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Baby is a winter baby, born at the beginning of winter last year. Like her mother, Baby simply adores shoes! This time last year, it was knitted booties in a broad spectrum of colours which adorned her tiny feet. This year given her increased mobility, need for warmth, comfort and of course style – she is wearing the SKEANIE UGG!

Made from soft leather, with a furry lining and dark suede sole, the SKEANIE UGG is perfect for indoors and outdoors. It is well stitched and assembled, with an elasticised collar which allows the boots to be gently stretched and put on Baby’s feet. It is reassuring to know SKEANIE is a preferred provider of the Australian Podiatry Association (NSW).

SKEANIE UGGs are not only warm and comfortable for this cool winter weather, they are super stylish. Given it is birthday party season for Baby and her friends, she has been sporting her SKEANIE UGGs to many of her friends parties and even wore them to her own birthday party. She’s had lots of compliments on her new boots.

Baby is the biggest fan of her new boots. When I am dressing her, Baby squirms and points to her UGGs. She picks them up and even trys to put them on her feet herself! Once the boots are on, she leaps up and walks around – it seems these SKEANIE boots were made for walking and that’s just what she’ll do!

SKEANIE UGGs are available in a wide range of fashion colours, I couldn’t resist choosing red for Baby. To complete her stylish look, Baby has a red skirtle with white stars and red socks with white stars – all from SKEANIE.

You may be asking yourself – What is a skirtle? It is defined on the SKEANIE website as a garment hanging from the waist with a snug stretchable garment covering the legs from the waist down. Simply put it is an all-in-one ruffled knit skirt and footless tight combo. As you can see from the picture, Baby looks gorgeous in her SKEANIE skirtle, matching socks and SKEANIE UGGs.

The SKEANIE UGG is available in sizes Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. The SKEANIE website cleverly includes a chart with Baby Shoe Sizes which I printed out check the size of Baby’s feet. I put Baby’s foot against the piece of paper and determined she was a Medium. I found the SKEANIE website easy to navigate and Baby’s UGGs arrived a couple of days after I placed the order online. To see the full range of SKEANIE Shoes, Skirtles and Socks, visit the SKEANIE website.

I simply adore Baby Showers – a gathering of girls celebrating the imminent arrival of a newborn baby, ensures these events are filled with love, laughter, excitement and lots of energy. It’s the perfect opportunity for the Mum-to-Be to gather her nearest and dearest, for a final hurrah before Baby arrives in her world and changes it for the better – forever.

Recently I was invited to a Baby Shower for a close relative. I wanted to find the perfect Baby Shower present that was beautiful, unique and practical – just like the Mum-to-Be. I discussed various possibilities with a good friend of mine and without hesitation she recommended Butterfly Baby Cakes. She told me the cakes are filled with newborn essentials, such as nappies, wraps, baby body suits, singlets, bibs, cotton socks, face washers and toys.

It sounded great, so I did my research and found that Butterfly Baby Cakes are handmade in Brisbane, use newborn essentials as ‘ingredients’ and are presented on a silver cake platter wrapped in cellophane and decorated with beautiful satin ribbon. Delightfully tasty for a Mum-to-Be I thought!

When selecting a Butterfly Baby Cake, there is just so much choice, from the magnificent mini, single-tiered cakes, double-tiered cakes and even triple-tiered cakes. The cake can have a Boy, Girl or Neutral theme. If that’s not enough, there are special themed nappy cakes, such as, ‘Bright Baby’ and ‘Bathtime Baby’. Well now – I was spoilt for choice. After much careful deliberation, I chose the Double-Tiered Girl Baby Cake.

The Baby Cake was delivered a week before the event to my house. Butterfly Baby Cakes can organise delivery to homes, hospital rooms and offices, in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. I thought they would make a great gift for an office morning tea for someone taking maternity leave. I wanted to give the present to the Mum-to-Be in person, at the Baby Shower, because I wanted to see her reaction.

I took the Butterfly Baby Cake with me to the Baby Shower. The event was lovely, after some delicious high tea, some fun Baby Shower Games (including a Baby Trivia Quiz which I surprisingly won) – it was time to open the presents. My present was the last one to be opened and when it was revealed, there was a collective gasp of delight, “It’s so original” exclaimed the Mum-to-Be. I was so pleased she liked it and the Baby Cake made it’s way around the circle and everyone peered through the cellophane to take a peek.

To find out more about the delightful range of Baby Cakes available from Butterfly Baby Cakes and to purchase online, visit their website.

Every Saturday morning, Dad carries Baby to her swimming lessons at the local pool. Last Saturday Dad decided to make the walk more comfortable by carrying Baby in the BabyBjorn Active.

Designed to carry a heavier baby for longer periods of time, the BabyBjorn Active has an innovative lumbar support and wide padded shoulder straps to better distribute Baby’s weight. That said, the BabyBjorn Active can be used for carrying a newborn with a minimum weight of 3.5kg/8lbs and can be used for carrying a larger baby up to a maximum weight of 12kg/26lbs. The carrier has been ergonomically designed to provide excellent support for Baby’s head and neck too.

Similar to the BabyBjorn Original Carrier, the BabyBjorn Active comes in two pieces, an outer shell and a harness. The main difference from the Original is a lumbar support on the Active harness, which both Dad and I found more comfortable for longer walks with Baby. (As an aside, it was easier to put on because the lumbar support made it immediately apparent which way up the harness should go).

To put on the BabyBjorn Active, slip your arms through the harness straps with the lumbar support against your back. Adjust the position of the sliding buckle at the bottom of the outer shell according to Baby’s height. Then fasten the outer shell onto the harness. There are cute cartoons on the inside lining of the shell – to guide you through all the steps for putting on the BabyBjorn Active.

While it is recommended for newborns to face inwards, when Baby is a little older the head support can be folded down allowing Baby to face forward and look around.

Baby thoroughly enjoyed herself facing forward and observing her surroundings while on her walk with Dad to the swimming pool. I’m sure Baby senses the feeling of closeness with Dad while in the BabyBjorn. Another advantage for Baby is the experience of motion and movement that she gets while in the carrier with Dad walking.

I think it is no coincidence that later the same day, when she woke from her afternoon nap, Baby took her first five consecutives steps on her own. After all, she was observing Dad’s walking technique and the benefits of movement earlier that day!

The BabyBjorn Active is available in Black/Silver, Black/Red or Black. To find out more about the BabyBjorn Active Carrier visit the BabyBjorn website.

I purchase lots of my baby products online. The convenience of clicking and having the products delivered to your door is fabulous with a little one.

I recently came across the Baby Kingdom website http://www.babykingdom.com.au and I’ve found it excellent for ordering baby products online.

The Baby Kingdom website offers quality baby products, organised in neat categories, with detailed product descriptions, including product dimensions and photos. I’ve found the user interface easy to navigate and best of all the products are competitively priced!

I ordered the Jolly Kidz Smart Hexagon Playpen in Natural from the Baby Kingdom website. It arrived in a couple of days in a convenient flat pack. I chose the Jolly Kidz playpen because it was simple, large, made of solid timber, represented good value for money and seemed easy to assemble.

So I unpacked the playpen and started to assemble it. The playpen comes with six timber segments to form the hexagon, twelve durable blue plastic safety corners, an Allen Key and some screws. My advice is to screw the rounded safety corners on each timber segment first and then the playpen fits neatly together with simple press buttons.

I was impressed by the proportions of the playpen. The timber frame is an ideal height for baby and the large area gave the playpen a spacious feel. The timber frame has a smooth natural toxin free finish, so Baby will be safe if she decided to test the timber with her two new teeth!

So with the playpen assembled, I scattered Baby’s favourite toys around and placed Baby in the centre of the playpen. I watched closely for her reaction. She crawled around her new playpen a few times, smiled at her toys and after a while of playing gave what appeared to be a nod of approval. It was rather a ‘nod of approval’ or a ‘very tired nod’ – after playtime in her new play space her afternoon nap was much longer than usual!

The playpen comes with six straight connectors for extension and a play mat is also available to compliment the playpen. For more information on the playpen and accessories, visit the Jolly Kidz website http://www.jollykidz.net

Here is a direct link to the product on the Baby Kingdom website. While you’re there, have a browse around the Baby Kingdom website and see some of the other great products available.

To purchase the product, click here… http://www.babykingdom.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=4332&section=10&cat=Play+Pens

A beautiful gift for Baby is a classic board book. Babies love looking at the illustrations in the book,  listening to your reading voice, touching the book and sometimes chewing the pages.

‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle is always a favourite. From comments on earlier posts, this book seemed a popular Christmas gift for Baby. The caterpillar with his insatiable appetite for all sorts of things, teaches Baby to count as he carries on eating and helps Baby learn about nature with his final metamorphosis. A brilliant book which recently celebrated it’s 40th anniversary.

Another classic book which is celebrating it’s 60th anniversary, is ‘Goodnight Moon’ written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. A perfect read for Baby at bedtime, with rhythmic words and calming images.

I am finding that my Baby is currently enjoying ‘Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes’ written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. Reading this book is like taking my Baby on an adventure around the world, as my Baby is introduced to babies from all corners of the globe. The illustrations are gorgeous and Baby inevitably tries to touch the illustrations of hands in the book – very cute.

What book is your baby’s favourite?

I was given the BabyBjorn Original Carrier from my sister who had used it for her first child 8 years ago!

Like most well designed products the BabyBjorn Original is durable, aesthetically pleasing, timeless and highly functional. Baby sits securely in the outer shell and can face inwards or outwards. I must say both Baby and Dad look cute when she is facing outwards. The straps which cross around the back are secured safely at the base and side of the shell. The BabyBjorn can be adjusted as baby grows in length and the Original is suitable for baby’s up to 11kg.

I find the design ergonomic and combined with the well stitched durable light weight fabric – Baby feels lighter in the BabyBjorn than when I am balancing her precariously on one hip!

The BabyBjorn has been fantastic when traveling by plane as I have my hands free to carry my onboard luggage and I can weave my way through the airport terminal knowing baby is securely next to me. Baby found it so comfy on my last plane trip that she fell asleep while in it.

A cute accessory I have recently used is the BabyBjorn bib. Baby is currently teething and quite the dribbler, the bib protects the carrier from the dribble – smart thinking by those Swedes.

My baby is finding her musical side this new year. She can clap in time to a rhythmic beat, attempts to sing along to nursery rhymes and loves to play musical instruments.

The baby piano by Imaginarium (posted by Aaron as baby’s favourite Christmas gift) is a sophisticated first instrument. The piano keys are a good size for baby and the piano has more than one octave for baby to play a cute tune.

Fisher Price makes a good range of baby instruments, including the Laugh and Learn Baby Grand Piano, Baby Xylophones, Baby Bongos and Drumkit.

You can make your own musical instruments too! An empty biscuit tin can make an excellent drum when covered with cardboard on one side. An empty milk container can be half filled with rice to become a shaker and you could attempt to make a tambourine to have your baby spellbound.

So tap into baby’s musical side and have some fun at the same time!

After baby has chewed, scrunched and unwrapped all the Christmas paper from the presents – we all await the response from baby to the opened gift.

At our place, three toys stood out, once unveiled from the Christmas paper. The first stand out toy was recieved from one set of Grandparents on Christmas Eve and is called the Soothe & Glow Seahorse by Fisher Price. The tummy of the Seahorse lights up when pressed and makes soothing aquatic noises (very different to the disruptive digestive noises which my tummy tends to make after eating my filling dinner on Christmas Eve)!

The second standout toy was received on Christmas Day from Grandparents too. It is called the Light’n Learn Caterpillar and is made by Vtech UK. This caterpillar has a big smile and three large buttons marked with A, B and C. When baby taps the buttons with hands or feet – she is rewarded with a song about the alphabet, colours and shapes. This present is getting lots of smiles from baby!

The third stand out toy is from Lamaze and is called Sir Prancelot. A knight riding a horse which already has acquired a personality which baby adores – a posh speaking medieval hero who charges forward with swift gallantry.

So all in all it has been a rewarding first Christmas for baby! What was your baby’s favourite gift this Christmas?    

Today I observed baby being entertained by a puppet show performed by her two cousins. Her school aged cousins were giving each puppet a different voice and personality, the puppets were getting up to various antics and baby was giggling in response and clapping her hands.

Baby responded so positively to the imagination displayed in the show that I reflected on the ‘playtimes’ we enjoy most together. Often the best experiences are when I’m imaginative, adding interest to the toys around her, whether it is giving a French accent to ‘Alfie’ the lama or pretending her hippo is heavy footed, she gains maximum entertainment when I am at my imaginative best.

In fact, I think I’m enhancing her imagination when I get creative during playtime. So to encourage an imaginative baby and ensure those toys opened at Christmas last longer than a day, give the toys a name and let your imagination run wild – baby’s imagination will probably run wild too!

My baby touched tinsel for the first time and was intrigued by it. She twirled it through her fingers, giggled at it’s texture and was mesmerised by it’s sparkle.

I was adding the finishing touches to the Christmas tree, hanging decorations and lollies wrapped in foil (out of reach of baby – of course). Baby looked at the tree quizzically – probably wondering why a live pine tree was in the living room!

I placed baby’s final presents under the tree. From reading all the comments, it seems books have been a popular choice for baby presents this year. Under our tree, there are a mixture of baby presents – toys, books and dresses! One of the delights of having a baby girl is dressing her up. I’ve bought baby dresses by Country Road, Origami, Sprout and Pumpkin Patch. Her summer wardrobe is set to be more extensive than mine!