7 months old

7 months old and continuing to delight everyone with his beautiful little personality.

 

His brothers all dote on him, and who can blame them?!

 

It's three weeks now since he learned how to roll from his back to his front. A week ago he learned how to go from front to back again and will sometimes go over two or three times.

 

I found this batch of photos on the iPad that the boys took of him. They were so cute that I couldn't leave any of them out, so be prepared for baby overload!

 

These are Fraser with Ally (4) in the background. Ally is wearing one of Fraser's bibs because he wanted to be a cowboy that day :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And these were taken with his biggest brother James (14). I suspect that Calum (11) was the photographer of both sets of photos!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite how content he looks in all these photos of him on his tummy, he does soon get tired of it and want either rolled back again or picked up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another couple of milestones.

 

Just over a week ago he cut his first tooth. It's at the bottom but hard to see as he always sticks his wee tongue over it when you try and look in his mouth! He has always loved to chew on his thumb, but he's not a thumb sucker, and has occasionally given himself a wee shock when he bites it with his new tooth!

 

The second milestone was the introduction of solid foods yesterday. I didn't plan to wait until he was seven months and had meant to begin when he turned six months, but, well, I just didn't get around to it! Besides, he's not exactly wasting away on his mummy's milk!

 

The other boys were so excited for him to have his first taste of food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He had a little bit of puréed mango & apple and he seemed rather impressed by it.

 

 

 

As you can see!

 

 

 

He was eager to try again at lunchtime today and now the excitement of introducing lots of different foods begins.

 

 

Sticking with food, last week when Alasdair had a dermatology appointment the doctor told us that she had just that morning received the results of Fraser's food allergy blood test and written to the dietician and our GP. We still haven't received our copy of the letter but she said that from what she could remember he has the same allergies as Calum (11) and Alasdair (4) - dairy, wheat and egg. She couldn't remember if he was allergic to nuts or not.

 

I really hoped he would be spared the food allergies but I suppose at least we know what we are doing by now.

 

Food allergies and eczema don't affect how beautiful and perfect he is!

 

 

 

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Bake it like Berry - Cakes and more cakes

 

Since I didn't get round to posting about last week's bakes here they are along with this week's.

 

 

The first thing I baked from the book after the last bakes I shared was Mary's Key Lime Pie, which was absolutely delicious. I made it to have for pudding one night when we had friends round and as I sat down with it I remembered I had forgotten to take a photo. 'Never mind, I'll take a photo of the leftovers afterwards,' I thought, as I didn't want to take one there at the dinner table. Later on in the evening, when we had all left the table, my husband sat down next to me and confessed that when he had been topping up the coffees in the kitchen he had also polished off the rest of the Key Lime Pie as he had enjoyed it so much!

 

I have since made the same pudding again, this time when my parents were round for dinner, and again it didn't last long! Again, no photo!

 

 

 

Next bake was this Coffee Traybake. Mary's recipe is actually for a Coffee and Walnut Traybake but I wasn't going to add the nuts for our household. I also made it gluten and dairy free and it worked perfectly. I really liked the generous quantities of coffee icing for the top of the Traybake.

 

 

 

 

One of Calum's favourite cakes is a gingerbread and so as he flicked through the Baking Bible one afternoon, he asked if we could try one of the gingerbread recipes. There are two or three of them in the book. We chose the traditional gingerbread recipe and again made it gluten and dairy free. It is a similar recipe and method to the gingerbread recipe we make (see wheat free recipes tab) but Mary adds a lot more treacle than we use. This recipe didn't ask for icing on top but Calum loves icing on gingerbread and so we added some to this one too.

 

 

 

 

The final new bake this week was this really beautiful Lemon Cake. It was so light and lemony. A perfect summer sponge cake. I took some along to our parents' craft group at the boys' school this morning and the empty tin I took home spoke for itself!

 

 

As well as these new bakes we've also made a couple more batches of those delicious chocolate cookies from the last Bake it like Berry post and another batch of the griddle scones.

 

There are so many lovely looking recipes in this book that I can hardly decide what to add to my to do list for next week!

 

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Makings - Crochet Madagascar Penguin

 

Calum (11) asked me if I would crochet him something to give to his best friend for his birthday.

 

He had a look through my Pinterest Crochet board and decided he would like this wee fellow.

 

 

The lighting in the photos is terrible but you get the idea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He is based on this pattern here and was pretty straightforward to crochet.

 

Calum now wants me to crochet one of this penguin's friends so that he and his friend have penguin buddies!

 

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Look out bad guys.

Has there ever been a cuter super hero?

 

Alasdair (4) is still a huge Captain America fan (as is his 14 year old brother actually!) and was saving up his pennies to buy this costume.

 

He was the proudest little boy ever when he was finally able to buy it.

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Getting fit and healthy

Ha, well there's a title I didn't think I'd ever see myself writing!

 

Don't worry, I haven't given up on the cake baking. That just wouldn't be me, and I'm still a firm believer that a little of what you fancy - substitute cake/chocolate here - does you no harm at all. Moderation is the key.

 

Trouble was that I realised I was indulging a little too much. I was using the excuse that I needed extra calories as I'm breast feeding as a reason to eat a bag of mini eggs in one sitting. And while this hasn't really done me any harm in the short term, I realised I should probably try and clean up my snacking habits a bit.

 

That's where my downfall was. We eat healthy home cooked meals every night. One plus side of cooking for allergies is that you can't eat processed food and so need to cook from scratch. But in between meals I was reaching for the biscuit jar a little too often. But hey, those of you who have breast fed know how hungry you get, right? Ravenously so at times, and a handful of chocolate digestives fits the bill just nicely!

 

A little over a month ago I came across the green smoothie challenge at simplegreensmoothies.com. They challenge you to drink a green smoothie every day for 30 days. It sounded like just what I needed to kick start the new healthy me. I read the site a little more and they claimed that by drinking a daily green smoothie your cravings for sweet things would go down. I was a little less convinced by that! Still, I wanted to give it a go and that week I added a couple of bags of spinach to my shopping list, as well as a pile of extra fruits.

 

Now I'll admit, it's not the most attractive looking thing once it's all mushed up in the blender, and I did get some looks of horror from the boys and my beloved, and it does smell a little bit like fresh grass - stick with me here - but it tastes delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was an instant convert, easily drinking my one smoothie a day, and this Thursday my 30 days are up!

 

Plus, they were right. I didn't want to eat that junk between meals any more.

 

Simplegreensmoothies.com is full of inspiring green smoothie recipes and beautiful coloured photographs of them but my favourite one is one I came up with using the formula they give below...

 

 

 

If you've never tried a green smoothie before then try this one: 1 cup spinach, 1 cup water, 1 mango, 2 oranges. It's like a bright and sunshiny morning.

 

 

Moving on from the smoothies, I decided to add a little extra excercise into my life too. I've always considered looking after the boys and everything that running a busy household involves as enough excercise for me. Then on top of that there's the walking involved in taking the boys to school and back. It must add up!

 

But then one day Calum (11) came home from school on a day when he has running club, and asked if I would go out running with him as he wanted to run more than just once a week at club. On top of that, both he and David are working on their fitness at rugby too.

 

I didn't outwardly laugh when Calum suggested it but inwardly, well, I've spent my whole life avoiding running. It just wasn't me. But then I thought, why not? I might hate it or I might love it and it's worth a shot.

 

So, I downloaded a couch to 5k app, and we began our training schedule at the weekend.

 

At the moment this picture sums up my fledgling running...

 

...but you've got to start somewhere.

 

I'm using the NHS couch to 5k podcasts. In the first week you run for 60 seconds then walk for 90 seconds and repeat this 8 times, with a 5 minute walk at the start and end. Calum and David (8) are my running buddies, Ally (4) comes along on his scooter (although he sometimes puts it up on the pram and runs along) and Fraser is pushed along in the pram. I'm not sure if the pram is making it easier for me or harder. It's nice to have something to lean on but it's also tougher on the hills!

 

We've decided to take a running selfie after we complete each session and this was our very first one.

 

 

I like to think that I'll stick with the programme. I know it's going to get tougher but it's good having the boys keen to get involved. James (14) also wants to start running but he thinks our pace is a bit slow for him and he might join in later.

 

You only run 3 days a week, with a rest day in between each run day. On my rest days I've been doing Zumba - which I love! I haven't been going to classes, but bought the game for the Wii on eBay. And I always close the curtains before having a go! Again, Calum, David & Ally love to join in and I often end up doing it with Fraser in the baby sling.

 

I hardly know myself any more!

 

 

 

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Recipe of the Week - Gluten & Dairy Free Mini Doughnuts

These little beauties are deceptively simple to make.

 

 

 

I don't want to make a habit of sharing recipes that need a specialist bit of kit, but I think this one is worth being the exception! I've heard many people who are gluten free say how much they miss being able to eat a doughnut and with this little tin they are really easy to make.

 

I bought mine quite a few years ago from Lakeland but they don't stock them any more. I emailed them to ask if they had any plans to restock them and I received a reply saying that they didn't. So, I had a quick look on Amazon and found a very similar looking one here. I should add that I don't get any Amazon affiliates or anything, just wanted to help share the doughnutty love!

 

When I first got our tin, no matter how well I thought I had greased it the doughnuts would still stick a little, especially the middles. Then I thought about doing what I do when I make Yorkshire puddings as they never stick - heat up a little oil in each space first. It worked perfectly.

 

Now that Calum (11) loves to bake, I have started to write down my recipes in a little book for him. He can now go ahead and bake without me having to tell him the recipe each time.

 

Isn't it cute?

 

 

For the mini doughnuts you will need:

 

350ml rice milk

2eggs

8oz Doves Farm Gluten Free Self Raising Flour

4oz sugar

1tsp vanilla essence

 

Oil for greasing

Extra sugar for dusting.

 

- Pour about 1/2 a teaspoon of oil into each section of your mini doughnut tin and then put into a preheated oven at 180C for about 5 minutes until hot.

- Put the rice milk, eggs, flour, sugar and vanilla essence into a bowl and beat well with a whisk until you have a smooth batter.

- To make pouring the mix into the tin easier it is best to transfer it all into a good pouring jug now.

- Pour a little mix into each section of the tin. Fill each section to about 3/4 full. No higher or your doughnut will rise too high and the hole will close up.

- Bake at 180C for about 20 minutes until golden.

- Let them cool for a little before trying to remove from the tin. They should come out with just a wee twist.

- Dip each doughnut into some extra sugar (the side that has been in the tin will be best for the sugar to stick to) before cooling on a cooling rack.

 

 

VARIATION

- Add 1 tsp cinnamon to the batter mix instead of the vanilla and then add another tsp of cinnamon to the sugar you use to coat the doughnuts.

- Dip the cooled doughnuts in some water icing and then dip into some gluten free sprinkles.

- Dip the cooled doughnuts into some melted dairy free chocolate.

 

 

 

 

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This little man....

....loves his mammy's silky top.

 

It has a big cowl neck that he loves to chew on when I wear it. The other day when one of the boys took the washing in off the line for me they handed Fraser the top and he had a happy wee chew and cuddle with it!

 

 

 

 

Another of his brothers took the photos, which is why some of them were at funny angles!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This little man got some goalie gloves of his own at the weekend, so he can now be like his big brothers when they play football together. He was quite the proper goal keeper, throwing himself around on the ground to stop the ball.

 

 

 

 

And back to this little man, who learned how to roll over from his back to his tummy for the first time on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

He was rather pleased with himself at first.

 

 

 

But then he looked at me as if he was saying, 'OK mam, now how do I get back again?!'

 

 

 

He doesn't roll over much yet and when he does he still gives me that panicked look once he's over! Being on his tummy just isn't quite so much fun.

 

Yet.

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The return of Bake it like Berry

 

 

A little over a year ago I set myself the challenge of baking my way through Mary Berry's Baking Bible.

 

Only a couple of weeks after I started it I discovered I was expecting Fraser. And then the pregnancy sickness hit me! Even just the thought of cakes made me feel ill for all 9 months and so I only baked the essentials - the usual free from bakes for Calum and Alasdair.

 

I had to stop scrolling through my Pinterest feed, usually filled with lots of inspiration for yummy cakes, as even looking at cake made me feel sick!

 

I didn't want to forever associate the Baking Bible with how horrible I felt and so I postponed my challenge.

 

Those of you who followed my pregnancy updates will remember how out of character I felt by this dislike of sweet things. It wasn't new to me though, as in each pregnancy I have felt the same.

 

Now that Fraser is 6 months old, and in some sort of a routine, I'm ready to take on the challenge again. I should also add that he was more than worth every moment of that sickness.

 

So, here's what I tried out this week....

 

Firstly, some Double Chocolate Cookies.

 

These were so, so easy to make. They were so good that James (14) made up a second batch a couple of days after I had made the first.

 

 

 

Secondly was this Lemon Swiss Roll.

 

 

The recipe is actually the same as the one I use for our Jam Rolly Polly (recipe in the recipes tab above) but with some lemon zest added. I told Calum (11) that I was going to make this and asked if he wanted it made free from, as Jam Rolly Polly is one of his favourites, but he wasn't too keen on the idea of lemon! So I didn't.

 

It was a really lovely and light cake.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally I made some simple Griddle Scones.

 

 

Each weekend we have pancakes for breakfast and I always my granny's griddle for them but it was scones just like these that my granny used to make all the time.

 

 

 

Again, another simple recipe. These could easily be rustled up quickly for a last minute visitor and don't even need an egg in them.

 

They were especially good warm from the griddle and reminded me of summers at my granny's when she would bake endless batches of scones on the old stove. All that was missing was granny's homemade Rhubarb Jam!

 

 

So that's the roundup for this week. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of the kitchen this coming week!

 

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Quick Lollipop Flowerpot Craft

 

I made up a selection of these little flower pots to give as gifts at Christmas time.

 

Thinking ahead now to the end of the school term in a couple of months, these would make a slightly different than usual teacher gift.

 

They are so quick & easy to make that even if you think of yourself as non crafty I'm pretty sure you could rustle this one up!

 

Not only is it quick & easy to make but it's also not going to break the bank.

 

 

All you need is:

 

A smallish terracotta flower pot

A couple of sheets of green tissue paper

A bag of lollipops

A circle of florists foam to fit your pot (Hobbycraft sell these small ones in packs of three)

 

 

 

All you need to do is rip off a rough square of tissue paper, fold it over a little if you want, and pierce the lollipop stick through the middle of it.

 

 

You will have a strange shaped green 'leaf' on your lollipop flower that you can now crumple up a little bit more around the flower.

 

 

 

Then just stick the lolly sticks into the florist foam.

 

 

 

Once I was happy with the position of all of my 'flowers' then I reshaped the 'leaves' a bit better to hide the florist foam below.

 

 

 

Simple!

 

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