Seasonal Changes

I have a winter baby, I am used to wrapping her up warm.  

We wear fleece body suits, hats and use the sleeping bag in the pushchair all the time!

There is always a blanket handy.

I am an expert at putting a very reluctant child into a cardigan, and woolly booties!

 We wear a lot of clothes to bed!

But now, well now spring has sprung and today we had a high of 22c! (71f)  that's practically sweltering in England!  I'm not sure what to do with my Chicken, I certainly don't want to roast her, but I'm finding it challenging finding the right balance!  I've found a few things that help us so far.

This pink hoodie vest was a gift from my Auntie Robyn G, thanks!  Its fleece and keeps Chicken warm but not sweltering, the hood also doubles as a hat if it gets breezy.  The sheepskin she's sitting on was a present from my Mum, thanks G!  Sheepskins keep you warm in winter and cool in summer, and they're just comfy!

I've also taking to stripping her off, I mean there is ample padding on those thighs!  Today for example, she was wearing a long sleeve bodysuit and jeans.  I took off the top layer of the sleeping bag in the pushchair and we headed out.  I was wearing 3/4's, a t-shirt and flip-flops/jandals, so it was a warm day!  We get to the children's centre where I was asked to demonstrate breastfeeding for a group of expectant mothers and answer any questions, and she was quite warm so I took off her jeans.  As we got to leave I realise its still too hot for jeans but too cool to be pushed by a power walking mum (well not so fast any more, I'm having to 'wear in' my winter feet again) I dug about in the baby bag and found a muslin cloth.  Perfect - big enough to wrap around her legs but thin enough to keep her cool, and when the sun is in her eyes it drapes nicely over the front of the canopy! 

I'm really looking forward to summer (who isn't!) and have found some funky outfits for her, dresses with cute frilly knickers that cover up the nappy and a denim play-suit, I only hope that the sun comes out for a decent period of time!

Spring Fling

Its been a glorious week here in the UK (well in Berkshire anyway), and Chicken and I have been out and about making the most of the warmer temperatures.  On Wednesday we had my ante-natal group catchup in Marlow.  Usually I drive but Andrew needed the car so I decided to take the train to Marlow and walk the 5kms to Karen's house.  It was such a great day and because there was a hill in my way some good exercise!  After our lunch I was all set to walk back but kindly I was given a lift, I might have been incapable of walking for the rest of the week otherwise!

On Thursday I had to spend the day in the house as I was waiting for a delivery, it was due between 1 and 4pm, and by half five I was getting a little sick of waiting! While the day was sunny, there was enough wind to keep our backyard quite cool, definitely too cold for a baby!

Friday was another cracker and Chicken and I went to catch up with my friend Alice and her son Robbie.  Robbie was born ten days before Chicken.  Alice is also a teacher and we worked together for four years and it was really great having a friend to go through pregnancy with.  Alice and I went to Chiswick House to have lunch and a walk around the grounds.  It was sooooo hot and the crowds were out in force.  After lunch we sat down and the babies got to have their first kick about on the grass (on blankets of course) It was a perfect spring day!

However, the perfect day finished when I went to pick Andrew up from work and we got stuck in a traffic jam for over an hour.  By this stage Chicken was sick of being in the car so we took a long cut home, it did take longer but since the car was moving she slept the whole way, babies don't like the start stop of traffic jams.

Saturday was not as hot but still nice and today was also near perfect.  Daylight savings has started and in addition to the extra hour of sun we had our first BBQ of the season, and Andrew cooked a perfect steak!  While the UK doesn't do great summers, springs are usually pretty great!