So as I sit here typing this we’re currently in our 3rd national lockdown in January 2021. We’re not entirely sure when it will end, there is talk schools will reopen after the February half term but then have also heard maybe March so who knows. So far January feels quite a long month but I think that’s due to the home schooling and the weather. You don’t mind a lockdown as much when the weather is nice and sunny but so far this month we’ve even had snow.

Of course Polly loved being outside and having a snowball fight. I wasn’t outside for long with Lola but she didn’t mind it too much being all wrapped up. Our days have pretty much merged at the moment to be honest mainly due to the home schooling. Some days don’t seem to bad and we breeze through it, others it feels like we drown in the work load but I feel as long as we can do most of it and do the best Polly can do that’s all that matters. I do sometimes think wow, how does she get all this done at school as some days there is rather a lot, but the school have been kind enough to call it to what you can Jan and that’s what were doing. Hats off to those other mum’s who have to work around home schooling too!

One thing that has now arrived is Lola’s new cot mattress. The cot was Polly’s which we kept but just got a new mattress. So far she likes it but is yet to sleep in there at night so until she sleeps through the night she is still in with us as there is still plenty of room in her swinging crib at least. Because she rolls over everywhere now we have already said that it will need lowering for when she goes in there properly.

We have then pretty much cracked on with as much school work as we can. I’m only seeing my Mum at the moment which I’m so lucky she is in our bubble etc, I’m even still doing click and collect food shops so I don’t have to go into a supermarket. The days can quickly blend into each other if I don’t make the weekends different and more fun for Polly.

The second weekend in a row and we had more snow so of course for Polly this was amazing and with us being in Lockdown still a fab excuse for fun in the garden with Daddy and walk up the round. Of course Lola is none the wiser bless her but loves naps in her pram so long as she is super wrapped up it’s good to get her out in the fresh air too! Touch wood since I’ve started weaning Lola she has been sleeping better at night too! She has had the odd night where she hasn’t gone down well or woken 3 times in the night and I’ve ended up feeding her each time to get her back off to sleep! Those nights aren’t fun but now she is eating more she seems to be more content and only waking once in the night. I was going to do a whole post on our weaning journey as I always love reading others of what their babies are eating how they have started off etc but I’d be kidding myself if I thought I had time for that right now so I thought I’d add it into this post.

I first started Lola off just a few days before she turned 6 months. Looking back I actually started Polly alot earlier as I think she was more ready than Lola but I guess that’s another 2nd child syndrome aswell as time seems to have gone much faster 2nd time round. I started her on some baby porridge which she wasn’t too much of a fan of to begin with but reading up about it, they say it roughly takes a baby 8 times of eating something to know whether they actually like it or not. Fast forward and she does. I usually add some banana into it or raspberries and today infact she even had some porridge and then I gave some finger sized pieces of banana to her to feed herself with too which she liked. If you use your thumb to squeeze through the middle of the banana to pull it apart it naturally opens up and gives abit more grip for little ones than if you cut it yourself if makes sense. She has also had quite abit of fruit blended or stewed. I haven’t actually got many pictures as I’ve tended to film her reactions more at the time. She also seems to love vegetables like her big sister which I’m pleased about. We eat alot of them in this house so there is always enough spare for her and the next day too. I’ve recently got this new book pictured above and it’s absolutely fab! Especially as it was 4 years ago that I was doing all this with Polly everything is always changing etc and it’s always good to have a go at new recipes especially ones that suit the whole family. The first thing I made was these baby porridge fingers and added some grated apple which went down a treat. It’s nice to know what she is eating I’ve cooked myself as I know exactly what she is getting but lets face it she will soon grow up to be wanting McDonald’s haha. I’m trying to do abit of baby led and spoon fed. Obviously she can’t feed herself porridge yet but she can munch on a broccoli floret so it seems to be going well. I feel more confident doing babbled weaning this time round too. Obviously I pureed alot of vegetables at the start, just to get her used to the tastes etc but she does seem to enjoy feeding herself which I’m pleased about. We just need to order her a highchair to make life much easier. She has one at my Mum’s house so that is handy.

A few weeks ago now we got the walker out and Lola absolutely loves it! She whizzes about in it and didn’t take her long to realise how to go back and forwards and through doorways in it. We have alot of tiled floor downstairs so she has alot of area to cover and what I tend to do is pop her in it while I cook dinner in the kitchen although if Polly is playing in her playroom I have found Lola try and get in there so she is strong in her little legs to get on the carpet.

Currently Lola is still napping in her pram in the day for her naps just because she doesn’t seem to settle well in her cot in the day. She sleeps so much better if we go out on a walk in her pram and she falls asleep and stays asleep in it even when we get home, sometimes for upto 2hours! We have now changed her pram from the carrycot part to the seat and she loves looking what is around us etc. Last year we were kindly gifted an Arc Pushchair which we keep at my Mum’s and we use her Silver Cross pushchair at ours and she loves them both especially being so snug wrapped up in them.

I can’t quite believe it’s February already because January can seem like a total drag especially in lockdown, but somehow these lockdowns make time go super fast. Lola has now officially learnt to sit on her own unaided. She has been sitting for a while between my legs and with cushions around her but then suddenly falling to one side etc but know she has finally cracked it and I feel safe her sitting on the fall knowing she isn’t going to fall and bang her head etc.

Milestones like these always make me realise how fast she is growing bless her. She is still loving food and we seem to be getting into a good routine of food and bottles. She roughly has 4 bottles of milk per day at 6oz. I don’t make more because she usually never finishes it….

I wouldn’t usually bother going all out for Valentine’s day, myself and Hubby were just going to order a takeaway from our local pub and that be it but now Polly is of an age that she understands things like this its nice to involve her and I got so many ideas from Instagram we celebrated all weekend. I had brought Polly some loved themed books which she just loves so updated one of her book shelves in their bedroom. I got the girls matching PJ’s which Polly at least will wear for the next year anyway, Lola until they don’t fit anymore. I made naughty treat snack board for us to watch a movie snacking on. I did Polly a little Valentine’s treat basket which included a bath bomb some chocs, a new heart shaped drinks cup, love heart sweets, nail polish, hand gel and a few other little bits and then I did Lola a little sensory basket too. Polly also did some treat bags for her little friends to spread the love too! We also did some Valentine’s themed crafts as it’s nice to break the weekends up with something different as the days seems to merge at the moment with all the school work etc.

This past week Lola has suddenly started army crawling everywhere! She has always loved tummy time and being on her tummy but now she is off. Especially if Polly is sitting down on the floor colouring etc in she will shuffle and get to her so quick to grab a pen, nothing is safe. I used to be able to sit her on the floor and leave the room for a second to grab something but now I can’t as she is almost behind me!

Within a week she is now on her knees alot more almost rocking forward and back and has crawled properly a few times but then goes to army crawling as she knows she can get there quicker.

On Monday 22nd February we heard from the Priminster about a road map out of this lockdown and one of the first things being that children will be going back to school on 8th March. I think myself and Polly both did a happy dance to that. Also the excitement of things slowly reopening and things becoming “Normal” again definitely put a smile on my face. It was also a date to remember because that was the date that Lola slept in her cot in their room for the first time. After sleeping well the week previous and not waking at all I took plunge and she slept all night long. The second night woke once and had a little bit of milk to help get her off to sleep but touch wood is doing well although it’s still abit of a battle to get her to nap in there in the day, I’m just pleased she sleeps in there really well at night. On average at the moment she wakes about once a week during the night but I’m also putting that down to teething.

Today felt like spring had arrived so we went on a nice walk around our local forest so I could get some nice pictures of the girls in the snowdrops. I feel like I must make more of an effort to take more pictures because Lola is growing right before my eyes so today as the warm weather and sunshine were on our side I did.

Polly was too busy climbing on some logs that have been cut from and old tree so Lola was watching her but I like that they are natural and she isn’t looking in some of them. Definitely going to frame a couple of them.

Lola got her first tooth finally cut through on the Sunday 28th February. She had been abit ratty this weekend so I just looked and checked and there it was. To be honest I don’t think teething has bothered her too much in general as I know Polly got her first one at 9 months old so I guess being abit older helps but I feel they may all come through at once now.

Although Polly wasn’t at school for World book day she still dressed up. This year she was Belle from Beauty and the Beast which she loves and of course the movie too! Last year at preschool she was Elsa from Frozen and looking back I can’t believe how much she has grown in this past year! This was probably on of the last times she went to Preschool actually as it’s almost a year ago that the first lockdown happened which just seems so crazy.

And before we knew it, it was the last day of home schooling! I feel I can hear all the Mum’s cheering from here! I have to say I am pleased how Polly’s writing has come on since January. It’s not her strong point as she would much rather be making or painting something but I’m pleased that she has improved on that at least. One of her last pieces of work was to get outside and look for signs of spring, an almost scavenger hunt if you like so again this meant a walk up the forest where we met my Mum and had a takeaway hot chocolate and celebrated the last day and that we had gotten through the last 8 weeks of home schooling yay!!! I did a made a little video, nothing special just me and Mum cheering to our hot chocs, Lola asleep in the carrier and Polly running through the forest but it made me abit emotional. I guess because I know that next week Polly won’t be here to just go for a walk etc, it just made me grateful for the extra time we’ve had together however hard the homeschooling has been. It’s nice to be just Mummy again and not Teacher/Mummy.

Lola was completely unaware of this special walk but I know she will miss Polly next week and the house I’m sure will be quiet but I’m also looking forward to some one to one with Lola. I am going to get one of those tuff trays for her to do some sensory things on aswell as messy play etc. I always wanted one with Polly but never got round to it and was lucky enough to take her to so many classes, like baby sensory, messy play etc!

Monday 8th of March 2021 was back to school yahoo and Monday’s is a PE day!! Polly was super excited and we were all ready super early with lots of time to spare which even I was surprised about after not having to all be dressed and ready to leave the house for school at 9am. Although now she has to be there for 8.40am so and earlier start making it a slightly longer day but she loves school and is always happy to learn so it doesn’t bother her. If anything we can be too early!

This week Lola turned 8 months old and finally got the hang of crawling properly on her knees, I know it is something that all babies will eventually do but when they do it, you just can’t help but feel proud of them! I also know you shouldn’t compare babies but Polly was 9 months when she properly started crawling but I guess with Lola being our second she wants to get to Polly and has more reason to get about and get hold of things than Polly did etc, usually Polly’s toys over her own!

Seemed fitting to use tulips for her monthly milestone picture as it’s March and they remind me of spring so much! Those and daffodils too! We found a lovely park in Suffolk that had such a beautiful display. I will take Polly back with us next time when she is on half term for some cute pics of both the girls but for now I’ll leave this here.

We enjoyed a lovely Mother’s Day afternoon tea on Sunday 14th March with my Mum too. I think alot of places have adapted to doing take away food and our local garden centre did not disappoint. We ordered a yummy afternoon tea and I made Polly a mini version which she loved.

I blinked and two more weeks of school flew by enjoying Lola all to myself although I do feel she misses Polly when she isn’t here, and then it was Easter half term. I’ll do a separate blog post on what we go upto as we have alot of lovely things planned.

What I will just add here is that over Easter half term Polly learnt to ride her bike without stabilisers and we couldn’t be prouder! She has had her Bobbins bike now since the June of her 3rd birthday so almost two years. We gave it to her early because although being an August baby you blink and then summer is over. She is such an outdoors child and literally loves her bike so much. Now she can ride it properly it suddenly seems so tiny for her so we have now made her seat higher and her handlebars since taking this photo below. We also made the mistake of not taking off her basket when she was first learning without stabilisers so it took abit of a battering but lucky you can get replacements and I’ve managed to fox it for now but I think she will soon need the next size up before long. We also finally got her a helmet that fits as her Bobbins one is still too big and I just took it off for this picture, don’t panic she always wears its when cycling as you have to be safe.

As for Lola, I trimmed her fringe for the first time this month. Her fringe was getting long and she had two whispy long bits either side of her hairline at the back so trimmed them. I remember Polly had something silly like 9 little trims before her first birthday as she had so much hair! She has also been pulling herself up on on things like the sofa and we have dusted off Polly’s old walker and she loves walking with that and wants to walk holding your hands which I just can’t believe as to me she is still my little baby. She has also got her 2nd bottom tooth coming through and has now started to say Dada but I’m happy she said Mama first 🙂

We also celebrated our 3rd Wedding Anniversary this week (14th April) and we took both girls with us back to our wonderful Wedding venue Southwood Hall. It was literally the best day just going there and having the grounds to ourselves. We took afternoon tea with us and a blanket and had a lovely time. Polly loved exploring the grounds and remember their beautiful swing. Lola loved it too!

I was also so surprised to be greeted with the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers from our wedding florist that Andrew had organised with them and the venue so even more romantic and special. So all the Love feels all round.

Anyway I guess I better stop there for now and start on the last 4th and final blog post of Lola’s first year. These three months keeping flying by and I can’t believe I’m starting to think about plans for her 1st birthday! So crazy to think she will be 1 very soon. I thought Polly’s first year went fast but Lola’s really has flown by!

Much Love

Sophie