when I try to change her so I have to wrestle her to clean her up with cotton and water and rub a steroid cream into her bottom.
She's been waking in the middle of the night with tummy aches, or teething pain. 

I'm exhausted. 

I need help! 

 I've asked for help in every way I can think of. It doesn't seem to get me anywhere. 

I am not a clean freak by any stretch of the imagination, but I like for things to be tidy, things haven't been tidy, let alone clean since my Mom left when Matilda was a week old. 

 According to Ledger.com "A stay-at-home mother is a housekeeper, a cook, a day-care center teacher, a facilities manager, a computer operator I, a van driver, a janitor, a psychologist, a laundry machine operator, a chief executive officer, a staff nurse, an event planner, a nutritionist, a logistics analyst, an interior designer, a bookkeeper, an administrative assistant, a plumber, a general maintenance worker and a groundskeeper. According to Salary.com, stay-at-home mothers work 94.7 hours per week."

It's no wonder that by night time, after the 1st time I've put Matilda to bed, I just can't face doing anything but sitting down.

Sorry friends, I'm just having a rough day.

I don't know what to do with myself....

The MouseChild has been asleep for an hour. That's a long nap for her, she might keep going! I never know what to do with myself when she stays asleep. I COULD have a shower or do laundry or prep dinner...or even sleep myself. But I kind of feel like I'm sitting around waiting for her to wake up.

I've prepped dinner....the mushroom roast is actually in the oven. I guess I could peel potatoes but I don't feel like it. I could shower, but I'm too tired. I could sleep...but I'm too caffeinated. I could fold laundry but I'm SOOO over it!

Maybe I'll try to get a grocery order done!

Wonder.

 

There is so much wonder in being a first time parent. That can mean lots of "what am I supposed to do?!" moments but also many, many precious times of watching in wonderment at discovering each new stage.
I am enjoying Matilda Rose every single day. I am enjoying being her Mum. 

I still can't believe I'm a mother.
I still can't believe how very lucky I am to be HER mother. 

I've spent the past 3 or so days washing, drying and folding our laundry. Yes, you heard right. And I'm only about half way through. Yep, there are only 3 of us. 

Cue "the neverending laundry" to the tune of The NeverEnding Story. 

 I thought it'd just be easier to bring Matilda's entire drawer out than bringing her clothes back and getting them into her drawer at some point. When Mr Woo got home and noticed her drawer full of sweet clothes in pretty patterns he said "Matilda, your clothes look like a fairy tale". How sweet huh?
Even with 3 poopy diapers today, very-very little sleep, a teething baby, a very messy flat, no shower, I only realised at 10pm that I hadn't brushed my teeth yet, clean underwear???, making 3 different dinners, and sitting here in dirty clothes I still feel so blessed. I still feel as though I am living my fairy tale. My dream come true...only a little messier....

♥

For Courtney :)

 My sweet friend Courtney isn't on Facebook. She doesn't get to see the photos that I post all of the time of Miss Matilda. These are for you Courtney!!! 

 

This girl likes playing along with her Dadums.

Couldn't you just eat her up! 

  My little shower flower :)

 Time is just flying!
7 months old going on 27!

Matilda's Job and Baby Water Bottle Adapters

I often joke that Matilda is a teenager. She acts very grown up sometimes. When she very busy standing and giving orders I say "see ya later teenager, you've got a car and a job - see ya when you get back from your job". 

Here she is with her phone.

One day the lovely owner of our FAVORITE baby shop here in Chester,  Along Came Came Baby, asked if Matilda would test a couple of mineral water adapters. I'd been looking for one of those adapters so it was perfect! I said of course we would!

Along Came Baby carries these two:

Beaba Soother Adapter
only £3

I LOVE the french baby company Beaba. BEABA = the BEst for A BAby. Their products are colorful and creative. I first noticed them because of the colors and very cool yet practical products. I have a few bits, a bath seat, bottle brush, baby food Multiportion. I'd have it all if I could!

This is what the Beaba website has to say about their adapter:

Soother adapter

Ring + silicone soother + protective cap. Screw-on unit, fits all mineral water bottles. May be sterilised. Ideal when on the move. Hygienic use, no contact with the soother.
PATENTED PRODUCT

aaaand  

 Chillipeeps Multi-purpose Teat

only £5

I'd never heard of Chillipeeps until I came across this little gadget. Chillipeeps is a British & family company. I love that! Their purpose is to fill the gaps and make the lives of busy moms and dads a little easier. 

and here's what Chillipeeps has to say :)

Introducing the multi-award winning chillipeeps teat that solves a common problem many people experience when out and about with young hungry babies and no clean sterilised bottle to use, by allowing a teat to be attached directly to a carton to feed your baby and many mineral water bottles to enable you to rehydrate your baby.

The Chillipeeps teat does not fit all bottles. It fits Evian, Volvic and Highland Spring, these bottled waters have less than 200 milligrams (mg) a litre of sodium (also written as Na)
and less than 250mg a litre of sulphate (also written as SO or SO4) as stated by the NHS

The Chillipeeps teat is a vari-flow teat that can obtain slow, medium and fast flow rate.

I should maybe start by letting you know, in case you haven't already figured it out by looking at that cheeky face, Matilda is very particular. She knows what she likes and lets you know what she doesn't. She was like this from the womb. Love her. 

I washed both adapters in the dishwasher to sterilise them first & popped them in Matilda's bag. I bought 2 identical bottles of Evian water and one cardboard carton of premixed formula, the formula was for the Chillipeeps adapter.
Off we went to town. It was during our 2 days of summer so it was warm enough for me to want to give Matilda extra water.
I decided to try the Beaba first. I had some trouble getting the lid off once I'd put the adapter onto the water bottle, but once I did I really liked that the teat & ring are actually inside a silicone sleeve - there weren't going to be any leaks. And we were in fact leak free. Excellent. When we were done with the water bottle I just popped the lid back over the teat and the other lid back on the bottom and dropped it back in the bag. Off on our way. Matilda happily drank from the Beaba teat. 

I was looking forward to trying the Chillipeeps next because I thought the whole little pod thing was cool. Well, before trying it out I dropped it on the floor. It was a bit fiddly unscrewing the parts. To use the water bottle adapter, you have to detach the carton adapter. And once the halves were apart the pod parts wouldn't go back together, bummer. Eventually I did get the teat on the water bottle but then Matilda wanted nothing to do with it! It may have been because of the variflow - which I wasn't aware of at the time. If the flow was too fast she won't drink.
I decided to try her with the formula. I had to really stab the carton to get the adapter in. Milk sprayed on me and leaked. Ugh. Again, Matilda wouldn't drink from it. 

So, even though I really, really wanted the Chillipeeps to "win". Matilda had other plans. She preferred the Beaba Soother Adapter. 

There you have it ladies and gents. Matilda's first job. 

We're working on Teething Jewellery next. Stuff for Mums to wear and babies to chew on. 

 Oh and today is Rosh Hashanah! Shana Tovah to my Jewish friends

What a Happy Girl

The 2nd most common remark Matilda receives is "what a happy baby". She really is. She is a joyful, smiley, spunky little firecracker of a happy girl. She's also very, very funny. 

Mr Woo & I often crack up just watching her. She has funny little noises she makes, words fail me in an attempt to explain what exactly it is she does, but she makes us laugh.
Not only is she herself a joyful wee soul, but she brings joy to everyone she comes in to contact with.
We often visit the nursing home where Mr Woo works. The residents LOVE Miss Matilda. 

There is a wonderful baby shop in town that we frequent because the owner is besotted with the little Mouse & has been from our first visit!

She waves and says "heeeeeeeyheyhey" to people at the bus stop and in shops. 

This girl is a Lovie.
Yesterday we were in Liverpool, she waved and waved at a homeless man who was selling Big Issue magazines and reached out for a man who volunteered in a charity shop. Once she leaned over a kissed an elderly woman in the doctor's office waiting room.

During my pregnancy Mr Woo and I would often discuss what we'd like Baby Woo to be like & I always said "I want her to be a loving, caring, considerate, giving & empathetic person". I think that's exactly what she is. Oh how my heart swells with love & pride for this happy little girl!

Chocolate By Genevie

A lovely lady called Genevie emailed me to ask if I'd be interested in trying & reviewing her luxury handmade chocolates. Um....YES. Not only was I interested I wanted them in my belly asap!
I have to apologise to Genevie, I had taken photos on my own camera, but my camera sd card has been dumped onto my husband's computer. I can't get access and he keeps forgetting to send them to me! With a tiny lady in the house I don't get much time to blog...or much else....so I thought I'd better get while the getting was good.
Imagine my excitement when a brown box arrived at my door with my name handwritten on it! Not a bill, not something I ordered on ebay!!!

Inside of the brown box was the Silver Chocolate Box.

I was sooooo excited!!!!

Here's what Genevie says about her Silver Chocolate Box:

8 delicious mixed chocolates presented in an elegant metallic sliver box hand decorated with silk trim makes this box an ideal gift.
An option to include a personal gift card is available during the checkout process.
Exclusive to Chocolate by Genevie online.

• Postage: Free Delivery to UK

• Chocolates: Mixed (no alcohol)

• Gift Card Option: Yes

Inside I found some treasures! Yummy, delicious, chocolatey treasures...

White chocolate hazelnut praline.
This one ticked all of my happy boxes!!!! White chocolate, tick! Hazelnut! Yum!!! My eyes rolled back in my head with pleasure!!!

Pistachio milk chocolate pralineAgain. Ticking my boxes. The pistachio praline reminded me of the Mozart Balls Austria. Yum-yum!

white chocolate cream pistachio
Delicious! Extremely creamy and satisfying.

Milk chocolate almond pralineHoly! Moly! If the nut can make praline, gimme! Genevie's chocolate is very nice, rich and creamy. Not at all grainy like cheaper chocolates can be.

Dark chocolate orange praline.
I don't like orange & chocolate so I asked Mr Woo to try this one. He said "It wasn't like those airy truffles from Thorntons, it was a solid truffle, the orange flavour was natural, over all it was on the right side of richness." :)
He's cute.

Dark chocolate vanilla creamAlthough I'm not a big fan of dark chocolate this vanilla cream was delightful! The vanilla cream was smooth and rich. I hate to repeat some of the words I used before but I don't know how else to explain what I mean. A quality chocolate where good ingredients have been used don't have the "grainy" texture of chocolates or chocolate bars that you might buy from a corner shop. The filling was delightful. I am a vanilla connoisseur I'll tell you! I'll chose vanilla ice cream over chocolate any day of the week!

Dark chocolate coffee pralineIt was like a Starbucks mocha late in mini :) I love my Starbucks!

Milk chocolate with pineapple and coconut ganache.This was the only chocolate that didn't thrill me. I didn't realise that it contained a pineapple flavor. I know that coconut chocs are a bit like marmite. I normally like it. But I found this one quite dry :(
That could have been down to the fact that it was the last chocolate left in the box I admit. It did take me a few days to get through the box. I wanted to savor each and every chocolate.

"...We use only the finest ingredients in our chocolates which are packaged exquisitely and delivered free post to the UK. Everything from making the chocolates to finishing the boxes is done by hand making sure you receive a product which is both unique and special; we are a small family business dedicated to making chocolate that is second to none. Everyone of our chocolate products is exclusive to the website ChocolatesByGenevie.co.uk – you will never see any of our products in shops or sold on other sites."

The lovely little silver box with pretty ribbons did make me feel as though I'd received a very special gift. I have tried to make my own chocolates and cake balls (covered with chocolate) in the past and I always make a huge mess and ruin my chocolate by overheating it - I find out later when the milk chocolate develops white patches all over it. I have lots of respect for anyone who "does" chocolate well. Genevie does chocolate well. Her fillings are just as wonderful as her chocolate.
I'd say their statement is true of their product.

Thank you for asking Genevie! I really enjoyed testing your product!
Mrs Woo tested and approved!!! :D

If you'd like to try any of Genevie's delightful handmade chocolates head on over to her website and place an order to treat yourself or someone you like A LOT!