Baby-Led Weaning

24 weeks (circa 6 months)

I put circa 6 months as I get very confused on whether to count in weeks or months now! Anyway, she is pretty much at the 6 month mark.


So there are so many mummy's I know that have started the 'weaning' stage. It's the talk about town at the moment, hehe. I am however gonna try Baby-Led Weaning which my friend Zoe suggested, she did it with her baby Iyla and it was amazing to see the things Iyla was eating when other babies were fighting with puree and the finger food stage. I've read the book but it is very scary laying out a load of food for Sienna and letting her pick at it. I haven't had a choking incident and hope I never do but I'm still quite nervous with it.

I think she is definitely ready for food as she watches and takes food from my plate but I'm just a bit nervous about her not having it as a puree. The book on the other hand explains that it is more natural for babies to feed themselves rather than shoving puree down their throats. It has only been 4 days and she has got a lot better so only time will tell.


I did puree up some spag bol sauce and spoon fed it to her, only for her to spit it back out and pick up a load of broccoli. I think she was telling me that she likes the baby-led way.....

I also gave Sienna a beaker for the first time. I couldn't believe my eyes.... she picked it straight up by both handles, took a sip, realised it was water (hated it) and then dropped it on the floor!! It was so funny and I just had to film it. I was very impressed with my little bubs though!

Poor little bubs has suffered from a couple of colds, although I think I have been feeling sorry for her more than she has felt ill. Her little nose has been running and sounds worse at night-time so I put a vapouriser in her room which smells so nice (I think I'll have to get one for myself!). She has been great though and hasn't been too grumpy. I guess it's good for her to build up her immune system.

I went to buy Sienna some sunnies (I can't even believe they make them for tiny babies) but Daddy said they looked ridiculous so I wasn't allowed ;0( but she looked so cute!

She is still rolling over back to front and I spend my day flipping her back over as she always starts crying as she can't do anything from there. I hope she soon learns to flip herself back. She looks hilarious though as her arms fling back and she looks like she's flying, so funny!

I went into work to discuss how flexible they will be on my return. Surprisingly, my boss was very flexible and said we can discuss it towards the end of the year about how it will work. I just need to decide whether I actually want to go back there now.... I think I will look for another job in October time and see if anything else comes up and then make my decision.

I've started looking around nurseries now and it's so hard but hopefully a good one will come along soon....

Staying over at Nana's

20 weeks old


Sienna has stayed over at Nana's a couple of nights now and it is a lovely break for Dan and I. Not that Sienna wakes in the night anyway but it's just nice to relax and not worry about waking up too early in the morning. The silly thing is though, when she stays with Nana, rather than Dan and I get a nice lie in we end up going out, getting drunk and waking up with the worst hangovers ever! This time was even worse because the next day happened
to be Father's Day and I was no way in a fit state to give Dan the nice father days I had planned..... whoops!! Luckily he forgave me but I should make it up next year.





I took Sienna strawberry picking and she loved having a little taste too!


Daddy taking Sienna out in the baby carrier. She loved looking about and got a lot of attention, especially from little old ladies!

Holiday in Cyrpus

18 weeks old (4.5 months)


Mum, Sienna and I headed off to Cyprus on our first holiday! I was a little worried about how Sienna would be on the plane so I dosed her up on Calpol and hoped for the best.... the flight was easy peasy, she pretty much slept the entire way. The airport on the other hand was a nightmare.... I didn't realise how much longer things take when you have a baby and buggy in tow. We almost missed our flight but luckily we just caught it.

Once we arrived Sienna was great in the heat. It was about 30 degrees, so not too bad but she took to it fine. She slept a lot more during the day but was happy to do that on a blanket under an umbrella by the pool whilst mum and I topped up our tans!!

We took her swimming every day. To begin with she cried a bit but on the second day she was loving it and happy to have her little dip. I think it cooled her down too. I did also dunk her too (ahhh), apparently babies are born with a reflex that blocks their airways when put under water.

I was really nervous beforehand but I couldn't believe how little fuss she made. I only held her under for a second but she came up, scrunched her eyes and then spat the water out! Not a cry in sight. AMAZING!!


She was a great little sleeper whilst we were away. Her bed time was a little later than at home as we took her out for dinner in her pushchair each night. She was happy just looking around rather than sleeping, so she was nodding off about 10pm. She didn't wake up in the night though and nor did she sleep in later in the morning, gutted! I was a bit worried that she wouldn't fall back into her usual routine once we got back but the first night home she was back to normal!

First Roll Over!

17 weeks old

Sienna has now finally rolled over back to front!! She has been practising for days now and has finally mastered it. She isn't the best at getting from her front to back but I am sure it will come.

I went up to mum and dad's for the weekend and it was Felix's 4th birthday party so we went along to that. I can't believe Felix is already 4!!!

He had a bouncy castle which we had a go on once all the kids had gone home. Felix and Josh were jumping about and Sienna was loving it! Check out that massive smile.













She is growing up so quickly and is doing really well at holding onto things. She has started having her favourite toys and teddies and grabs out for them.


I bought a McClaren pushchair on ebay and got a really good deal. I need one for our holiday to Cyprus with mum as it fits better on the plane and a lot more compact that my day to day one. I had to take a photo of Sienna in it as she looks so tiny in her 'grown up pushchair!'

This photo with Grandpa Hawkes doesn't really have a story but the photo really cracks me up! John playing Grandpa time.... hehehe!

Over the 3 month mark...

14 weeks old

So Sienna had her first Easter. A little too young to be scrabbling for easter egss but we at least

got her involved in our easter lunch. I can't wait for a few years and she will be so excited, as will I be no doubt...

We have started to think about getting her Baptised too. Dan and I have to start going to church each week so we can show that we are practising. It's quite nice really and very important for her to be baptised and also, lets be honest, it's a good excuse for a party!

No little bubs is getting a bit older, we bring her into our bed (only if she wakes us too early and we need a little bit more sleep!) but it is so cute having her in with us. When she is much older it will be so cute when she comes in for Saturday morning snuggles, adorable!

As with last year, we have had brilliant weather over April. It has actually been 'Summer' feeling weather and a good opportunity to get the summer clothes out. Although.... I still can't actually fit into myh summer clothes yet, god I need to shift some pounds (10 pounds to be exact!). I know it's not a great deal of weight but for someone who has never been on a diet in her life... it's a lot! I have a holiday with my mum in 4 weeks so it has to go by then... time to research the diets!

I have also started some exercise, it's called Legs, Bums and Mums... it's an exercise class in the local park and you take your baby and buggy along. After the first session I couldn't walk for 2 days, it was a nightmare. Now Easter has passed, I have signed up to 2 sessions a week, so I am hoping that will help me tone up!!!

Anyway... as the weather has become nice, it has been amazing being able to sit in the garden with Sienna and play. She has suddenly over the last 3 weeks changed from a baby not being able to do a thing to a little thing that likes to be played with and coos and smiles. It's so cute and really does make it all worth while! Poor Dan comes home from a hard day in the office to me and bubs in the garden sunning ourselves... hehe.

Sienna has also been taking tips on how mummy makes Pimms, hehe! This photos makes her look so interested... it actual fact I think her head just flopped to the side just as I took the photo but hey ho, she looks cute!

She has managed to roll from her front to her back and is now trying very hard to do back to front. I don't think it will be too long before she can.

Dan thinks she has begun teething, which I think is too soon but apparently some babies start as early as 3 months. She doesn't appear to be getting teeth but her cheeks keep going read, she is dribbling loads and she loves biting her hands... these are signs of teething but we will see.

8 weeks old

8 weeks old

We seem to have a very very good baby (so far...). She is sleeping through the night most nights - she has her bath at 6.30pm, then a bottle and the bed at 7ish and usually asleep by 8pm at the latest, she then sleeps all the way through until 6am. Amazing, our little alarm clock!

We have taken the moses basket out of the cot and this was the first night she slept through. She stretches her arms out so I think she just relaxes a bit more and doesn't hit her little arms on the side. She looks so adorable when fast asleep.

This is Sienna's first trip in a supermarket trolley. I usually just take the pushchair around or stick the car seat in a small trolley but no have worked out that she loves being in the actual trolley. I think she just loves seeing everything. She even had her first tantrum when I took her out of it too!

Dan and I think it's very important to try and continue our lives the best we can with little Sienna in it. We've taken her out to restaurants with friends and she just falls asleep in her car seat in the corner, not a peep out of her! Such a good little baby, it must have been all the racket she had around her when she was in my tummy. She must be use to the noise, and love her sleep of course!

There must be a downside to her seeping well at night and there is.... she very rarely sleeps during the day and LOVES being carried around constantly!! She screams when left to play on her own or even when I pop her down just so I can go to the loo! I am tried to wean her off it as there is no way I want her to become a clingy baby. I'm hoping it's just her age and she will soon learn to amuse herself.

One thing our little bubs just suffer with and that is a lot of boggies, especially in the morning. I put few drops on Olbus Oil on a flannel in her cot to try and help her sleep and this just keep it a little clear but doesn't get rid of them completely. We have to put a Sinus spray in her nose each morning, then suck the boggie out with a tube type thing. Dan telling me a friend at work mum sucks it out with her mouth.... rank!!! It does help and she feels so much better afterwards but she absolutely hates it at the time! Poor thing.

Mum and I took her for her first jabs at 8 weeks. Poor thing didn't know what was coming and then had two injections, one in each thigh. It was the first time I heard her scream with pain and it was so upsetting. She recovered after a couple of minutes but I am definitely not looking forward to the injections when she gets older.

Sleeping in her own room!

6 weeks old (the first milestone passed)

Dan and I made the decision to move Sienna into her own room at about 5 weeks. The nursery is right next to our room so not too far away and I think we will all sleep a bit better this way. Sienna is a noisy little thing in her sleep bless her, so being in her own room will allow her to make as much sleep noises as she wants without her waking mum and dad! We are hoping that with her in her own room she may sleep for longer at night as she will only wake us when she is really hungry rather than just stirring and waking us up then!

So far so good, she is sleeping like a little dream! She is also out of her swaddle and in a proper 'grown up' sleeping bag, which is very cute! The sleeping bags are awesome and so much easier to use, she can't kick her covers off either, which is fab!

We can't complain as she is a good little sleeper, she has her bath about 7pm ish, we have started waking her at around 10pm for a feed and then she tends to sleep through until about 4am ish! Our aim with the 10pm feed is for her to hopefully try to go until 7am. It will take time but hopefully will try and get her into the full night sleep routine soon!

Dan has had his second week of paternity leave which was lovely as he only gets to spend time with Sienna over the weekend. He gets home too late in the week so just sees her for her bath and last feed. I think it was a bit of an eye opener for him looking after Sienna for such a long time. I think he secretly always wondered why I never have time to do anything (have his dinner ready on the table when he got home) and when I say I was just busy looking after the little one he thought I was just sat cuddling her all day! hehe! She is such a good little thing but I don' t think anything can prepare you for having a baby.... all your free time of sitting watching TV or surfing the internet goes out the window as the little one pretty much needs 24/7 entertaining!!

She has started to enjoy playing on her little playmat which is fab. She only lasts about 10mins before getting bored and crying but it's nice to see that she has begun to play with things. We put a mobile above her changing table and she loves looking at it whilst we are changing her (she still screams her head off when we change her though.....).

I have started to notice over the last week that she is not a fan of entertaining herself..... she wants to be picked up and held pretty much at all times! It's lovely as cuddles are always good but when I am home alone and have things to do carrying her around all day is a nightmare! I am going to do a bit of reading up on how to wean her out of this 'needy' way. It might to too early at 6 weeks but I will see what I can find...

I went to stay up at my parents for a few days which was so lovely! It was the first time Dad has seen Sienna since she was born. I saw Nick, Abi and the boys which was cool too. Josh and Felix adore their little cousin and Felix was very cute with her, trying to be so gentle! I think Josh will be a fantastic older cousin looking out for her too!

I start my baby massage in a few weeks, which I can't wait for. At the moment she is not a fan of after bath time and tends to just cry when she is having her moisturiser done so I am hoping she starts to enjoy it once we do the little lessons.

Overall, the first 6 weeks has past and she has been great. We feel like she has been with us for a much longer time than that but we have finally got our head round her routine and having the little princess in our lives!