DIY light box

I have wanted a light box for Lumpy for a long, long time. The price tag always put me off. I looked up DIY so I could make a light box. However was put off by perspex and wood frame making. Fast forward a year (or 2 or 3), I revisited the DIY light box. I discovered that all I really needed was - a white or clear box, white paper, tape, foil and a light source!! We had an old small camping lantern that we took the casing off. All supplies we have at home, no need to buy anything. Other light source ideas included - christmas light strings, the battery operated tea light candles, small led lights.

I put foil all around the sides and bottom of the box, to project the light upwards. My husband put the foil over the light so it wasn't concentrated in one place and dispersed around the box to bounce off the foil and up. I did use some tape on the foil to hold it in place. Tape white paper to the lid. I used normal printer A4 paper.

A quick test shot.

I put an old sheet and some black fabric over Lumpy's play tent, set up the light box and a few items to put on the lid - water beads, buttons, some craft beads and a few marbles

Prompt to play

playing with the buttons

Marbles!

Waterbeads.

Baby play

Those who know me, know I LOVE sensory play for kids and infants. Lets confess, I love getting my hands in on shaving foam and goey messy play. After a huge Pintrest feeding session yesterday, I found a heap of cool ideas for baby sensory play!! I took some of those ideas and used what I had on hand :)

Miss 2.0 has been out of sorts and feeding a lot the last 24 or so hours, making getting stuff done hard. This morning I reallllllly needed to clean my floor, However 2.0 wasn't happy to play on the floor without me. While I am a true believer in "the dishes can wait while I show the kids the rainbow, the rainbow won't wait while I do the dishes", my floors were realllllly in need of a vacuum.
Anyway, I did see baby playing in a box. So I figured I'd find a box (Anyone who knows my husband knows we have a box or two around the house), But some soft blocks in and pop 2.0 in and moved her around the house while I did the floors. I think the picture speaks for itself!
I really, really love how determined she is at trying to grab things, The concentration on her face is priceless, and then the title "victory" noises she makes melt my heart!

We still have a lot of water beads left, so when i saw on pinterest people making sensory bags and bottles for babies, I decided to use the water beads.

You can just use a snap lock bag, I got this slightly stronger bag with purchase so used that. I reinforced the seal with clear packing tape. I did not add any gel/soap/water to the bag as the beads have quiet a good squishability and movement as is.
The water bottle I decided to not add a liquid first, purely for weight 2.0 is only 4.5 months old and I just learning to hold things, i didn't want her to drop a full/partially full bottle on herself, plus it would add weight. I will add a liquid when she is bigger so the movement of the beads is altered. Clear packing tape around the lid also.
I used clear packing tape for 2 reasons - 1) It doesn't take focus off the beads and 2) we have lots of it.

Please excuse the Brisbane Baby Uniform of a nappy and nothing else!

They were fascinating from the start!

Giving them a poke, she actually got cranky when they kept moving away from her hand.

She was fascinated in this when i was holding it and shaking it. Once she had it, it became food.

I'm already working through a few ideas for next time!

Iron balls take 1

So I'm a non red meat (or pig or emu or crocodile) eating, breastfeeding Mumma. I've always had issues with my iron. I can generally keep my iron stable and need to take tablets at times of stress, big workloads or pregnant/breastfeeding.

Anyway, I was looking for iron boosting snacks.

***** Please note, if you suspect low iron, consult your doctor before attempting to treat it.
****** Please note, this is not medical advice, this is a recipe for getting more iron into MY diet. Which I am sharing for others to try as a snack.
******* Chickpeas can cause excess wind in some people, so use caution if breastfeeding. ... or going on a road trip in a full car.

Google gave me some ideas on what to eat - 100grams of chickpeas 6.2mg... YUM chickpeas.. right? !?

So I decided to make chickpea balls with some other iron containing foods

So here is my recipe for.
iron balls take 1

200 grams chickpeas (tinned, rinsed very very well) 12.4mg iron
50 g dried dates 0.5mg iron
15 g cacao 2.2mg iron
Honey
Blitzed up oats

Blend the dates and chickpeas until all combined and sticking together
Mix in honey to your taste.
I found it a little too moist so added some blitzed up oats (diy quick oats )
Roll into balls. I made 10 biggish balls, so roughly 1.5mg iron per ball.

I have a sweet tooth so I dipped my balls into melted chocolate and refrigerated. You could try rolling in coconut or chocolate sprinkles.
Store in fridge

A few things I will do different next time
1 use apricots instead of dates (slightly higher iron)
2 refrigerate the mix for 30-60 minutes before rolling/ dipping as they became very sticky towards the end  (could also be the brisbane heat ;))
3 I may add peanut butter.

You could also add any protein/superfood/nutrient powders you take.

This was the first time I have worked with cacao.... no one warned me how strong the flavour is!!

Miss Lumpy  enjoyed the bowl!

Lumpy and I make brownies

My love of peanut butter and nutella are no secret.
So when I found this recipe, I had to try and modify it.
recipe here

Amazingly good brownies!!!!
I added nutella at the end and swirled it through.

As I'm sure I've mentioned before I like to bake with Lumpy so she learns measures and fractions. It also builds confidence  (because anyone who has met Lumpy knows she needs more confidence  ;)).

Clean up is important!

Baby ball play

Lumpy had a play date at an indoor play centre yesterday. Of course when at this types of places, I'm redundant. So  I decided to put 2.0 in the ball pit of the baby section . She loved it. Laughed, ate balls, just chilled.

So this morning I dug out Lumpy ' s old balls and put them inside the play tent for 2.0.

There was lots of rolling, talking and eating of the balls again.

She is doing very well with her grabbing and holding. It is so cute watching her tea and coordinate both hands to hold one thing ♡.

Lumpy was not impressed as there was not enough balls for her to jump in like at the play centre!

Home made ice cream

I love peanut butter. I love nutella. I love ice cream.... see where this is going???

Yep.
I have just made peanut butter and nutella ice cream.

I can give you my base recipe... the exact quantities of peanut butter and nutella are to your taste... so needless to say I added a bit.
Remember to freeze your ice cream maker bowl for 24 hours before making ice cream
OK basic recipe
1/2 cup of sugar (I reduced to quarter for this)
1 cup of milk
2 cups of cream

Dissolve the sugar in the milk and combine the cream. Mix well.

I melted a few table spoons of peanut butter and nutella in the microwave and whisked through the milk/cream /sugar.

Pour into ice cream maker and wait desperately for about 25 minutes (-/+ depending on how you like it and your machine)

USA

We have recently returned from a family holiday to the USA! 14 hour flight and 2 other flights to our destinations (Orlando) with a 4.5yr old and a 12 week old.....What were we thinking?! Actually both girls were pretty good and it was an amazing trip! Well worth the 18 months worth of planning and saving. Some very special memories were made.

We had breakfast with the Disney Princesses. The princesses came around to our tables for photos, a cuddle and signatures (if you had a signature book). Lumpy got to meet "Snow Wipe".
One of my life long dreams came true also... I got to ride on the Mad Hatters Tea cups!!!!

 Lumpy had a great time, she did so much walking around Disney! She wasn't as keen on the Kennedy Space Centre. The grown ups did enjoy the space centre though! A quote from the wise old owl 4.5year old "AT the Grand Canyon, There was a hole in the ground".

We loved it so much, we will go back when 2.0 is old enough (well actually tall enough) to go on the rides!