Baby Led Weaning at 13 Months

I has been nearly 8 months since Archie had his first taste of anything other than milk, and we have come a long way from bread-sticks and bananas (although they are still firm favourites).  Nowadays my little man loves Pizza, curry, pasta and lasagne amongst other things and we have stuck with a mostly baby led approach.

Yoghurts, rice and similarly messy non finger foods are fed from a spoon, and although Archie is usually more than happy with this if it means the food makes it into his mouth, there are times when little ninja hands strike, throwing food all over the highchair/ floor/ anyone standing close by.

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Top Toddler Gifts for Christmas

With a two year old toddler in the house, we are on the look out for the perfect Christmas gifts and we have been busy testing some top toys that will be hitting wish lists this year.  I am delighted to share with you some lovely gift ideas that we have personally tested, and I would love to hear what you would add to this list? Here are our top ten . . .

Rocket Tent

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Jake and the Neverland Pirates Toy Review

Dylan's favourite TV programme is currently Disney Junior's Jake and the Neverland Pirates, although he has always reffered to it as Yo Ho! We were recently sent some character toys to review from Fisher Price and the little dude has been loving trying them out.

We were sent two bath toy sets; A Pirate boat complete with characters and a set of three themed squirter toys.  They immediately got mixed up together and have led to hours of bath time fun.

The boat attaches to the side of the bath with two sucker pads and seems very sturdy.  There are two places where you can pour water in, and it falls down through the boat via several little holes.  Dylan had fun scooping water up with the little boat and pouring it, watching it run down the slide and back into the bath.  He also had fun making the smaller Jake slide down the slide and into the bath.

The squirting toys are a good size and hold plenty of water.  The Tic Toc Crocodile was a favourite and fited in well with the ducks, frogs and various bath toys we already own.  The bath toys are easy to play with, encouraging of imagination and not too fiddly.  There is nothing to put together and they are ready to go straight from the box.

We were also sent a pirate rock guitar to review.  Dylan's favourite aspect of the show is the music so I was interested to see how he would get on with the guitar.  I do think that he is slightly too young for this toy although it is marketed at slightly older children (aged 3+) so that is no surprise.  The yellow plastic 'strings' can be strummed and the white cross bones can be moved up and down, both of these actions resulting in short bursts of music or pirate phrases.

Dylan does love the music and has a mini boogie everytime it plays but he hasn't been reaching for this toy as much as I expected him too.  It is limited in is functions but I think an older child would have much more fun being creative with it (Dylan has only just turned 2).  I was impressed that batteries were included and it could be used as soon as it was out of the box.  I do think this is a good toy, the sound quality is really impressive, and the guitar is easy to use, even for toddlers, but I do think the optimum age for this is around 3 years old. Alternatively, the bloke had a lot of fun with this, and highly recommends it so maybe it would be a perfect Christmas present for the 29 year old in your life?

We have had great fun testing these toys and I think the pirate ship bath toy is our favourite.  I think they would make great Christmas presents for a little Jake and the Neverland Pirates fan.

Disclaimer:  We were sent these products free of charge for the purpose of this review 

but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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Fisher Price High Chair

You may have seen that we have been testing some lovely Fisher Price toys recently, and we have been very impressed with them all.  Well we have also been sent their new Evolve high chair and it has really been put to the test with our little Archie and some baby led weaning.

The high chair was really simple to put together, and I managed it with only a toddler to help out (or hinder).  The height is adjustable via small buttons on the feet, so the high chair is always the right height for the table.  

The tray is detatchable and easy to clean, and the orange back panel is also easy to remove and can be stuck through the washing machine (on a cold hand wash cycle) which is very useful as my little man causes quite a mess! We have been using the chair for a few weeks and the orange panel has been washed 3 times before these photos were taken - it scrubs up pretty well!  There is no recline on this chair but the seat cushion keeps baby in a great position and as it is not advised to start weaning until they can sit unaided it isn't really an issue.

This high chair is really easy to clean which I have realised is actually my top priority when searching for baby gear.  With the seat pad removed, it can be wiped down and there are no crevices for food to get stuck in.  

The seat has a 5 point harness for strapping your little person in, but I have to admit to being really lazy at using it as I know that Archie doesn't even attempt to escape, so I find it very useful that the tray has a support between the legs to stop the little one sliding through.

What I also love about this seat is that it grows with your child.  The seat can be removed and used as a booster seat on a normal dining chair.  The orange cover is removed and the high back also comes off to create the perfect boost for a toddler.  This change does involve a screwdriver and is not one we have attempted yet but I will be doing an update in a couple of months to show you how the seat copes with a toddler.

I do find that even folded, the high chair is rather bulky.  This isn't a problem as we use it several times a day but if you are short on space then do have a think.

The highchair retails at around £80 which I think is a reasonable price considering that the seat grows with your baby. It is an investment and the chair seems good quality so I think it would certainly last well.

Disclaimer:  We were sent this highchair free of charge for the purpose of this review 

but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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Bouncy Bouncy Baby

I have a baby boy who loves to bounce.  Suddenly his little legs are struggling to stay still and he just wants to jump around with a great big grin on his face.  We have been busy testing out a Fisher Price Jumperoo and I am entirely convinced that it is his favourite toy.

The Jumperoo is an entertainment station for small children as well as a workout for their little legs and Archie can't get enough of it.  He loves spinning the wheel (and occassionally trying to nibble it) and Dylan loves to show him how to use the toys too.  What he really loves though is jumping. 

Ever since we introduced the jumperoo to the little man, he has not been able to stand for long without an urge to bend him leg and bounce on whatever we are holding him on.  Unfortunately his desire to move constantly coupled with my camera phone makes for a complete lack of usable photos of the jumperoo in action though.

The Jumperoo came in several pieces and was relatively easy to put together.  I did find clipping the seat unit on the frame a bit of a struggle but it didn't take too long.  Once made up it is a large toy although it can be folded for storage.  In reality, we use it every single day, usually multiple times so it just stays out.  When Archie is too big for it I know that we will be able to dismantle and pop it in the loft though.

The toy has three play stations within baby's reach and the piano (with the addition of batteries - not included) plays music and lights up.  Archie hasn't yet worked out how to spin himself between them yet but I don't think it will be long before he is spinning in circles.  There are also two toys that dangle and Archie loves reaching for these and desperately trying to eat them!

I am still wondering why we never got one of these with Dylan.  I was eyeing them up from when he was little but put off by the price and space.  After having this opportunity I know I would definitely invest in one for any future children as they are brilliant and provide such entertainment for a baby.  I think they are well worth the money (and you can always sell them on afterwards if you don't have space to keep it).

The Jumperoo is suitable from around 4 months, or when baby can hold their head up well all the way through to 26lb.  Archie fits in perfectly, can stand comfortably and bounce and has plenty of growing space as the unit has 3 seperate height adjustments as baby's legs get longer.  This toy has been tested (by us) and appears to be toddlerproof.  Dylan has not worked out how to climb in and has not managed to sabotage it in any way from the outside which is always a plus!

We are Jumperoo converts well and truly and despite this being a rather bulky toy, I know how much Archie adores it and hearing his little giggle as he pushes off is priceless.

Disclaimer:  I was sent this product free of charge for the purpose of this review 

but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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Fisher Price Piano Gym

A little while ago we were sent a lovely new playmat for Archie and he has been loving it.  The Fisher Price kick' n' play piano gym has actually kept both children rather amused.

It works when baby is lying on his front or back as the toy bar can be attached along the floor, giving Archie a little mirror to admire himself in as well as toys within easy reach..  He is happiest on his tummy so this mat is perfect for him as many are designed only for lying on your back.  

The mat comes with four different toys which you can alternate so they never get bored and the mirror which hangs centrally.  Archie is a big fan of the frog and cooes away at him whilst trying to get the rings into his mouth.  

What really sets this mat apart, is the kick piano at the end.  As Archie excitedly throws his legs around, he kicks the keys on the piano and sets off notes and tunes.  The musical rewards help teach about cause and effect and Dylan loves watching Archie make a noise.

The piano can also be turned so that you can sit and play and Dylan loves to join in and play his own tunes.  He has even had a go at lying under the mat as baby toys appear to have become more exciting suddenly now somebody else wants to play with them!

I have found that although the arch is easy to remove and change, the piano part cannot be detached which I would like as once Archie is a little bigger, he won't be able to fit under the arch and reach the toys and still straighten his legs.  It is the perfect size for him now though and really it won't be long until he has outgrown lying under a playmat as he rolling around the room now, therefore the piano to sit at will be perfect for him.

I love this playmat for Archie and think they are invaluable at stimulating play and developing their little skills and more importantly, my little tester loves it too.

Disclaimer:  We were sent this activity mat free of charge but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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Fisher Price Discover'n'Grow Bouncer Chair Review

Archie is a rather nosy baby and is no longer content spending his waking hours on his back.  He loves to look around and watch the world go by and with a noisy toddler around, he gets a full on sensory experience!  Fisher Price have sent us one of their Discover'N'Grow Bouncer and Archie has been loving his new chair.

Checking out the Giraffe

The chair comes with two removable arms that have toys well within the child's reach so that as soon as they start batting at things they can play.  One side has a musical feature when you move the arm and plays alternating music and animal sounds.  Archie seems to rather like the giraffe, and Dylan is desperate to play with the penguin.  

The bouncer also has a vibrate function which is genius for soothing and calming a baby.  Archie loves this feature although only for a few minutes but it is great to pop on whilst I am making lunch as I know he will be content in his chair for a while.

We have been busy putting this bouncer to the test for a few weeks now and we can definitely recommend it.  The harness ensures safety, the design is fun and engaging and Archie loves his new view on the world.  We have been chilling in the garden this week and he loves being able to watch his big brother play from the safety of his bouncer.

The only criticism I have is that there is no off switch for the music.  Although it is only set off by movement of the arm and so doesn't play music without input, I do like to be able to turn things off at the end of the day.

The Discover'n'grow bouncer retails at £49.99 and is suitable from birth until the child can sit unaided or reaches 25lb (whichever is first).  It requires and AAA and a D battery which are not included.

Disclaimer:  We were sent this bouncer for the purpose of a review but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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