Beautiful Bea is 7 months old

She started sitting independently at 5 months

Crawling at 6

She is now starting to stand at every opportunity

And will soon I am certain be cruising the furniture

It has all happened so fast

And we are in no way prepared

Tilda sat early but she did not crawl until the day she died

Aged 9 months

Esther and William were older still

Because of their prematurity

This is something new

Bea is something else!

She is a big, strong baby

She is a power house

And it is easy to forget how very young and fragile she is

She moves fast and she is determined to lay her hands on all the things she cannot have

Because she is so young

She does not have the language to tell us what she is trying to do

Where she is trying to go

She does not really understand caution or danger

There is a lot of miscommunication going on!

Before kitting her out in a safety helmet and protective pads

Or putting her in a cage

There are more measured approaches we can try

To baby proof our home

The average age for a baby to start crawling is 8 months

So Baby Bea being only just 6 months

Has taken us a little by surprise

Really you should prepare your home

Before your baby is on the move

Here are some of the things you can do

To keep your baby safe once they are on the move

Keep the floor clear of small items, babies will put anything and everything into their mouths. Small items can be a choking hazard.

Do not leave your baby unattended.

These are just some of the precautions you can take to protect your baby at home

David and I took special care to make Esther and William’s bedroom as safe as possible

Now we are doing the same for Bea

I would love to know your top tips for babyproofing your home

Is it possible to prevent accidents with a very young crawling baby

Or should I invest in one of these?

For more tips on babyproofing your home you can check out Baby Centre

Wondering whether babyproofing is worth it? Read ROSPA here

If you decide that babyproofing is for you, check out Lindam for a wide range of safety products for your home

Today I am giving up giving up for Lent

I put myself on an 8-8 each day social media ban

For the 40 days of lent

I cannot do it

I don’t feel that I am gaining anything from doing it

I concede to David

My husband who is always right

That I cannot do it

And I do not want to

I managed two weeks

Then I started doing some social media for David’s work

And then yesterday the #startingschool campaign was too important to miss

And today has just been a farce of pretending not to be online

When really I am

It just all feels like a lot of nonsense

I am glad that I tried though

It has shown me a few things about myself

I like being on social media

I like the instant responses

I like answers to my questions

I like finding, reporting and reflecting on information

I like sharing photos

It has become part of me

I also like having times away from the screen

I like giving Bea my undivided attention

I like pottering with her around the house

I want to make my time with all my children more valuable

More meaningful

I think rather than giving something of mine up

I want to pledge to do stuff for them

My children

My husband

My family

The problem is that words are easy

I need to stop finding excuses for seeing them through

So I am giving up giving up for Lent

Instead I am going to get on and do

As we see the signs of Spring beginning

My plan is this

Get outside with Bea at least once a day

Not just the school run but a cup of tea in the garden

Or a walk up the hills behind our house

Spending some proper time outside

Set up an Invitation to Play after school each day

This does not always have to be messy or sensory play

It can be a fun themed snack with a story to share

Some colouring and TV

A picnic tea outside

Something that shows Esther and William I have planned for them

When they have not been there

This will also mean I am thinking and doing stuff

That is not computer related

Eat More Healthily

Over the last two weeks it has become clear to me

That I eat when I am bored

I also comfort eat

I just eat

And when I am not busy doing anything

I eat more

SO the plan is to busy myself

And when I do eat to eat healthily

I want to tie in my healthy eating

With weaning Bea

And making healthy family meals

I would like us to eat together more during the week

We always have breakfast together

And we eat a healthy wholegrain cereal based breakfast

But after that as things stand

The healthy eating wheels come off

Esther and William have school dinner

Where they seem to eat jacket potatoes every day

And I snack throughout the day

And sometimes eat something more substantial for lunch

David and I always eat a healthy dinner

But we could definitely do with more variety in our meals

I think food and cooking could become a new focus for me

I love eating

So I would like to become better at making, cooking and baking food

If Chris Moyles can do it, surely so can I!

So I am back

Back to daily media of the social kind

I have missed it more than I thought

You people have helped to get me through some tough tough times

Social media in equal measure makes me smile and drives me crazy

It also keeps me sane, holds my hand

And stands by my side through the tough stuff

I thank you and salute you online followers and friends

I would not be who or where I am without you

I am giving up giving up for Lent

Instead I am going to get on and do

I am going to Live!

My parents introduced me to songs that tell stories

Songs with real melodies and memorable lyrics

My parents introduced me to artists I would adore for always

Records I would return to over and over again

That would become more relevant as time moved on

Music that was the soundtrack to my childhood

The soundtrack to my life

Music mixed in with memories and emotions

Music of times gone by

Music from their generation

An era before my own

Music that perhaps in many ways

Made me who I am

These are just some of the best songs

My parents handed down