Bird's Nest Craft

We've been well and truly throwing ourselves into Easter crafts recently. Tommy has really started to get into creative activities over the last few months, which, as a teacher, I really take pleasure in seeing. We tried this activity today. It was really simple and quick to make and the finished product is so cute!

To make it, you'll need: several pipe cleaners cut up into short sections; small strips of foam; small strands of wool; yellow card circles; googly eyes and orange card triangles; several feathers in various colours; a large semi-circle cut out of card.

To make our nest, we glued the strips of wool, pipe cleaners and foam onto the card semi-circle. Next, we added the yellow card circles to make chicks. To finish our chicks, we added eyes, beaks and some brightly-coloured feathers.

I told you it was cute! Why not give it a go this Easter? 

Baby's First Easter Basket

I had been toying with the idea of not getting Isla an Easter basket at all. She is, after all, nearly only 7 months so anything chocolatey is completely out of the question. However, I had a bit of a rethink and came to the conclusion that it would be a good idea after all. I thought it was only fair that if I bought Tommy something for Easter, Isla would have to have something too. Also, it wouldn't seem right if the Easter bunny visited and only left something for Tommy. Tommy would be wondering why his sister had been left out! In addition to this, we needed to buy Isla some new books and a few bits and pieces anyway, so I bought we might as well put them together and present them in an Easter basket.

It can be tricky to come up with some ideas as to what to give a young baby for Easter (particularly as most Easter-related gifts tend to revolve around chocolates or sweets) but hopefully this might give you some ideas as to what you might include in an Easter basket. Most of the items I bought were inexpensive, none costing more than a couple of pounds and I bought them all from supermarkets, Amazon and cheap shops like Wilkinsons and Home Bargains. 

Here is how the whole basket looks:

The basket is a peg basket I bought for a pound from the Yorkshire Trading Company and I filled it with two bags of tissue paper straw from the Card Factory. I'm hoping I can reuse the baskets I bought year after year, as I don't like the idea of buying a new one every Easter. However, I did find these baskets a little on the small side for fitting everything I bought to go in them, but this might be due to the fact I went a little overboard on the buying front! 

Isla needed some new books so I thought I'd include several in her Easter basket. I have NO IDEA where Tommy's baby books have gone but we don't seem to have very many at all, despite keeping everything. I decided to buy books that were Easter-themed, as I like building up collections of books for different seasons and occasions.

 

1. 'I love you Bunny' - Home bargains

2. 'Easter Surprise' - Amazon

3. 'That's not my bunny' - Amazon

4. 'That's not my lamb' - Amazon

5. 'Hey diddle diddle' hand puppet book - Home Bargains

ALL gift baskets need to include a cuddly toy of some description in my opinion and this one was no different. I bought this super cute duck rattle from Home Bargains and a cheeping chick from Tesco.

I included some new bath ducks from Tesco and a new Tommee Tippee cup, as we've just recently started weaning and Isla needed a first cup.

The last items I included in Isla's Easter basket were a spinning light-up toy from Home Bargains and some sensory textured eggs I made with Tommy. You can find details on how to make these here. http://mummycollingwood.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/sensory-eggs-for-baby.html

I also purchased Isla a few clothes for her Spring/Summer wardrobe. And that was it! If you've made an Easter basket for a baby/young child, I'd love to hear your ideas as to what gifts you've included in it. I'll be sharing the details of Tommy's Easter basket on the blog in the next few days, so do look out for that! 

Sensory eggs for a baby

I've been thinking for a while now as to how I might incorporate the theme of Easter into Isla's play. She's only just becoming able to sit unaided for a short while and is beginning to show enjoyment in play. I stumbled upon the idea of making textured eggs for babies and I thought I'd give these a try. The original activity can be found here: http://www.two-daloo.com/texture-eggs-sensory-play-language-activity/

Anyway, here you should find all the photos and details of our sensory eggs but the truth is, they just did not work for us. We didn't have a hot glue gun as the above post suggests you use and we attempted to make them with pva. The materials all slid off the eggs and I just became really frustrated with the whole thing and abandoned the idea. Rather than not make any at all, we made some adaptations. I roped Tommy (3) into helping me make these, as it would not only be a fun activity for him to get involved in, but it would also be a nice idea for him to make something for his sister.

We started by filling some plastic eggs (we bought ours from Hobbycraft) with lentils, peas, rice and salt. Before tipping in the salt, we made sure to tape up the holes in either end of the eggs, so that the salt wouldn't seep out. We then glued the eggs shut to make them safe for baby to handle.

At this point, we attempted to glue a variety of different materials to the outside of the eggs, but when this didn't work, we applied some brightly-coloured self-adhesive foam shapes to them.

If I had a hot-glue gun, I'd definitely attempt to make the sensory eggs shown on the webpage above. Mine don't quite match up to these but I'll definitely be giving them a go in future.

Toddler/preschooler Easter basket

I recently shared Isla's Easter basket with you and now here's Tommy's. This is the first time I've made a basket of gifts for Tommy. We don't usually make a big thing of Easter and I don't think we've actually even bought him an Easter egg before. We're not killjoys or anything like that - it's just he usually ends up with loads of them so we haven't ever needed to buy him one. Instead we've bought Tommy a toy or special treat of some kind. This year we thought we'd start a new tradition of making up Easter baskets for our children. I've been searching for suitable items to go in them for a while now.

Although I LOVE chocolate and Tommy does too, I didn't want to just buy him a truckload of sugary, sweet treats. We try to encourage him to eat healthily and don't allow him too much in the way of sweets, biscuits and chocolate and I don't see why this should change just because it's Easter. With this in mind, I decided to try and find lots of items that would encourage us to spend quality time together instead by crafting, baking and getting creative. 

First of all, I bought lots of Easter-themed books. Books can be expensive but these were far from it. I bought these from The Works' which is fab for cheap books and craft activities and supplies, and these were on offer at 4 for £5. BARGAIN! I also purchased 'Peppa's Easter Egg Hunt' from Amazon.

Tommy loves getting crafty and baking, so when I saw these i couldn't resist. I bought a Pom pom crafts activity pack, Easter-themed colouring book and cookie-making set from Tesco. If you haven't done so already, check out Tesco's extensive Easter range - they had sooooooo many great things in there, it was a struggle to decide what to buy!

I also included a Happy Easter stake from Home Bargains, as this could be used for an Easter Egg hunt or as a signpost for the Easter bunny. I bought this super cute clockwork rabbit from Wilkinsons, a cheeping chick from a Tesco and a super cute Easter decorations craft pack from the Card Factory, which also had a great selection of cheap Easter gifts.

I picked up this rabbit bubble wand from Tesco, a chick biscuit and Easter egg moulds from Home Bargains and two Malteaser rabbits.

There are so many possibilities for what you might include in a young child's Easter basket and I hope this post has given you some ideas. I'd love to hear any ideas you have for Easter basket gifts. 

Happy Easter to you all! 

Playdough Easter Chicks

We haven't really done very much in the way of Spring/Easter crafting so far this year so I thought it was about time we started! I set up this playdough activity for Tommy to do after nursery and he spent ages doing it.

To make our Spring chicks, we used a variety of materials: one quantity of yellow playdough; an assortment of buttons; a range of googly eyes; orange pipe cleaners; different-coloured feathers and some beaks cut out of card.

I was impressed with the range of different chicks Tommy created during this activity. He really showed a lot of imagination.

Cheesy Spinach Pasta Bake

I mentioned in a previous post about how we have started attending a toddler group called 'Big Cook, Little Cook' and I thought I'd share the most recent recipe we've had a go at. I'm sorry for not including pictures in this post - Tommy ate it before I got the chance to take a picture of it. His recipe makes enough for one small child's portion, so you would need to upscale it if you are making it for more than one person.

Ingredients:

100g cooked pasta (penne/twists or shells)

Half a small onion, chopped

5 tablespoons of tinned tomatoes

Oregano/basil or dried mixed herbs

Black pepper

Cheddar cheese, grated

Few spinach leaves

Method:

1. Put the cooked pasta into a bowl

2. Add in the tomatoes, oregano, onion, chopped or ripped spinach and black pepper and mix together. 

3. Tip the mixture into a small foil tray.

4. Sprinkle grated cheese on the top. 

5. Cook in the oven (180 degrees or gas mark 4) for 15-20 minutes. 

Serve with green salad and crusty or garlic bread. 

Sock Monsters

I wrote a post a while ago about how we are trying to make more of our time together in the evenings, particularly on the days Tommy is at nursery. I've really been making an effort to have something ready for Tommy to do as soon as he gets home. This might be a puzzle, a craft activity, a new colouring book, a collection of books, basically anything that encourages us to sit down together, have some quiet time, chill out and chat about our days.

I don't know about you, but we are always inundated with odd socks. Every time a load of washing goes into the washing machine, it seems to devour at least one sock, rendering it's matching one completely useless. So I came up with a little fun project to make use of them. Sock puppets would have been the obvious choice but we opted to make sock monsters that would stand up on their own. 

To make them, you will need a range of different socks, cotton wool balls, PVA glue, googly eyes and a range of different facial features cut out of foam or card. We also used self-adhesive foam shapes to add spots to our monsters. 

First, we cut off the foot of our socks just below the heels. Then we stuffed the toe part with cotton-wool balls, folded over the open end of the sock and then glued the edges together. 

 

To make the feet, we cut their shape out of a circle of card and glued it onto the bottom of the sock. Once dry, we cut eyes, noses, teeth and arms out of card and glued them onto the socks.

The possibilities of this activity are endless. You could make a range of different weird and wonderful monsters or even a range of different animals. We found these so much fun to make.

Apple, Sultana and oat cupcakes

We made these simple, relatively healthy cupcakes at a group we attend every week called Big Cook, Little Cook. The idea of the group is to get preschoolers and toddlers into cooking and baking. They go, prepare everything, make everything and even do the washing up afterwards! One of the best things about it is that it is encouraging Tommy to become more interesting in trying different foods. He has so much more enthusiasm for eating new things when he has made them himself.

This week we made apple, sultana and oat cupcakes. The recipe makes around 6.

Ingredients:
100g self-raising flour
25g brown sugar
1 tablespoon rolled oats
1 medium Apple, finely chopped
50g sultanas
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, beaten
35ml vegetable oil
50ml milk

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C or gas 6.
2. Mix together the egg, oil and milk using a fork in a small bowl or cup.
3. Weigh the flour in a large bowl, add in the baking powder and mix well.
4. Pour he egg mixture into the flour and mix well.
5. Add the apples and sultanas and mix well.
6. Put paper cases into a bun tin.
7. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden.

Our bath time-themed treasure basket

In my last post, I wrote a guide to using treasure baskets and I promised I'd share with you some of our ideas for objects you might use in them. This is our first of what I'm sure will be many themed baskets. I chose to start with the familiar, and what could be more familiar than the theme of bath time?

Using bath time as a theme for a treasure basket makes it such an easy starting point, because every household probably already has most of the objects you could possibly need to make one. There are lots of possible objects that could be used for this theme. I hadn't collected everything I wanted to, but the number of objects in the basket I made was enough for Isla's first experience of exploring a treasure basket.

Here is ours:

The items we included were: a rubber duck nail brush; a wooden nail brush; two different kinds of loofahs, a toothbrush; a normal sponge and a baby sponge which goes hard when it dries; a rubber duck, a pair of exfoliating mitts and a reflective bath toy from John Lewis. All of these objects were really inexpensive, most of which we had already and the rest we purchased from Wilkinsons. He duck nail brush was purchased at a petrol station, so it just shows you that you can pick up these objects from pretty much anywhere! I always keep my eyes peeled for objects that might be useful as treasure basket items. I'm constantly on the lookout. I didn't take any pictures of Isla exploring her treasure basket, as I was supporting her as she sat. When she's a bit more stable, I'll take a few pictures and put hem up on the blog for you to see.

Isla enjoyed her first experience of using a treasure basket. She enjoyed waving the toothbrush around and was intrigued by the textures of the brushes and loofahs. If your baby isn't able to grasp objects yet, you could always take their socks off and allow them to explore and feel the objects using their feet. We tried this and Isla seemed to enjoy it.

An introduction to using treasure baskets

I first heard about treasure baskets when I attended baby sessions atmy local Surestart children's centre with my eldest, who's now three. They were regularly used during our baby and toddler PEEP sessions and I bought they were such a wonderful idea. So I set out with really good intentions, collecting a range of interesting objects when and where I saw them and searching online for ideas and inspiration. But it never went much further than that. Because I was always buying odd objects here and there, I often forget I had them, where I had put them, or ended up using them myself for some other purpose. So I thought I'd do it properly this time. I'd get ready in advance, become really prepared and make much mor elf an effort to use treasure baskets in our play.

What is a treasure basket?
A treasure basket is a basket or box full of interesting, unusual or everyday objects (usually around 20-30 different items). The items can be completely random and unrelated, or you might consider, as we have done, making some treasure baskets up with items that are related to one another or follow a specific theme. We have collected items as we've gone along and I pick them up very regularly as and when I see them. Most of the items I've bought I've got from Wilkinsons, The Range, major supermarkets, Home Bargains and other discount stores. Other items I've found in eBay.

What is the idea behind a treasure basket?
Playing with a treasure baskets falls under the term 'heuristic play.' Heuristic play describes the activity of babies and children playing with and exploring the property of objects from the real world. Heuristic play is a different experience for babies and toddlers; babies explore and make sense of objects using their senses, whilst toddlers discover how objects can be used and the relationship between them.

Plastic toys dominate the toy market but plastic can be boring for babies, it doesn't have an interesting texture, it doesn't smell of much, there is not much for them to 'experience' unless it rattles or makes some other kind of noise. So plastic toys don't provide much of a sensory experience. Treasure baskets can fill that void, offering objects that appeal to all the senses and therefore provide a rich learning experience for babies. They also offer babies contact with the outside world, encouraging them to problem solve and to make their own decisions.

When is a good time to introduce a treasure basket? 
Treasure baskets tend to be used from when babies reach a point they can sit unaided (around 6 months) until they reach around 16-18 months. Isla is able to sit unaided, but for only a very short period of time. We've found placing her in her Bumbo and putting the basket on top of a small box is one way of allowing her to explore a treasure basket until she can sit for a longer period of time. If you have a Bumbo with a tray, you could place a range of objects on the tray for your baby to explore. You could also perhaps do the same with your baby in a high chair. It is better to use a treasure basket once your baby can sit unaided, because this way they can access the objects themselves and make choices about what they would like to explore - an integral part of the activity.

What can I put in a treasure basket? 
Suitable items for treasure baskets include objects from the natural world, objects made out of any material other than plastic and everyday items that can be found in and around the home. As long as they don't present a choking hazard, they have no sharp edges and are safe for a baby to use, they can be included in a treasure basket. Do bear in mind that babies explore objects not only with their hands but also their mouths, so you need to choose objects that would be safe to do so. Items in the basket must be regularly checked to make sure they are still safe for your baby to handle.

How do I use a treasure basket? 
Using a treasure basket is simple: place it within your baby's reach and leave them to explore. It is important to stay close to your baby, not only for safety reasons, but also so that you can offer support and encouragement as they play. Interaction with them should be kept to a minimum. Your baby should be left to explore objects independently, to make their own choices, to 'use' them how they so wish. There is no right or wrong way to use the objects and being unobtrusive allows babies to develop confidence and concentration and play at their own pace.

As with any other kind of play time, ensure play is focused on the treasure basket by removing all other distractions (turning off the TV/radio etc). Also choose a time when your baby is relaxed, not tired or hungry. It is important that the treasure basket comes out for 30 minutes to an hour and then gets put away; leaving it out for your baby to play with all the time will only reduce the curiosity you are seeking to develop by using one in the first place. For the same reason, it is important to change items in the basket frequently. There should always be something interesting and new to explore. We tend to have one basket we put a selection of objects in for exploring and then a large container for all the objects we use in a treasure basket.

I'll be sharing some of my ideas for treasure baskets in subsequent posts, so look out for these. If you have any ideas as to objects to use, I'd love you to share them.

Happy treasure hunting!

Easter egg potato printing

We did this super-simple Easter egg potato printing activity recently and I thought I'd share details of it. All you need to make them is a large piece of card, large potatoes and some paints.

We started by cutting the potatoes in half lengthways and then cutting a design into them using a sharp knife (I obviously did this bit!). I prepared these in advance and then left them in water until we were ready to use them.

We dried the potatoes with a paper towel and then painted the sections of potato in different colours. Painting the potatoes, rather than pressing them into the paint meant we could control the amount of paint we applied and achieve an even coverage. Finally, we pressed the potato firmly onto the piece of card and repeated a number of times. The potatoes can be washed and reused, so it isn't necessary to use lots of potatoes when doing his activity.

Juggling a preschooler and a newborn

Following on from my last post which detailed our daily routine, I thought I'd write another that goes into a bit more detail about how we as a family juggle having a preschooler and a newborn. When Tommy was tiny (even only a few months old) hubby suggested the idea of having another baby, but it was only until Tommy turned 2 that I would even entertain the idea. Before that, the idea terrified me; just one was tricky enough. I didn't want two in nappies and I didn't want to have to buy a double buggy. Tommy was also reaching "the terrible twos" and I wasn't sure what delights that would bring. I was also enjoying spending time with my little boy ad just making the most of it.

I had always thought I'd have my children quite close together but whenever the subject came up, I found I just wasn't as ready for another child as I thought I'd be. When Tommy was two and a half, we decided then might be a good time to try for another. Our 'big' boy was toilet-trained and he could feed and dress himself, all of which would make it much easier when another baby arrived.

Despite all this, when I did become pregnant, I became really anxious that the age gap between our children would be too large, we'd waited too long, that they wouldn't be close to one another. Looking back now, it seems ridiculous. This was what I had wanted and now I was regretting the choice I'd made. There is no such thing as a perfect age gap between children. It is what is perfect for each individual family. Do you get all the nappies and toddler tantrums out of the way in a couple of years? Or do you wait until one child is relatively self-sufficient and able to help you with looking after a new baby? Even if you decide on what sort of age gap you'd like to have between your children, it can't always be guaranteed.

I do sometimes think it would have been nice to have two children closer together because then it can be easier to find activities they can enjoy together. But then again, newborns are very limited in what they can do anyway, so what does it matter whether there is an age gap of one or five years anyway? There are always going to be times when activities will have to be done on a 1:1 basis, because it's not possible for both children to be involved in the same activity. This 1:1 time is extremely important; all children, regardless of their age, need some time alone with their parents.

In my previous post, I detailed my struggle with providing this 1:1 time with my children, particularly with Tommy. Neither of my children have been particularly good at being on their own as babies. They've always needed constant reassurance, lots of cuddles, lots of comfort feeds and lots of attention. They haven't been babies you could leave in a bouncer, chair or playmat for more than 10 minutes. This was absolutely fine when I only had Tommy. Cuddling him all day was pretty awesome. I didn't beat myself up if I hadn't had the chance to mop the floor or get the ironing done because Tommy's happiness always came first. But when Isla came along and she was exactly the same as Tommy had been, I really struggled with it. It DID matter that I was sat on the settee all day feeding, it DID matter I couldn't put her down. It DID matter that I couldn't get the chance to do anything else because I also had a little boy that needed me to play, to talk to him, to take him to the park. Weeks and weeks went by of me getting to the end of the day feeling like I'd failed both of them and my husband. I'd failed Isla because she'd been miserable all day, I'd failed Tommy because I'd done nothing with him all day and I'd failed my husband because he came home to a tip of a house and no tea on the table. One day I just thought to myself "This has got to stop. Something needs to change. And so I changed it."

Firstly, what I needed to change was my attitude. I needed to stop being as hard on myself and beating myself up for what I hadn't achieved and start looking instead at what I had. I also needed to start giving each of my children some quality time, on their own with me or together every single day. This is what I've done and I can't believe how much better it's made me feel about things. We're not completely there yet, but we're getting there.

I detailed in my previous blog post our daily routine. Our routine is built upon the fact that Isla is awake in the morning and asleep in the afternoon. So mornings tend to be orientated around baby play and in the afternoon, when Isla has a mammoth sleep (usually around 3hrs!) this is when I spend some quality time with Tommy. During this time, we bake, play, do some phonics, Maths. reading, writing or craft activities, as we're less likely to be disturbed. It's tricky doing many of these things with a screaming child in the background! Don't get me wrong, there are occasions when Isla won't sleep in the afternoon so our routine needs to be adjusted but this isn't often. This doesn't mean that I completely ignore Tommy in the morning and do the same with Isla in the afternoon. To maximise our time, we do lots of activities both children can enjoy together and I'll share these ideas at the end of this post.

I still have days of feeling like I've not done enough with at least one of my children, but things are much better than they were. I still feel guilty when I'm doing an activity with one child and the other is left to play on their own but I really shouldn't. Babies and children do not need constant stimulation; they need time to play on their own, to chill out, to watch TV, to play games, to be able to occupy themselves without being guided by an adult.

How to we maximise our time together during the day:
- Tommy and Isla have baths on alternate nights. I also tend to bath Isla on days Tommy is at nursery, so that it frees up time in the evenings to spend with them.
- do activities both of them can enjoy together (I'll put these at the bottom of his post).
- One child each - Daddy takes one child out/does so,etching with one child whilst a mummy has the other. That way, both children are getting some 1:1 time. Or we all go out together - take the dog for a walk or something.
- I do all housework in the evening. Occasionally I'll squeeze in half an hour, but generally all my time during the day is spent with our children. I just prefer it that way.
- focus the majority of the time Isla is awake on her and then use Isla's nap times for 1:1 time with Tommy.
- use breastfeeding times to do jigsaws, read books, play board games with Tommy.
- involve Tommy in looking after Isla, helping me bath, change, feed her etc.

Activities toddlers/babies can do together:
- Bubbles - Tommy loves to chase after, blow them and pop them, Isla likes to watch them
- build a den. Even better with lights, cushions and blankets in!
- Storytime. Tommy reads to Isla or I read to them both.
- Song/dance time. Tommy sings to Isla or I sing to them both.
- Swimming - Isla is a real water baby and Tommy is learning to swim. We all go as a family, so one parent can go on the slides with Tommy.
- Trips out to the zoo/aquarium/park.
- Playing with balloons.

Our Daily Routine

When any new baby comes into your life, there is no such thing as a routine. Everything is led by them. Each day can be completely different to the next and you just sort of go with the flow. Some days will go extremely smoothly - there'll be regular naps, long periods of time where baby is settled and feed times are regular and of a similar length. On other days, you'll find yourself tied to the settee with a baby attached to you in some way or another, your baby will be unsettled for apparently no reason and just won't want to nap. You can try and establish some sort of routine but you'll undoubtedly be wasting your time.

It's taken me a long time this time around to get to grips with just going with the flow. It was very easy to do this with just one baby. It didn't matter then if I was glued to the settee for a whole day, I didn't do any housework or I couldn't put baby down for 5 minutes without him screaming (and believe me, early on with Tommy, nearly EVERY day was of this kind). This time, it did matter. I had this other little person, who had had me all to himself for three and a half years, who I always did so much with. When Isla came along, I lost count of the number of times I uttered the words "just a minute Tommy" and this minute turned into 5...and then 10...and before I knew it, a whole hour of them. I would end each day feeling terribly guilty and sad about having 'neglected' at least one (and more often than not) both of my children. I felt like I'd achieved nothing. I'd not played with Tommy at all, I'd forgotten to do something he'd asked me to do or got to 4pm without remembering to clean his teeth. I felt like all I did was feed, change, wind and then try to settle Isla. There didn't seem any time spare for play. I had a miserable baby,who just wanted to be held all day and a miserable toddler because I was 'tied' to his sister. The house was also a complete mess. I would beat myself up about this at the end of each day, convinced I was some terrible Mum who couldn't cope with one, let alone two, children. This may come as a surprise to those of you that see my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts and think I'm some sort of super mum who's always baking, crafting and off here, there and everywhere. I may give the impression of being a 'super Mum' but it's the absolute last thing I feel like most of the time, even as I type now, but I'm slowly learning to be a little less critical of myself and thinking 'so what?' if something doesn't get done and telling myself 'there's always tomorrow.'

It is only recently that I feel we've managed to gain some sort of balance. There is some structure and routine in place, partly due to the fact that breastfeeding is well-established, Isla has started solid food and I'm learning to become a lot more efficient in the use of my time. Most days, I'll sit down after putting our children to bed and know I've spent lots of time with both children, as well as keeping on top of the housework. I'll go into this in a little more detail into how I've managed to do this in another post, but in this one I thought I'd share with you our routine as it stands at the moment. Let me just point out, our routine works for us and our children at the age they are now. It wouldn't work for every family and there will come a point when it won't work for us anymore and need to change. So this is what a 'normal' day looks like:

7-7.30. Everyone gets up and goes downstairs.
7.30-8. Tommy has his breakfast or watches TV and I feed Isla and get her dressed.
8-8.30. I have breakfast (with Tommy usually) and probably express milk for Isla's meals. If I don't need to, we play for a little while.
8.30-9. I get a shower whilst Tommy gets himself dressed and plays.
9-9.30. Isla has her breakfast
9.30-11. Playtime/story time/song time. Mainly targeted towards Isla, as she has a long nap in the afternoon. I'll share more about this in my next blog post.
11-11.30 Breastfeeding Isla
11.30-12. More play
12-12.30 Tommy and I have lunch
12.30-1 Isla has her lunch (we will soon start having lunch together)
1-4 Isla naps (yes, for three hours!!!!!) she tends to have one long nap in the afternoon, rather than one in a morning and one in the afternoon.
1-5. we use this time to craft, do learning activities, bake, play - whatever takes our fancy really. Isla's nap time gives me the opportunity to have lots of one to one time with Tommy. Alternatively we'll go out for the afternoon and Isla will nap in her pushchair.
4.30. Breastfeed Isla
5-5.30. Tea time
5.30-6. Tea time for Isla and bath time (I bath Isla and Tommy on alternate evenings). I'll write more on this later.
6-6.30. Writing with Tommy, practising letter or number formation, in preparation for starting school.
6.30-7. Tummy time and play with Isla, whilst Tommy has some iPad/tv or playtime with Daddy.
7. Tommy's story and bedtime.
7.30 Breastfeed Isla and bedtime.
8. Housework and then (if time) RELAX!

Anyone else struggling to juggle their time with 2,3 or more babies?????!!!! I'm pretty sure it's a universal 'beinga Mummy'thing. I'd love to hear what you think or if you have any tips you'd like to share!