--Lion Cubs - Mummy and Baby Group!-- We are all One Year Old!

[jelr]

Natasha walks with her arms down by the side but I dont think she walks normally either - it is more like a run but not as fast as running if that makes sense and she always looks like she is springing along on the ball of her foot but not on her tippy toes - I know that makes no sense at all but that is the only way I can describe it lol.

Natasha doesn't walk up the stairs properly at all, she more crawls up it but then she hasn't been up the stairs that much. We live in a bungalow, although we do have stairs as we have the attic converted and there is a proper stairs up to it but the steps are steeper, but here is only a spare bedroom and my office so there it is only the odd time she is up there with me and we have a stair gate on it the whole time.

Do your LO's know how to get down off of things or did you have to teach them? or did they just learn by falling. If Natasha is on our bed I have to keep one hand on her as she would literally crawl head first off of it if she was left alone, she has no concept at all of getting down off of things. I am trying to teach her how to go down steps to get out the back door by holding on and how to get off the bed by lying on her belly and sliding off feet first - but she is starting to climb at the moment - she literally just lifted her leg last night and climbed up on the couch and frightened the life out of us because she would go head first off of it. My instinct last night was to say - don't climb on the couch and then I thought about it and said how stupid does that sound when all she was doing was sitting on it the same as we were and I dont want to be hovering around her and make her nervous but am terrified of her going head first off of things either, so am just wondering how the rest of you deal with it or do they just get it themselves and hopefully without the falling.

 

[Mary Jo]

when Adam started climbing up on things, we encouraged him to get off backwards. now, even if he is powering up to the edge of the bed, he always flips round and gets down feet first. why don't you try swivveling her round when she's wanting to get down? she'll get the hang of it! if she does fall, I doubt she'd do it twice. I kind of let Adam do some things that are (to me) pretty scary - like climb up his highchair - because if he does fall, he'll learn something about how not to do it next time. if you make sure there is nothing sharp or dangerous she can fall on/against, she's unlikely to come to much harm.

 

[Shiv]

Yep we did that too, we taught her to come down backwards off of things on her tummy by flipping her ound when she came off of the bed or sofa and saying backwards. SO now if she is approaching the edge of something we say backwards and she flips round. it didn't take her long to pick it up and it is nice not having to panic if she is on the bed etc!

 

[cleckner04]

We taught Emma to back off everything too. That's how she went down the stairs originally was backwards all the way down.

 

[spidey]

When Kira was very young I would flip her around and then wiggle her feet first off of the sofa or bed and say "wiggle wiggle wiggle". She learned quickly, which was important since we co-sleep and I didn't want her crawling head first off the bed! For awhile I would remind her by saying "wiggle wiggle", but now she does it automatically

 

[jelr]

Thanks girls

That is more or less what we have been doing so I think we just need to do it more and actually let her get off the bed more herself than actually lifting her off as even though I have shown her how to get off right a few times over the last couple of weeks she still tends to go head first and then I just usually lift her off so I think for it to stick in her head we are just going to have to do it over and over until she gets it and of course I have to stop fussing over her and lifting her so often too lol

 

[Shiv]

All very quiet in here, I thought maybe we could use the thread to discuss plans for LO's 2nd Birthday celebrations.

I of course haven't thought about it yet, but I just know that some of you ladies will be further on in the planning department - so inspire me!

 

[spidey]

good idea!

I'm going to a 2nd birthday in a couple of weeks so I'm planning to get ideas then

So far I'm thinking Kira's will be small with just grandparents (my mom, dad, DH's mom, and 2 other "old" people who are close to her, LOL) and Uncle since she's still quite shy and I want her to be 100% comfortable at her own b-day. She only has 1 friend but they only see each other once a month at most since we live so far apart so Kira is still shy around her. Sometimes I feel like a bad mom for not finding more kids to play with Kira, but Kira isn't really interested in interacting with other kids yet. The b-day party that we're going to this month is for Kira's little friend, so I'm going to feel bad not inviting her to Kira's party.... but I'll deal with that guilt come August, LOL!

The cake is going to rock! I love baking and I already have visions of cakes. I was thinking of experimenting with marshmallow fondant too. I love having a good excuse to bake. Or I could put a layer of icecream inside the cake.. yum yum yum yum!!!

I might let Kira pick out her theme. We have a party store near my house and it might be fun to have Kira pick out the decorations that she wants, even if they're unrelated.

Her 1st b-day party was around noon, but I could make this party around dinner time (5pm) which could be fun too. Then we could grill burgers and have drinks too, although the mosquitoes in August are killer here. We're getting a screened in pavilion so we can all huddle in that away from the blood suckers.

 

[Mary Jo]

we haven't thought about it, but fingers crossed by August we should have moved into our new house and so we'll have a garden. I guess we'll have a barbecue or something for family. hope the weather is nice.

sorry I've been really quiet lately, here and on the FB group... so much on my mind, have had dramas with our house moving. all is going well (touch wood) with our sale, we had an offer in early Feb, and then we found a flat to buy in Sutton... we were keen to get it all wrapped up, but we were misled and blatantly lied to by the people we were buying from, they said they'd found somewhere, then a month later when we were getting antsy at the lack of progress from their side, we found out they hadn't. they kept on getting offers rejected, and said they'd go into a rented property so as not to hold up our sale, but when it came down to it, when we set a deadline for them agreeing to go into a rental, they refused to put in writing that they would. so we found another property to buy and pulled out. fortunately our new property is a lot lot better. not so nice decor-wise, it needs some work, including a new damp course, but it's an actual house. freehold, too, even better. so we're pleased and relieved, and hoping it'll all go through ok. it's been nearly 5 months since we put our flat on the market, and in that time it's become more and more stressful with Adam the Monkey who likes to climb on EVERYTHING (I love him to bits, you all know that, but my God, the kid is irrepressible!)

 

[cleckner04]

Well, as you ladies know I want to do a ladybug theme. We plan on going back home to visit in the middle of July and I am thinking it'd be a good idea to throw Emma a little birthday party while home. She'd get her presents from us on her actual birthday, but it would be nice to do cake and all of that back home so my parents, my brother and his little family, DH's parents, DH's brother, and SIL with her little family can come. Oh and Dh's grandma and grandpa. So in total that's 14 adults and kids plus DH, Emma, and I. So nothing big but enough that Emma would have a ton of fun I think. It seems she has 2 birthdays every year because we did 2 last year too with the party while DH was home and one on her actual birthday while DH was away. I don't really want everyone to buy her gifts at all for the party back home because that would just be more crap that would have to fit on the plane on the way back. But I think cake and food would be nice for her.

I still have everything saved in my amazon cart for her birthday. I'm only buying her like 4 gifts. And I am going to wrap up random toys around the house too I think because she has more fun unwrapping stuff than actually playing with the toys. I know for her first birthday I went way overboard with the gifts and this year she really doesn't need anything so I'm keeping it simple which means less shit I have to store.

 

[cleckner04]

Okay. Change of plans for birthday. I'm not doing ladybugs anymore. Which I'm kind of sad about because I really thought they were cute but maybe next year I'll use them. This year since Emma carries her minnie mouse everywhere she goes and clutches her in her sleep, we are doing a minnie mouse theme. We are even going to disney land for a few days if all goes to plan!

So I hate the minnie mouse themed stuff you buy in party stores. Here's all I've found and it's way too "much" I guess is the only way I can put it. Totally not my taste:

Spoiler

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/501908partybox.jpg

^^Not cute really imo.

So I've been scouring in the internet trying to find stuff that is more to my taste. I know it's a party for a kid but I still want it cute. So I found this plate on ebay. It's a melamine plate so will be reusable for years. I bought four of them.

Spoiler

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/Screenshot2011-04-20at44901PM.png

I also bought 4 disney 'cars' plates that are pop art style too so it'll be a matched set for boys and girls. I figure they'll be perfect plates for a picnic basket cause I love going on picnics. Anyways..

So I plan on decorating according to the plates. A purple, pink, and orange theme. I still have the streamers(crepe paper things) from last year that are purple and pink and than I bought a roll of orange to add into the mix. And I've already bought Emma's 'birthday outfit'. Remember last year I had a 1 with Emma's name and a matching tutu. Well this year is just a t-shirt and I'll just put jeans on her or a jean skirt to match:

Spoiler

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN227293625.jpg

And as for the rest of the decorations, I think I am going to make my own. Or my mom will because she has a die cutter so we can cut out the paper into perfect shapes. But here are some ideas I've found for things. I'll do them in the theme colors of course so it all matches but..:

Banner(The last two are my favs so far):

Spoiler

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN232984280.jpg
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN217773839.jpg
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN204709273.jpg
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN196234562.jpg
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN196234558.jpg

Centerpiece(Not sure if I'll even make one but I thought these were a pretty cute idea):

Spoiler

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN235909759.jpg
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN214196159.jpg

Possible fondant idea to put on the cupcakes:

Spoiler

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN234634190.jpg

And some more cupcake ideas..I would use mini oreos instead of full sized ones. And I would stick to the purple, pink and orange theme:

Spoiler

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/KMB-cupcakestand.jpg
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/minniemousecupcake_2.jpg
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/minniemousewithatwistpartysuppliescupcaketopper.jpg

So that's what I'm thinking. I already bought the plates and shirt for her. So it's pretty much gonna happen one way or another now. Oh yeah. I also bought this cute skirt for Emma to wear when we go to disney. I like it because it's an 'upcycle' skirt so one that was used and someone recycled it and turned it into this. Gotta save the environment one cute skirt at a time right? :

Spoiler

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/il_570xN235336806.jpg

 

[spidey]

OMG! You are just a bit crazy but I love it!! I love how you already started buying stuff

I really enjoying clicking all those spoiler buttons. The thing that really caught my eye was those banners. I've never seen anything like them before, and now I'll have to make one for Kira's birthday. I agree that those last 2 banners are the best.

Everything is super cute. I love the plates you bought and the little outfit for Emma. Do you have any plans for goodie bags? Kira's party will be all adults, and last year I gave the grandmothers a book of pictures I had printed from iphoto. But this year I was trying to come up with something fun to give as a party favor to all the guests. I don't want to burden people with junk, so maybe something edible.. not sure.

 

[cleckner04]

I don't think I'll do goodie bags cause I think it will just be my parents us and Emma again. I decided against doing a party back home bc I don't think we could squeeze it in because DH has a family reunion during the weekend we are there so that takes up the time when people aren't working. But I plan on making 2 dozen cupcakes again so I guess I could potentially make a goodie 'box' and send a bunch of cupcakes home with my parents.

Those banners are freaking neat aren't they?! And they seem SO easy to make! My mom has one of those cricuts so I think she'll be able to do them for me. I'm just going to do a standard 'happy birthday' for the saying on it so it can be reusable if Emma ever wants a minnie mouse theme later on or for future kids/family etc. I think I can even get my mom to laminate it but that might look tacky. I'm kind of glad I chose this theme instead because it's making me step out of the box a bit to do something unique. Those ladybugs are REALLY popular I think because you can find all kinds of things with those exact same ladybugs on etsy too. Really cute stuff but it just shows it is popular if they are making sales on it IYKWIM.


Do you know what theme you plan on doing yet? You say it's early but it's only a few months away! And I want to get it out of the way now before we know for sure about DH's job. This will keep my mind a bit busy at least. I haven't bought any birthday gifts yet so I'm not going too crazy yet.

 

[spidey]

If I think of all the things that Kira loves, her favorites are bugs, butterflies, Umizoomi (the cartoon) and chocolate. I could make a theme from any of them. I'm liking the idea of a butterfly or bug theme because I could do lots of creative things on cupcakes and make special banners too I could make paper butterflies and hang them from the ceiling if I wanted to Last year we had a Dora theme because she was in love with Dora and she was giggling like crazy when she saw all the Dora decorations, so I want to make her just as happy with her 2nd birthday.

It's less than 4 months away now

 

[cleckner04]

UGH DORA!!!!

I honestly cannot believe they are almost 2. And I fully expected that I would've been pregnant with #2 by now so that's depressing. BUT, the more I read about perfect age gaps, the happier I am with our situation and I am SO proud to still be BFing so I can't get too upset because we kick ass with nearly 2 years of breastfeeding under our belts.

I think a bug theme would be adorable! Especially with butterflies. You could do so many different things with the colors.

 

[spidey]

Last night I was trying to think of something whitty to say about Dora knowing you can't stand her.

Yeah, I always imagined myself fully pregnant on Kira's 2nd b-day. We still have time to get knocked up Cleck, so maybe we'll both be pregnant and puking our guts out on our LO's 2nd birthdays Having them farther apart appeals to me too- it's always nice to keep looking at the positives in any situation . Although I am slightly disappointed that my dreams of being the next Duggar are drifting away

I'm really loving this butterfly/ bug theme! I found a recipe for marshmallow fondant so I might experiment with fondant for the first time.. of course I'll have to start practicing with it soon so I can be a master by August!

Was it you that had a photo montage of Emma at her 1st b-day? I'm thinking that might be a fun thing to have playing on the tv during the party.

 

[Shiv]

aw I love the Minnie mouse theme, I think you have to go with what Emma loves and if she carries Minnie around with her then she will LOVE it. I do agree that some of the stuff is a bit OTT - but the stuff you picked out is great. I really like the banner and her outfit, and that skirt is just SO cute!

Spidey - I like the idea of a butterfly and bug theme (very garden orientated which is very appropriate for Kira).

I am actually excited about Sophia's birthday this year. I was absolutely dreading her first birthday (and got very sentimental about her not being my baby anymore). I have no idea of theme, she loves In the Night Garden, Eey-ore and Pigs! yep pigs! The lady who lives next door to my mum and dad has a big (kinda real life size) pottery pig in her front garden and we have to go visit him several times when we aer there, and we definitely have to say goodbye to him before we leave! She will be playing and will just out of th eblue shout "pig"!

Spidey I had an idea of what you could do as an edible goody for the adults (and kids) have you heard of cake pops? They are like little lollys made of cake, and I remember you saying you loved baking
https://www.bakerella.com/category/pops-bites/cake-pops/

 

[spidey]

Those cake pops are really cool... I would need to experiment beforehand since the flour I use makes a more crumbly cake. But I could draw big bug eyes on them and make them all look different and then stick them in a piece of styrofoam like a bouquet

Sophia is so cute with her love of the piggy. A pig theme would be cute and maybe you could borrow the huge pottery pig as the centerpiece

 

[Shiv]

Spidey - a crubly cake would work really well as to make the cake pops you crumble the cake up and mix it with buttercream/frosting to mak a kinda paste, then you roll that into balls and cover in chocolate or candy

 

[spidey]

ooooh, thats really strange but I bet they taste yummy. Have you made cake pops before? I was imagining using a melon baller on a normal sheet cake, but mixing cake with frosting sounds much easier.