Florence: My 9 Month Baby Update

I feel like I've barely sat down and managed to finish a (still) hot cup of tea and suddenly I have a nine month old baby crawling around at high speed in front of me. It certainly doesn't feel like three months ago since I was typing up Florence's six month baby update. I know it is such a cliche and I will try not to dwell on it too much, but seriously, where does the time go?! I have all the emotions going on at the minute - so excited for the future and for seeing this little baby transition into an inquisitive little girl but equally, I ache sometimes for those newborn moments again.

Over the last three months, Florence has grown up so much. Her personality is blossoming every day and her quirky ways never fail to make us laugh. She is a real little person and is developing such strong characteristics, I can read her so well and I know exactly what may cause a reaction - whether it is shaking her head at being spoon-fed (more on our weaning journey later) or a little sob when I leave the room and she can't see me. So lets start with the facts and figures. It has been a few weeks since I got Florence last weighed but I would estimate she is now 14lbs 8oz (ish) and still fits nicely in her 3-6 month clothes but she is definitely long and lean, so some baby grows are looking a bit snug now!

Sleep. Sleep was going well for a good 3-4 months with either a whole interrupted night's sleep or just one wake up call for a feed around 4am-5am. Over the past few weeks however I think the dreaded nine month sleep regression has hit. Things have been a little more nocturnal in our house recently with Florence occasionally thinking it is high jinx to be awake for up to four hours in the middle of the night, playfully rolling about our bed. Thankfully I think we are over the worst of it (for now) and a more predictable routine has ensued. I am sure the fact she is trying to walk and has had two teeth popped through all makes her feel unsettled. Plus separation anxiety is at an all time high so she has needed some extra cuddles before bed. She is in her own room and still very much enjoys sleeping in a Grobag nestled in her Sleepyhead. We have upgraded the Deluxe to the Grand to give her more room to roll around. Florence loves sleeping on her front so the moment I put her down on her back she will flip over and snuggle down.

Day to day. My routine during the day hasn't changed that much from my six month update. Florence is still on two naps a day, around 10am and 2pm. They rarely last more than 45 minutes but that is fine and they are often taken in the carrier if I am out and about, occasionally in her cot or on me because I just love the cuddles. Florence has never been the greatest napper and despite being quite an independent sleeper at night, she does like to be close to me for naps and I'm not complaining. These are the moments I will look back on and treasure and whilst I only have one child, I am going to take full advantage of catching up Eastenders (yup, guilty pleasure) whilst she snoozes on my shoulder, secretly clinging on to those newborn days!

Milestones. We have teeth! Two bottom teeth seem to have popped through literally overnight and didn't cause her too many issues, thankfully. Lots of calpol and teething granules seem to have eased any discomfort she was experiencing. Florence started crawling around 7 and a half months I believe and we haven't been able to catch her ever since! She has a unique crawling style but it is fast and furious and gets her from A to B in no time. Soon after she started crawling she decided this was boring and wanted to stand up and start walking ALL. THE. TIME. She now constantly pulls herself up on anything that is close by and is never happier than standing up against our coffee table, throwing all the coasters on the floor! She can walk along holding onto our hand and can hold her balance, handsfree, for a couple of seconds. We were having lots of "daddaddas" at her six month update but now the "mammammas" are in full swing and it melts my heart. She will properly hug and kiss me now and knows the word 'clap' and will respond by wildly smacking her hands together.

Weaning. One of the biggest milestones to happen after her six month update is weaning. Florence is on three meals a day and is becoming a more confident eater everyday. The first few months were fussy and a little disheartening but recently she has come on leaps and bounds with her food and I can now feel assured she is getting a really good meal every time we sit down. I am mainly doing baby led weaning, which I kind of fell into doing because Miss Independent does not like to be spoon fed, and in hindsight I am so happy she took this route. You know I love my baking but cooking was never a passion of mine but since we started BLW, it has made me embrace cooking a lot more. I of course want Florence to have healthy, homemade food so I now enjoy whipping up some sweetcorn fritters or banana pancakes for her and am constantly on Pinterest finding new recipes and ideas for her. It is a really exciting part of the day for me, watching her try new things and seeing her pincer grip in action as she skilfully picks up and eats her blueberries and grapes with such consideration. It is adorable. I am now probably only breastfeeding her four times a day, and not for very long at all, probably more for comfort than anything else. She still doesn't take a bottle but I have decided to give up even trying anymore as she is more than happy to sip water from a cup and I am in no rush to stop breastfeeding yet.

Mum Update. I am feeling good, happy and healthy. I am back playing hockey now which I love and gives me a rare few hours where I can just go off and be me and have a good run around with some of my best friends. I'm not going to lie, I do feel absolutely exhausted at the end of the day and now Florence is on the go from 7am until 7pm, I do struggle to finish a hot cup of tea or get any time to catch up with mundane admin things. It is wonderful but so tiring and I am often retiring to bed by 9pm which, pre-baby, would have been unheard off!

Florence loves. Nibbling my shoulder (testing out her new teeth!), pulling herself up on anything, clinging to your leg whilst you are trying to cook/wash up, bath time, walks in the carrier, blueberries,  smiling, playing with my keys.

Florence hates. The car. The car seat. Going near the car. Getting in the car. Getting out the car. (Oh the cries). Being still for more than two seconds. Nappy changes.

I feel that these last three months have been the most momentous so far. So much growing up has happened, so many little changes have occurred and she is now a competent little eater who wants to walk and is just such a poppet to be around. She is so sweet, so cuddly, so dear. She is always ready to greet you with the biggest grin and even when she has been upset, she always tries to muster a smile. Don't get me wrong, we have our moments - bedtime doesn't always go to plan, sometimes all her lunch will end up mushed under her highchair and there are times I could cry when I am stuck on a car journey with a screaming baby behind me but that's parenthood I guess, and I loving every moment.

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Our Bath Time Routine

When it comes to a baby's routine it is forever changing as they grow and change over time. Nap times, the amount of feeds, the length of feeds, their bedtime, their wake up time. Despite the pattern of my days changing month on month as Florence has grown and developed there is one routine that I have managed to keep fairly consistent since she was a newborn - bath time!

Thankfully Florrie loves her bath. A real water baby (I like to think this is because she was born in water!) and bath time is a real highlight of our day. When Rob isn't working late he races home so he can give Florence a bath which I think is a really lovely bonding experience for them both. We go to town on her baths; bubbles, yellow ducks, plastic watering cans, the whole hog! It always takes place as the last activity of the day as we start to prepare her for bedtime. As for the bath time products we use, it would seem that Florence has a bigger stash of shampoos and body moisturisers than I do and I have loved using a selection of different brands during bath time since she was born. I thought I would share with you a little insight into our bath and bedtime routine and some of her favourite products.

Around 5.30pm I start running the bath for Florence, excited to wash out that bit of banana I found in her hair earlier and to see her splashing about in the water. We use this bath mat and seat from Mothercare which is ideal for your little one once they can sit up unaided and also tells you if the water is too hot. I like to add a good squirt of the Mum & Me Baby Sleep Tight Bath or the Mum & Me Baby Bath Snuffles to create some generous bubbles and fill the room with a lovely aroma. The Sleep Tight Bath is made with lavender so it very comforting and sleep-inducing whilst the Baby Bath Snuffles contains a menthol fragrance to comfort little noses. Both are fab and I think the bubbles and the scent really help her enjoy the experience and prepare her for bed.

Time to wash her hair and body. For this job I have been using a multitude of different products depending on my mood/whichever is closer for me to reach! Florence suffered from a bit of cradle cap when she was newborn and every now and again it still comes back. I love the Mum & Me Baby Shampoo as it is really gentle on her scalp but softens and relieves the dryness, thanks to the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It leaves her hair and head smelling just beautiful...ah that lovely post-bath baby smell! There are also two combination products I have been lathering up for Florence to wash hair and body at the same time; the Petit Pai Apple & Mallow Blossom Hair & Body Wash and the Kiehl's Gentle Hair & Body Wash. I was so excited to see two of my favourite skincare brands branching out and formulating baby skin products and its reassuring to know that your baby's sensitive skin is being cared for. The Petit Pai Hair and Body Wash is gorgeous - obviously it is free of parabens and all those nasties and has a lovely gentle formula that cleanses and nourishes that beautiful delicate skin. The Kiehl's Hair and Body Wash is mild, tear-free and has a lovely light and soothing scent. Suitable for sensitive skin, it foams up nicely and leaves baby clean from top to toe.

After one more pour of the water can and a final wash in-between her toes, Florence is ready to be wrapped up warm in her hooded towel and carried upstairs for some baby lotion, a little massage and book before her final feed and bed. This sounds rather peaceful and dreamy but in reality it consists of Florence rolling around on own bed, kicking off her nappy, trying to put the tube of lotion in her mouth whilst I try to wrestle her into her baby grow! I like to moisture her skin before popping her PJs on and we have been using a few creams recently. The Petit Pai Apple and Mallow Blossom Face and Body Cream is lightweight and nourishing on delicate skin and I like the fact you can use it on the face too as Florrie sometimes gets a sore nose or a little redness under her chin. The Organic Babies Dry Skin Baby Lotion is the perfect cream to use if you want to give your little one a little massage. It contains aloe vera, cocoa and Shea butter and is soothing and scent-free. It can also be used as a nappy cream so is a useful two-in-one product to have at hand if travelling with baby.

Baby lip balm? Who knew?! I was certainly surprised when I received this product from Kiehl's but it is actually quite handy. Florence doesn't suffer from dry lips per se but sometimes can get a little red and irritated around her mouth so this is a lovely option to use...so nice that I might have to borrow it for myself if I am ever short of lip balm!

Finally you can always rely on Neal's Yard Remedies to come up with some fab, skin-loving products for mum and your little one and their baby range is just lovely. They have everything you can imagine from baby powder to shampoo and soap and will leave your bundle of joy smelling divine as you get them ready for sweet dreams. I have been particularly loving the organic baby lotion, rich in lavender and sunflower oil, the baby balm, perfect for face, body or bottom, and the pure baby oil which sinks in easily to baby's skin and makes them even more kissable and scrummy than they were before the bath.

Skin moisturised, baby grow on (finally!), book read and Grobag zipped up. It is now time to snuggle down for one of my favourite times of the day - Florence's final feed before bed. It is a special moment in my day. After a day filled with noisy play, peekaboo games, mushed up banana, umpteen nappy changes, one play date, a bit of sick on my shoulder, one tired-baby-meltdown and several untouched cold cups of tea it is finally just us two in the stillness of the darkened bedroom. I cradle this little person and however many times I have done this now, it still feels so so special. And all I can think about is how excited I am to do it all again tomorrow!

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*this post contains samples gifted for review purposes

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Florence's Weaning Essentials

It really doesn't seem five minutes ago since my whole daily routine was geared up around the 12 plus feeds my hungry newborn was having, all day and all night. Those cosy days, nestled up on the sofa with a half sleeping, half feeding baby, watching endless series on Netflix and trying to catch a quick nap myself.

Now, seven months later, my days couldn't be more different and one of the biggest changes has been the introduction of food and the serious lack of those daytime, sofa cuddles...much to my sadness. Florence is always on the go, she is curious, alert and so easily distracted whenever I am trying to feed her. Just before she was six months she became increasingly excited and dribbly whenever we ate food around her, constantly reaching out and trying to partake in our evening meal. We were given the go ahead from our health visitor to start introducing Florence to some solid food and so our weaning journey began. In this post I thought I would share with you some weaning essentials I have been using day to day that have made this process that little bit easier, and also my reflections so far after weaning Florence for nearly a month now.

After six months of looking after my baby I was begin to feel rather competent in this whole parenting thing. I knew what I was doing, and when to do them, and my days generally followed a lovely familiar pattern. However once I started to think about weaning, it was like I was thrown in the deep end again and I literally didn't have a clue where to begin. Thankfully there are loads of books and resources online to help you along this journey and give you ideas of what to give your baby, when and how to incorporate them with your normal milk feeds. I purchased a couple of Annabel Karmel books and read them cover to cover, and still refer to them today to give me ideas of meal plans and snacks for Florence.

To begin with I wanted to start Florence off with purees and slowly build up to some finger foods and continue with a Baby Led Weaning approach from 7 months onwards. These books gave us some great ideas for making your own purees so we purchased a couple of ice cube trays and spent the weekend before blending, whizzing and freezing down batches of sweet potato, carrot and butternut squash mush! We have also been testing out some of these My Little Piccolo pouches of mediterranean goodness which Florence has been enjoying. I love the story behind this new brand and the flavour combinations have even left me having a quick taste from the bowl. Considering one of our favourite places is Italy and we adore the healthy approach to family dining and nutritious meals the Italians adopt, we were always going to champion these little pouches. I love the fact they add interesting flavours, a hint of mint or a pinch of cinnamon, to really excite your baby's taste buds. The website also gives you some recipe ideas of things you can make with the purees, such as apple and apricot muffins or banana blueberry cake, which I definitely will be trying.

After a quick sweep of Boots I picked up a few more essentials which I use most meal times - umpteen packets of wet wipes (we like using Water Wipes), feeding spoons and bibs (I like these ones as they catch those chunks of food that miss the mouth!). I also bought one of those feeding, nibbler net things but I haven't used it yet but it might be quite good for those foods such as mango or avocado that always gets a bit too slippery for her little fingers!

Finally, one of the first things we got before Florence embarked on her weaning journey, was her highchair. We have the Orb Highchair from Ickle Bubba which seems to do the job perfectly. It was really easy to put together and I love the clean lines and minimal look to it. It comes in a variety of fun and vibrant colours and has a newborn foam insert which makes it a bit more cushioned and a snug fit for little Florence. The seat can be swivelled 360 degrees which is quite handy rather than repositioning the whole highchair and the tray can be removed for easy cleaning - perfect after those messy meal times!

I would love to hear from you if you too have recently started weaning your baby. What other essentials do I need? I think I need to get some sort of splash mat, food catching sheet to place under her highchair as she continues to propel food left, right and centre! I look forward to hearing your tips and thoughts as you go along this weaning journey with me!

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*this post contains samples gifted for review purposes

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Our Nursery Reveal

Last month I wrote this post, sharing my ideas and inspirations as we started to get Florence's nursery ready for her transition from SnuzPod to her very own cot, in her very own room (cue a few mummy tears!). Florence has now been sleeping in her nursery for nearly 8 weeks, and has settled in remarkably well, so I thought it was time to share with you some snippets from her room and a few little pieces that have made this room a really special space for our little girl. Most things we have ordered or have been kindly gifted but other items were presents so I might not know exactly where they came from but hopefully they might give you some inspirations if you are currently decorating your little one's room.

Firstly I ordered her a personalised storage bag to house all her blankets and towels in from My 1st Years. I also couldn't resist the pink ballerina rag doll as well which I hope she will enjoy playing with as she grows up. The pink blanket is from Joolz and will be perfect to snuggle Florence up in as the weather starts to get a bit chillier. The hanging heart and little wooden blocks were both presents from my lovely friends so I am not entirely sure where they came from but I love the fact they add a really personal touch to Florence's room and will be treasured as keepsakes as she grows up. The fluffy sheepskin rug is from Dunelm and feels beautifully soft underfoot.






On Florence's side table we chose this lovely owl lamp to illuminate her room and also have the Gro Egg next to this which is one of my favourite gadgets. It displays the temperature of the room, glowing red, orange, yellow or blue to show if it is too hot, tool cold or just right, and then this helps you dress your baby accordingly. The soft glow also acts as a gentle night light and you can customise your egg with cute little animal shells as well - we went for Orla the Owl, obviously.

The Peter Rabbit money box was a newborn present for Florence and every now and again we pop some money in there for her, so she can enjoy opening that when she's older. We hung a mint green paper lantern from the ceiling to add a splash of colour above her cot. This lantern was one of the ones we used for our wedding to decorate our marquee and just came from eBay. I like the fact we have been able to reuse them in our baby's room. Her pretty little wooden chair was a gift from our friends who beautifully painted and personalised it for Florence. Her fluffy grey bunny is from Jellycat and was one of the first things we bought for our baby after we found out I was pregnant.

I was really keen to hang some prints on the walls and both Rob and I grew up reading and loving Winnie the Pooh so it seemed like a nice touch to add some prints from the books in her nursery. I found these pictures on eBay and absolutely love the quotes and illustrations. I always read them to Florence when we are in her room.








Florence's changing table is from Mothercare and is lovely, but was an absolute nightmare to put together. I loathe self-assembly furniture! But it fits beautifully in her room and is very sturdy and functional. Her changing mat is from MyBabiie and the white wicker baskets, which house all her nappies and creams, were from Homebase I believe. More Jellycat toys adorn her chest of drawers and we have used one of our personalised wooden crates from our wedding to put them in and add some more colour to the room.

The beautiful 'Florence' cushion was a gift and is one of my favourite items in her cot. The cloud cushion was from Ikea an the grey star cushion was from Mothercare. (We of course move all the cushions and toys away when she is sleeping in her cot). Her mattress sheet is also from Mothercare. Mr Whisbear sits on the side of Florence's cot, watching over her and shushing her to sleep with his humming white noise. It is a great little device as if she stirs and makes a noise, it kicks in and starts playing the white noise again to try and soothe her back to sleep. Clever thing! Ever since Florence was a little tiny baby, a few weeks old, she has slept in her Sleepyhead and I genuinely believe it has aided her sleep so much. She feels cocooned, comfortable and secure and it really helped the transition for her from SnuzPod to cot. We shall definitely be upgrading it to the Grand one in a few months time.

To finish off Florence's bedtime routine, I just love to pop her in her Grobag to avoid having any blankets in her cot and to keep her snug and safe all night long. They come in such a pretty array of designs and colours and have different togs to suit all temperatures.



And finally, the pièce de résistance of Florence's room, is her gorgeous cot from Boori - the Provence Convertible Plus. Boori do such an exquisite range of nursery furniture and accessories I literally fell in love with everything from their site. This cot is so beautiful and elegant, sometimes I just stand at the door of Florence's nursery and admire it! The best bit of all is that it converts from a cot to a toddler bed so it will last Florence years and years!

I hope you have enjoyed a little glimpse into little Florrie's room and hope it may have given you some ideas or inspirations of your own. I would love to know which pieces you particularly like and if it has inspired you to purchase anything similar. 

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*this post contains samples gifted for review purposes

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Florence: My 6 Month Baby Update

(photo credit: Dale Zimmerman Photography)

Wow! I have a six month old baby and as ridiculously cliched as it sounds...where has that time gone?! On 7th February 2016 I was giving birth to our darling daughter and was overwhelmed with how delicate and fragile she seemed and now we have the most content, bouncy, bubbly baby we could ever wish for and I just want time to slow down for a little while.

So this is the first update as such I have done on Florence since she was born. In a ideal world I would have loved to have documented her developed and milestones, month by month, on my blog but unfortunately the new whirlwind that is motherhood didn't allow that luxury. Plus whenever I did have time to sit down and write on my blog, I thought you guys would prefer a post on blusher over babies anyway!



So where to begin. Lets start with the facts and figures. Florence Joy Wilson weighs 13lbs and is just cruising above the 9th percentile line. She has always been dinky but is progressing well (even more now she is on solid foods) and I personally love the fact that she is still very 'baby-like' and so light to carry everywhere. She is just fitting into 3-6 month clothing but can also still squeeze into some newborn bits we bought her before she was even born. I don't know how high she is measuring but everyone comments on how long and lean she is so maybe she will be a tall one like her daddy.

It is true when everyone says that it takes about three months to really settle into a routine with your new baby and by six months you will be a dab hand. Of course, things will always change - teething will happen, naps will be dropped, meals will increase but at the moment I feel like my girl and I have a lovely routine going on. I really threw myself into baby classes after the first few months so Florence and I would get out the house and I could drone on about babies over coffee with other mums who were more than happy to hear how she can nearly sit up and might be teething! Which is true - Florence has mastered rolling over front to back, and back to front, and now nearly can sit up unaided. As for teeth, I can see signs of some little white pegs peeping through and there is a lot of dribble. But as always, Florence is very happy in herself and it doesn't seem to be affecting her yet.

Sleep. Oh gosh, how little did I realise what a big topic this would be in my baby's life! Whenever I seem to meet a new mum, the first question always seems to be "Soooo how is she sleeping?!" It's bizarre. In the early days Florence was just a typical newborn and slept well after lots of assistance for us - rocking and swaddling was her favourite. In hindsight she slept pretty good actually and would go 4-5 hour chunks before waking and feeding. Then by 12 weeks she could, and occasionally would, sleep through. We were lulled into a false sense of security and then the dreaded 4 month sleep regression hit (I am fully aware there are many more of these regressions to come!) and everything we had learnt that settled our baby was out the window! For about 3 weeks we just stumbled through broken nights of sleep with lots of rocking, lots of sleeping on us and using the SnuzPod co-sleeper crib to lie close to her and sing her to sleep with umpteen renditions of twinkle twinkle little star. My bedtime routine that I had worked so hard to create was all over the show. Florence would often take a power nap at 7pm, unaware this was her actual bedtime, and then come downstairs and be wide awake with us until 10.30pm!

And then, like I had been reassured so many times by my 'mum friends', the phase just past. She was back to sleeping well and I established a new routine for her. (Can't help but think of Ross and Monica's routine in Friends whenever I mention this!). So as of five months Florence has been a real star and has been going down between 5.45pm - 6.15pm and sleeping until 5am-6am in the morning. She then has a quick feed and 9 times out of 10 will go back down for another hour to an hour and a half. At 5 months we also moved her into her own room and worked on some gentle sleep training with her to get her confident falling asleep, and resettling herself, alone. But before you hate me, let me tell you that Florence and her daytime napping is still an ongoing battle...but we are getting there. Thankfully most days I am out the house heading to baby sensory or swimming so she can sleep in the car, baby carrier or buggy but the past couple of weeks we have managed some daytime naps in her cot.

Day to day. So currently our day usually begins around 6.30-7am where we feed and cuddle in bed and wave Rob off to work at 7.30am. Then I attempt to get ready, shower, make the bed, dry my hair, apply some makeup whilst entertaining, holding, tickling, jiggling a wiggly Florence. By 8am we are both up and dressed and head downstairs to play. I usually plonk Florence in her jumperoo (she loves this) whilst I make a large cup of tea and reply to some emails, watch a bit of YouTube and edit some photos. Anytime around 9.30-10.30ish Florence will show signs of getting sleepy and I will attempt to put her down. Her naps don't tend to last more than 45minutes at the moment but I will take anything during the day and I take the opportunity to grab some breakfast, do some washing, hoover the house (gosh, my life sounds riveting!). Oh and she's up again after her power nap and we will head out to baby sensory, swimming or to meet a friend for coffee. The afternoon comes and around 1.30-2pm I look to be out walking or putting Florence down for her second nap. I will make sure I am home and she has finished napping by 3.30pm so she is ready for her bedtime by 6pm. We play some more, cuddle and splash in the bath (her not me!) at 5pm. We head upstairs and do some baby massage before closing her blinds, popping her in her pyjamas and feeding her before bed. By 6pm I can usually creep downstairs, realise I haven't eaten since breakfast and enjoy a moment of peace and quiet with some food before beginning my evening.

Milestones. Like I said before, Florence can roll over both ways and is very close to sitting up by herself. Last week we started weaning her and I am currently doing a combination of purees and baby-led weaning. She seems to be enjoying the experience so far and certainly hasn't turned down any food yet but she does still feed little often from me throughout the day and at night before bed. She is very good at watching and copying us when we do a specific hand movement or say a certain sound over and over again. Rob was delighted to hear lots of dadadadadada noises today! She has started weaning and has 'swam' underwater.

Mum update. As for me, I feel great. I feel this past month has been really positive for me following a tricky few weeks of very little sleep. Now I know Florrie will be asleep by 6pm-ish I can allocate some time to the things I enjoy but have missed out on doing whilst being up and down with her. Most nights when Rob is home I go running in the evening sun and then settle down to a spot of blogging and watching some series on Netflix. I'm even going out for dinner with some work friends next week which will be a real novelty. Body-wise, I was pretty much back to normal (weight and size) a few weeks after giving birth but recently I feel like I have got some tone back as well with my increased level of exercise. Breastfeeding is still going brilliantly well and feel absolutely delighted to have reached 6 months exclusively breastfeeding. Here's to the next six! :)

Florence loves: Baths, Sophie the Giraffe, raspberries being blown on my tummy, over-the-shoulder cuddles, pulling Rob's beard, being carried in the sling, swimming, her jumperoo.

Florence hates: The sound of babies crying, being on her back for too long, hot walks in the pushchair, trying to feed when overtired.

These last six months have been the most rewarding, yet definitely the most challenging, months of my life. I still pinch myself everyday that this little girl is our daughter. She brings me so much joy. She is so happy and content and wants nothing more than to be held and cuddled and kissed on her cheek. She is an inquisitive little soul and loves to be out and about with us in the sling, looking around, studying new people's faces and clinging tightly onto us with her teeny tiny hands. She has recently been wrapping her arms around my neck and giving me the biggest hug which melts my heart. Florence is a character. She makes me laugh every day with her quirky ways and I just adore everything about her. She is my little shadow and I cannot wait to see what the next six months have in store for us.

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Nursery Ideas & Inspirations

Paper lanterns | Winnie the Pooh prints | Grobag | Jellycat bunny | Sheepskin rug | Rocking chair | Boori cot | Mobile | 

Cloud lampshade | Cloud cushion

I cannot believe that next month we are going to be making the big transition and moving little Florence into her own room. In an ideal world I would love to keep her in with us so I could continue to hear her little warm breaths next to me and be so close at hand if and when she needs feeding during the night, but sadly our bedroom just won't accommodate a large cot bed. The SnuzPod has been one of my top baby products over the past five months and it has been an absolute joy to have Florence sleeping safely right next to me in her bed but sadly she has almost outgrown it now and is definitely ready to move into a larger cot.

When we moved into our house when I was eight months pregnant, we purposely held off decorating Florence's nursery as we knew she would be in with us to begin with, but now as the time is approaching to transition her to her own room I have started thinking about some nursery inspiration. I have always loved a neutral-themed nursery and would never opt for a predominately pink or blue decor. My inspiration for Florence's room is a palette of cream and grey with a hint of mint to give it a playful, childlike touch. I love the idea of adding some soft furnishings such as a sheepskin rug and fluffy, cloud cushions (are they not just the cutest?!) and on the wall I really want to hang up some Winnie the Pooh framed quotes as we both grew up reading the A.A. Milne books and I love the imagery and beautiful quotes.

The biggest interior decision was finding the perfect cot for our little one. We wanted to get a cot bed so it could grow with her, transitioning from a cot to a toddler bed, making the journey a little bit easier for her. The Boori Provence Cot Bed is probably one of the most stunning cots I have ever seen and fits in perfectly with the classic, cream decor I have in mind. What's more, it converts from a cot bed to a toddler bed and then if you buy the additional conversion kit, it can be made into a double bed and child's sofa. So clever!

I am quite looking forward to being able to use Florence's Grobags as well once she moves into her cot as they are much safer than having a blanket over her should she wiggle and move about during the night. I just know she is going to look heartbreakingly tiny and small when we pop her in the cot for the first time but I hope she slowly becomes use to it and enjoy her new found space. If anyone has any tips for handling the transition into their own room then please leave me a comment below. I would also love to hear your own personal nursery style and what cot or cot bed you bought for your little one.

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toTs by smarTrike Infinity Changing Bag

toTs by smarTrike Infinity Purple Changing Bag (£64.99)

toTs by smarTrike Joy Bunny Comforter (£9.99)

toTs by smarTrike Joy Bunny Hodded Towel (£14.99)

Gone are the days when I use to crush over the latest Mulberry bag (ok ok, I still find myself browsing their site during those 3am night feeds) but now my attention has turned to bags for the baby and who knew the world of changing bags was such a hot market?? Never did I imagine I would be getting excited over a holdall to carry spare nappies and wet wipes around in...but ever since Florence has arrived, crushing over the latest changing bag is my new thing!

My latest love comes from toTs, an innovative and chic category from the award-winning brand smarTrike. Their range of premium changing bags really caught my eye, mainly because they weren't your standard, sling-it-over-your-soulder type bag but were a rucksack style that can also be worn on one shoulder or attached to your pram. This bag is ideal if, like me, you are a real mum-about-town who is always popping out and about with your babe and pushchair and need something that will be easy to carry. Now I haven't worn a rucksack since I was a fresh-faced year 7 at high school but I hear they are quite the fashion accessory now...so this makes me a cool mum, yes?

The Infinity Purple Changing Bag is much like your very own Mary Poppins bag! The space, zips and hidden compartments are never-ending and it is ideal for popping in everything you need for you and your little one if heading out for a whole day out, away from home. I feel it is very stylish and oh so practical. It also transitions nicely into a bag all for yourself and perfectly holds a laptop and camera in, ideal if I want to pop out and do some work child-free! The quilted fabric of the Infinity Bag has a water repellent coating so is a top choice when faced with an English summer ahead of us and comes with an additional pouch bag, a padded changing mat, a thermal bottle holder, pushchair straps and insulated pockets either side to store your milk bottles. It literally has everything you could wish for from a changing bag and I love the fact it is so comfortable to wear as a rucksack, leaving me handsfree to push or carry little Florence around.

As well as their fab range of changing bags, toTs by smarTrike also have an excellent range of other adorable baby goodies from swaddle blankets, large muslin cloths, cot bedding to hooded towels and comforters. Now who doesn't love wrapping their sweet baby up in a warm, soft towel straight after a bath and with the toTs' Joy Bunny Hodded Towel, they can look even more precious in the process. I love using this towel with Florence - it is made from 100% soft natural velour cotton so I know she is warm and cosy after splashing around in her bath. Another one of Florence's favourite possessions at the moment is her bunny comforter and her new friend, named Roberta the Rabbit, loves to comes everywhere with us. She is so soft to the touch and Florence loves clinging onto her, mouthing at her cuddly nose, staring at her bright polka dots and holding onto her fiercely as she sleeps. I can see Roberta fast becoming one of those items were daren't leave the house without otherwise there may be tears, and I should probably stock up on a backup Roberta should original Roberta decide to hop off somewhere we can't find her...!

I am so impressed with the whole baby range from toTs by smarTrike and their lovely collection would make ideal baby gifts for you or someone you know who is expecting a little one soon.

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*this post has been kindly sponsored by toTs by smarTrike

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