Friday Favourites: July 29

The sunset on our way to visit my folks on the weekend

Wow, July seemed to just fly past! Seriously though, didn’t we just start this month and now it’s over already? I hope you guys have had a great month and week.

Things have been a little crazy around here. This week has been ridiculously cold! It’s been a real challenge sending Willow to school each day because it has been frigid outside. South Africans are not equipped to deal with this kind of weather! Dressing a toddler for cold weather is such a challenge.

Hail in our little garden on Tuesday

Willow’s mid-year assessment from her school came home on Monday. She is doing so well and I have a full post on it coming soon.

We’ve been getting ready for house guests, continuing the business of day to day life and doing a little future prepping. I am optimistically getting a few things together to welcome spring. In my mind, I’m done with winter. It’s crap and I’m ready to say farewell. With August bearing down on us we are finally at the end of the cold, winter months.

While the official start of spring may be mid-September we have always marked it as the 1^st of that month. But traditionally things start to warm up in the middle of August. The Jasmine has already started growing and the long term forecast shows that come the end of the month, we’ll be seeing temps in the low to mid 20s. I cannot wait! I’m over the dryness, the dust, the cold, the dreariness. Winter can be done now please and thank you.

Product of the week: Palladio 2-in-1 Cheek and Lip Tint in Dainty. As mentioned I’m feeling like spring over here and I have been loving a nice fresh face. This blush fits the bill beautifully. It gives such a natural look to the cheeks I love it!

Purchase of the week: I am in love with this rusty colour midi skirt that I bought from Spree in the sale. They didn’t have my size in stock, but the size up fits like a dream. I can wait for the weather to get warmer so I can wear it!

Project of the week: I have started work on a jersey for myself! It’s a beautiful waterfall cardigan (the pattern is from last month’s Essentials magazine). It’s not hard, but the sheer amount of fabric I have to make makes me feel like I’ll be here for the rest of my life! That said I am obsessed with the colour of the wool I bought for it so I really hope I get to wear it soon (It’s called Snomoon and is an Elle Family knit DK).

Best moment: Watching A show Willow off at a function we attended on Saturday night. She was dressed in an outfit he picked out for her and she looked adorable. He was such a proud Daddy. It was a heart melting moment.

Looking forward to: Going Bridesmaid dress shopping and seeing my sister this weekend. This is going to be one hectic weekend, but I’m ready!

A few shots of Willow playing in the garden at my parents house

 

Ruler Growth Chart

 

I know that these are all over Pinterest at the moment, but I just wanted to show you how we made ours.

I love the idea of a growth chart. When I was a kid we used to make the marks on a door frame in our house, but we moved quite a bit and we had to leave the evidence of how much we had grown behind. With a growth chart I can take it with me and always have the visual of my kids growing up.

I loved the look of the ruler ones online and have been wanting to make this for the longest time. To be fair, I should have had this finished in time for Willow to start working, but better late than never.

A had some wood leftover from a previous project. We decided to stain it so that it fit in with the wood items we already have in our house and to make it look more like a ruler.

I’m really happy with how it has come out! Here’s what we did:

What you’ll need:

A piece of wood the size that you want. Ours is 1.5m and is left over from a previous project. It’s not as wide as I would have liked, but it works so I’m not too fussed.

Wood stain and sealer – we used Sherwood Sealer in Teak. It’s meant for exterior use, but as we were using this to stain and seal my trellis for the garden we decided to use this for the ruler too.

Steel wool – we used this to smooth the surface of the wood to prep it for staining.

Rubber gloves – I used these to protect my hands when using the steel wool. It’s completely optional.

Paint brushes – for applying the stain

Oil paint pens – I used Sharpies. I highly recommend you get two different tips. The Extra Fine one was ideal for all the detail work I wanted to do and made filling in the numbers really easy. The Fine tip was perfect for making the inch and foot marks and making thicker marks where I needed them.

Paper and printer – to print out you numbers. This will make it so much easier.

Pencil – For transferring the artwork

Tape measure or metal ruler – for figuring out where to make the markings.

Step one: Buff the surface of the wood with steel wool. I didn’t get a photo of this but it’s pretty straight forward.

Step two: Apply first coat of stain to both sides. Let it dry

Step three: Rub down with the steel wool again

Step four: Apply second, coat of stain. Let it dry completely. We left ours overnight.

Step five: Print out the numbers you would like to use as well as any other artwork. I printed numbers and decided to combine another Pinterest wall art project I had seen – the Surname, founding date canvas thing. It took a bit of experimentation to figure out the right sizes I needed. I used Century Schoolbook for the numbers and After the Rain for the surname.

Step six: Trace over the back of the numbers and letters with a soft pencil. I found it helpful to do this against a window as a sort of make shift light box.

Step seven: Work out where to make your markings and where to put the numbers. We decided to work in feet so that we could put more numbers on the ruler without it being crowded. A helped me to figure out where to start and how high off the ground we will hang the ruler. I didn’t end up starting at 1 foot because our ruler will be hung 45cm off the ground. So my first number was two. I made the feet and half feet marks darker and thicker than the inch marks. I also made them a little longer.

Step eight: Lay out numbers on the wood the right way up and go over them with a normal pen. I found using tape to stick the numbers down then pressing quite hard worked well as it left a light indentation in the wood.

Step nine: Use your oil paint pens and a metal ruler to make your markings and fill in your numbers and letters. *If you mess up we found that the best way to clean up was to use a cotton bud and some nail polish remover. I assume rubbing alcohol will work just as well!*

Step ten: Admire your work and how well it is coming together!

Step eleven: Drill pilot holes into the wood. We decided to do so on all four corners because out piece is quite thin and we didn’t want any warping. Hang on the wall and start tracking how your child grows!

Naartjie Winter sale

The Naartjie in the shopping centre close to where I live has completely been taken over by their winter sale. In fact, I really struggled to find clothing not on sale when I was there the other day.

I love shopping at Naartjie when they’re on sale. They do such great basics and I love the bright fun colours and prints. My trick for shopping sales is to buy for the next year. Most of the clothes she is currently wearing come from Naartjie and I bought them during last year’s sales.

Now that Willow is in a more stable growth pattern this is even easier. So I took advantage of the sales prices and bought her a few things. I do draw the line at shoes. I find shoes very difficult to guestimate. So I tend to buy those as and when we need them. If I see something I really like I may buy them one size up for when her feet grow. But as it stands i feel like she’s outgrowing shoes at an alarming rate!

I didn’t go crazy, but I did pick up a few things. I like to get things that are easily mixed and matched. That way getting dressed in the morning is so much easier.

Raspberry pink corduroy pants

Cream fleece hoodie

Grey striped leggings

Cream bunny t shirt

Purple polka dot leggings

Grey heart tshirt (I didn’t buy this, but my mother-in-law did. Theya re also on sale though. Bonus it goes with everything else!).

Friday Favourites: July 22

Grow jasmine grow!

This week has been a little all over the place.

I’ve been in a really lazy, uncreative space and have been left feeling a little blah. I’ve been struggling to write and haven’t wanted to do anything that really stretched my imagination. This is not something I’m used to. So it’s a little weird.

Other than that life has continued and we enjoyed a good week at home with a lot of fun and laughter. Willow has been ridiculously cute and very entertaining lately. Her little mannerisms are getting sweeter by the day. She’s a handful, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

People watching at Spur on the weekend

Poor Willowbug has been a bit of a grump on occasion, though. Her bottom two molars have started pushing through in earnest this week. We’ve had broken sleep, crying for no reason, general moodiness; the works. Poor thing. Why must teeth be so painful?

We are heading on another road trip this weekend to see my parents. I’m really looking forward to it. I know my folks are really looking forward to seeing Willow.

We are suffering through an Oddbods addiction right now. Its all Willow wants to do

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Mac Brave Lipstick

Product of the week: Mac’s Brave lipstick – I got this as a Back to Mac reward. It’s my first Mac lipstick and it took me forever to choose it. I’m really happy with my choice though and have been wearing it nonstop.

Purchase of the week: These awesome black Puma trainers. I haven’t bought new trainers for over four years and it was time. I am so in love with these. Compared to my old trainers they are so light! I hardly know myself in these.

Project of the week: A and I finally got around to two big things on my to do list this weekend. We finally finished Willow’s Growth Chart Ruler and could not be happier with the result! It came out so wonderfully I am obsessed with it. We also bought, treated and put up a trellis for my Jasmine. The smell of jasmine is my favourite spring time scent. The last time my mom came to visit we managed to transplant my jasmine into a new, bigger pot. Now it has started to grow again and I finally have the trellis up. I can’t wait to sit out on the balcony in the spring and see the gorgeous blooms!

Best moment: Getting the growth chart finished. I’m so happy with how it turned out. I have a whole post on it coming up next week. I’m also incredibly happy that my trellis is finally sorted!

Looking forward to: So much is coming up that5 I’m looking forward to! I’m looking forward to a great weekend with my parents, then next weekend I’m going dress shopping with my besties and seeing my sister.

Must haves 12 to 18 months

The time has come once again to round up the items I have found the most useful during this phase of Miss Willow’s life.

I have done a few others of these that you can read here: Pregnancy, new born, 3 to 6 months, 6 to 9 months, 9 to 12 months.

As Willow has ventured into ttoddlerhoodI have found we need both more and less stuff. Its an interesting place to be in and it feels very transitional to me. I must say that I’m a little surprised by how much in on my must have list!

Grab some tea, this is a long post!

Sleep

Not much has changed here. We still use the same tools and have made a few simple tweaks as we go. The standard stuff we enjoy: the iPad with the White Noise app (we love this one) and sleeping bags (I have written a whole post on these here). On to the new things

SmartCam HD 1080p Full HD WiFi Camera

Digital Monitor or Nanny Cam: I have no idea why it took us so long to get one of these! I got it from A for Christmas and believe me it is life changing! We got a Samsung Camera that is not strictly to be used as a baby monitor. I want to put them all over my house now. Just be aware of security and make sure you set it up correctly!

Nuby Flower Child No Spill Bottle

Spill proof water bottle: A lot of the time when Willow wakes in the night it’s because she’s thirsty. I keep a water bottle in her crib now. She will often wake up, take a few sips them go back to sleep. This is similar our one.

Crib toys: I know this is not for everyone, but it has been my experience that Willow stays in bed longer when she has a toy or two to play with. It scores me and extra 15 to 20 minutes in bed.

Spoka Night Light

Night light: We have the Spoka from Ikea. This light switches off after a while. We don’t use it every night, we prefer Willow to sleep in the dark. But should we need to see in her room, or if she’s fussing it provides a nice distraction for a limited time.

Shoes

I try and have Willow barefoot as much as possible, but often I need to protect her feet f rom the cold or heat. When she first started walking I loved ShooShoos. These are soft soled shoes perfect for those first steps. They are really flexible and easy to walk in. As Willow got more confident and needed warmer shoes we put her in Bobux (which are not available in SA), ShooShoo Toddler shoes and Naartjie shoes. All have barefoot technology to aid in foot development. I must admit though, I’m looking forward to warmer weather and bare feet.

Clothes

Swings!

Love this girl!

A Gillet: Willow has a few of these from different shops. She has two lightweight ones from Bonds and Pick ‘n Pay, a thicker one from Naartjie and a puffer vest from Pick n Pay. IO found these essential in the cold months. I could keep her torso nice and warm but her arms were free so she could play freely. This are ideal for layering up!

Play time

Mini Bilibo

Bilibo stacking cups: We have had these for a long time, but they are starting to come into their own now. These are great open end toys with a myriad of applications. They come in bright colours and different sizes. Best part? They will provide years of play. Right now Willow loves them to pour water in the bath. If you see them snap them up!

Sand/water table: We got quite a small one due to space restrictions but this has been one of the best purchases ever! In the summer Willow would play for hours with her hands in the water. Now that it’s cold she loves the sand I have filled it with. This is a must have for sure!

Plastic tubs: Speaking of storage you will need some of these. I have large 56 litre ones and I don’t regret buying them for a minute. I can store all her toys in the tubs and bring out what we need when we want it. I also get Willow to help tidy up at the end of the day. They stack neatly in the corner.

Play tent: This is a great hiding place, quiet place to sit and read, my friends son who is a year older than Willow was pretending it’s the three little pigs house. We love this tent.

Balls: Pretty self explanatory. Get them in different sizes, textures, weights, whatever you can find. Ball pit balls are also a big winner in our house. We have filled a large plastic bin with them and Willow likes to sit in it. Bonus the tub doubles as the storage solution.

 

B Toys Par Rum Drum Set

Music and instruments: toddlers love music and dancing. There are plenty of good videos on Youtube with nursery rhymes, but a nice kids CD is handy as well, especially in the car! I also got Willow a music set that somes with a shaker, tambourine, drum and bells. The lid of the drum comes off and they all get stored inside. Genius.

Medicine

Neurofen: This comes with a dispenser and is invaluable for little niggles, teething pain and more. There is always a bottle in my house.

Gel Cooling Pads: We’ve had a couple of scary fevers in the past few months. I discovered these cooling pads at Dischem and we used them for the first time the last time Willow had a fever. They worked like a bomb! I wouldn’t use these for run of the mill temperature spikes, but when the meds are working to bring the fever down these are brilliant!

Body Care

Justine’s Baby Tissue Oil: If you live in SA get your hands on this stuff! I swear by it. It contains no mineral oil and smells delicious. Willow’s skin is amazing and we’ve had no chapped winter cheeks. Also I found this is great for teething rash.

Feeding

Toddler cutlery and crockery: Willow has gotten pretty good at feeding herself. I have a few sets of melamine plates and bowls for her. Although I’m still looking for the perfect solution, what we have now works well. I really like her cutlery set which comes from Dischem. It has stainless steel for and spoon which Willow finds much easier to eat with.

Review: Cuddledry Cuddlebug Bamboo Hooded Towel

Cute little bug in her hooded towel

I had been looking for a large hooded towel for Willow for ages. There are plenty of these available for little babies, but they seem to disappear as your child gets older.
I wanted something soft and warm for swimming, especially now that it’s so chilly when we get out of the pool. I wanted something that would cover her up nicely while she stood and waited for me to take her to the change room.
I was starting to think this was an impossible request. Then one day while browsing in Kids Emporium I found this one. I was debating between two towels, a blue more traditional towel and this one, which is made from bamboo fibres. The sales one recommended this one and I love it.
It is a large, double-layered towel that is so soft and cuddly. Its hood is nice and big and fits Willows head nicely. She gets a real kick out of wearing it and if she finds it lying around will often put it on and wander around the house in it.
The towel is also nice and big. It falls right to the floor. It is supposed to last her up until she’s three and I think that is pretty accurate. It is still very roomy, with plenty of space to grow.
It is also an incredibly cute design. The bright pink with polka dots makes it easy to identify and the ears on the hood are just adorable.
From a practical standpoint, the towel absorbs water very well. Too often with swimming towels, it feels like they just move water around and don’t soak any up. It also washes well. We have washed it several times and there are no pulls and the fabric still feels as soft as the day I bought it.
The only downside for me was the price. I’m not going to lie to you, this was not cheap. But I figured she’s going to use it for many years. Well, that was the reasoning I used to justify paying what I did for it… #sorrynotsorry
If you’re in the market for a swimming or bath towel for a toddler then I highly recommend this one. Just a fair warning the price is pretty steep for South Africa.

Friday Favourites: 15 July

Willow has been showing so many child-like traits in the last few weeks. It seems as though those last few vestiges of babyhood are well behind her now.

She is increasingly resistant of help in any form. I can’t help feed her, brush her teeth, colour in, or climb up and down the stairs. I’m not even allowed to hold her hand when we walk from her classroom to the car in the afternoons. I love seeing her independence grow and develop, but it also makes me a little sad. I’m waiting for her to move past the phase because I really miss holding her hand.

She also objects to me carrying her nappy bag, but it’s too heavy for her to carry herself even though she tries valiantly. We’re going to have to get her a little backpack for school! A backpack! Where did my baby go?

Delicious strawberries!

This week has just flown by. I woke up on Thursday and couldn’t figure out how we got there so quickly!

A and I went out for a fabulous dinner on Tuesday. I really enjoy our nights out. It’s been really great reconnecting him. Willow loves her baby sitter and gets so excited when she arrives on Tuesday evenings. She stomps her feet and squeals then launches into a torrent of babbles, which I’m sure is her relating the entire week’s happenings. It’s adorable. And the fact that she so enjoys her Tuesday evenings makes me feel better about going out. I’m able to really relax and be in the moment.

We have no plans this weekend beyond getting Willow out of the house for a while. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Product of the week: I have fallen back in love with the Rimmel Magnif’eyes Duos. I have two – Kissed by a Rose Gold and Queens of the Bronze Age. I have had these for ages but have really been getting use out of them recently. They are just so easy to use and are perfect when you want something that looks complex in a hurry, which to be honest is most days. I like to apply the cream shadow to my lids and blend with a fluffy brush to diffuse the pigment. It looks so pretty. Be sure to do one eye at a time as they set quickly and once set they do not move. I really hope Rimmel brings these out in more colours (there are only 4 at the moment).

Purchase of the week: Ball wide mouth 16Oz glass jars. I found these at Pick n Pay. They are ideal for taking to work. At the moment I use them to take my oats to work in the morning. I cook up a big batch on Sunday and then portion it out for breakfast throughout the week. Also, I love that they’re glass as it means I can heat things in them without worry.

Project of the week: The Ice Cream Jersey is finally finished and it looks adorable! I made it using Elle Gold Baby DK which has made the most beautiful fabric. It is so squishy and comfy. I’m incredibly chuffed with the result. The colours I used were Lavender, Vanilla and Candy. I also did a little side project: I decided to make Willow an infinity scarf using the left over wool. I wanted to practise moss stitch to give it some interest and I love it!

Best moment: Sitting chatting and laughing with A over a delicious bowl of pasta on Tuesday night. It was glorious.

Looking forward to: Getting Willow’s mid year assessment from school in the next couple of weeks!

Must haves for you 9 to 12 month old

I just found this post hanging out in my drafts folder and realised I never posted it! Oh well, rather late than never right?

These are the things that we found indispensable during the last quarter of Willow’s babyhood.

I have put together a little list in the hopes that some out there may find it useful. Please keep in mind that Willow was this age during spring and summer and we had some extreme heat waves during this time. So this may differ for a winter baby.

Sleep

Aden and Anais Bamboo Sleep Sack

Aden and Anais sleeping bag: I weaned Willow off the swaddle at this time and the Aden and Anais sleeping bag came in handy. A big issue for us with the weaning was creating a new bedtime routine. I used the sleeping bag as a swaddle replacement. It worked like a charm. It is also great because I have peace of mind that she is kept warm in the night and not kicking her blankets off.

Sleepy bunny – Along with weaning Willow off the swaddle we were also forced to do sleep training. I found sleepy bunny at H&M for R80! It is a very soft and small cuddly toy which I use as a soother at sleep times. Before we started getting serious about sleep training I introduced the bunny. We nursed while cuddling with bunny and then bunny went into the bed with Willow. She still sleeps with it now and battles to settle when bunny is missing.

Lavender bed mist – This is great if you travel. For a week or so before going away, I spritz the room spray in her room so she associates the smell with home and comfort. Then when we are in a new environment I spritz the room with the spray. It has worked like a charm for us and we had good sleep while travelling during the festive season.

Standing fan – as mentioned we have had some serious heat waves and keeping Willow’s room cool has been a challenge. We bought a standing fan that is small and light – perfect for her room. The best part is that the blades are not exposed so she can’t get her fingers injured. This fan has been a life saver.

Relax Melodies White Noise App

White Noise App – As part of the sleep training we relied heavily on white noise as a soothing device. We have an old iPad which I loaded a white noise app onto. As part of her bed time routine I turn the app on and it plays all night. It also really helps when there are people in the house or she is sleeping in a new environment.

Bathtime

Bath toys

Bath Toys – Willow is a big fan of bath toys. We have everything from cups that pour to squirty toys to pretend taps. Bathtime is just not the same without toys.

Feeding

Exciting plates and cutlery – Willow decided that she would only eat if she can feed herself. She also wants to eat like the adults do. So I got her a little plate set and she loves sitting at the big table and eating her food. We have done away with baby purees and mashes. She eats pretty much what we do and loves it. I also introduced a for in the past week and she loves it! She still struggled to get the food on the fork but she is an expert at putting it in her mouth.

Munchkin 360 Cup

Munchkin 360 cup – This cup is awesome. You drink from it like a normal cup, but it has a special seal that prevents spills. It’s Willow’s favourite cup and she drinks from it at each meal time. She has been drinking so much water lately and I think its a combination of the heat and this cup.

Play

Swimming diapers – Willow has been spending a lot of time playing with water and going to swimming lessons this summer. The swim nappies are designed to let liquids through but catch any solid waste. We haven’t had an accident yet, but I feel it’s better to be safe than sorry. A lot of the time she is just in the nappy, but for swim lessons, I put a swimming costume on over it. We love this type which are disposable, but you can reuse them a few times. I also have this set which I think we’ll get more use out of when she’s older.

Swimming lessons – I am putting this on the list because I feel that it’s really important kids learn how to be safe around water. They can start swimming from six months old. Willow already knows how to climb in and out of the water safely, to flip on her back when she falls in and to get to the side of the pool as soon as she can. This year the lessons will build on what she learned last year and the teacher says she may be swimming properly by the end of the year.

 

Books and websites I found most helpful: birth to 18months

Navigating the waters of being a first-time mom is thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. There is a very specific moment when you leave the hospital with your newborn that you realise you are now

There is a very specific moment when you leave the hospital with your newborn that you realise you are now solely responsible for a human being and nothing can prepare you for that!

I ended up reading books or stalking forums quite a bit to find answers for my questions. I took comfort from the fact that someone, somewhere had been through what I was experiencing now and had advise to offer.

Google can be a very scary place, but I found some great resources that helped me to navigate the tricky waters of raising an infant.

I thought I would make a quick list of the books and resources I found the most helpful during Willow’s first year and a half.

My philosophy with books, websites and general advice is: listen to everything and take away what will work for you. You don’t have to try out every piece of advice. Just nod, say thanks, I’ll consider it and move on. But I always tried everything at least once. Also, when it comes to sleep give the method a good 7 to 10 days before you write it off!

I hope they help you!

General baby info:

The Wonder Weeks (This book is so interesting and was so incredibly useful! I think this is a must have.) Also, check out the website here, and the mobile app here

Baby Sense (Full of great info to help you understand your newborn and baby. I didn’t use all the info, but took what I needed.) I bought mine at Baby City. Check out the website here

Baby Centre (A great stop from pregnancy to babyhood and beyond. Sign up for their newsletter; it’s full of great topics.)

Parents.com

Weaning:

Ella’s Kitchen: the Purple One (I really enjoyed this one for its information on weaning and its step by step weaning layout. It made the whole process so much easier.)

Top 100 Baby and Toddler Meals in Minutes – Annabel Karmel (The recipes in the book are delicious. I still use them to this day and they have always been a big hit with Willow. Karmel is the queen of weaning!)

Sleep:

The No-Cry Sleep Solution – Elizabeth Pantley (This is the book I wish had worked out for us. I love her methodology. But Willow had other plans. I read this book and tried out many of the methods with degrees of success. No-cry was just not for us. I learnt a lot from the book and many principles are part of our nightly routine.)

Preciouslittlesleep.com (This is the site that changed everything for me. I can’t wait for the book that Alex is writing. Her writing connects with me, I don’t feel looked down on and her advice makes sense and works!)

Thebabysleepsite.com (Lots of really useful information on sleep regressions, schedules and wake times, etc. The weekly newsletter was something I looked forward to getting for a long time!)

Friday Favourites: 8 July

My garden is full of winter colour and looking so pretty. It makes me so happy to go outside

This week I have really tried hard to focus on re-establishing healthy habits. I find it so hard in the winter. All I want to do is eat carbs, hide under the blankets and binge watch shows on Netflix.

Unfortunately, all the pasta, cookies and endless cup of tea has left me feeling drained, dehydrated and cranky. So I took the opportunity of a quiet weekend at home to refocus, reenergize and recommit to being healthy and happy.

I have been trying to cook delicious, healthy food, get some workouts in and drink a lot of water. I must say I am starting to feel better. It really pays to make the right choices.

Our new method of entertaining Willow while we cook dinner. The crayon is part of a set from Melissa and Doug

This week Willow turned 18 months old! This year is just flying past. She is such a happy little tot with a great sense of fun.

We also went for her 18-month wellness check up. I have a full post on her progress here. She also had to get more vaccinations. I think we’re nearly done with vacs for a while now. Next time we go for a checkup will be when she turns 2!

This week’s date night was spent eating Thai food and enjoying a good chat. It feels so good to be able to spend time with my husband just being us for a while. I have so much fun with him and I really look forward to these evenings when we get to go out.

So that was our week in a nutshell. I hope you all have a great weekend.

Strawberries and a rocking session outside. Willow is still in love with her little play area

Products of the week: Grapefruit from Pick ‘n pay are the most delicious I have had in a long time! They are so sweet and juicy with that slight grapefruit bitterness. I’m in grapefruit heaven right here.

Purchase of the week: I got these shoes on sale at Dischem from R100 marked down from R450! I have been looking for a pair like this for a long time and these are perfect. They are lightweight, comfortable and I am obsessed with this olive green colour. I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can wear them.

Project of the week: The ice cream jersey is almost done! I have just finished up the sleeves and then I just have to finish the neck edging and putting it together. I can’t wait for Willow to start wearing this. I don’t think I have ever been more proud of how a project has turned out.

Doll in one hand, house in the other. This is how we do it when its too cold to go outside…

Best moment: Watching Willow walk around the house with her hands in her pockets or folded in front of her. She is picking up many of these little mannerisms and they are adorable. Also, she has become a hugger. We cannot leave school or swimming lessons without giving everybody goodbye hugs!

Looking forward to: A little relief from the cold. It has been bitter here the last few days and I just need a reprieve!

One positive of all this cold weather is that Foxtrot gets super cuddly. So whatever down time I have had means snuggles on the couch with the cat