I haven't updated on here in the longest time! I thought I'd leave it closer to the end of month 10 to do an update and then completely forgot until now, sorry Beans!

You have been an active little one recently, you have no troubles at all sitting for long periods of time all on your own and you'll happily sit on your mat for hours playing with toys. Daddy has been encouraging you to roll over and one day rolled you over on the bed and you haven't looked back! You love to roll now, although you still get your arm caught underneath you sometimes. You are great at holding yourself up on your arms and knees but haven't quite got round to thinking you can crawl just yet.

Your two little bottom teeth have finally sprouted and you are sporting the cutest little toothy grin! I think your top teeth might be bothering you as you are pulling a new face which we like to call your "Voldemort" look (who knows if you'll know who that is, ha!) but there's no real sign of them yet.

We bought you a paddling pool at the weekend as we've had some sunshine recently and you loved it. You happily splashed away all day and I can't wait until we can take you swimming properly and when you see the sea!

You're growing quite a lot at the moment and your 9-12 month clothes are starting to feel a little snug. 

You've also moved on from your stage 2 foods and are now on stage 3 which are much more "meal-like." You are not a very adventurous eater (feeding yourself) and don't have much interest at all in any bits of food put in front of you, you much prefer to be fed from a spoon. You do, however, LOVE trying lots of different flavours, some you are a fan of, others are a definite no-no.

You are starting to show when you are unhappy when something isn't what you want, tonight GD was showing you a picture book and when he took it away, you started crying. As soon as he opened it again you squealed and smiled, cheeky! You also still love watching Baby Einstein and as soon as you hear the opening music, you wave your arms and smile, it's so cute!

You have had your second haircut and you look so much more grown up now. Your hair is looking a lighter shade of blonde and I'm not sure if a wave might be making an appearance! Mummy has curly hair and Daddy had wavy hair, so it would be a surprise if you had completely straight hair, I guess we'll find out soon.

You are going to be One in two weeks time and I can't believe how quickly your first year has gone. We've already got you your presents and your cupcakes have been chosen, I can't wait for your party to celebrate a whole year of you being in our lives. 

Lots of love! xxxxxx

Oscar's 9 Month Update

Hi Oscar!

This is up a few weeks later than it should have been but things have been a bit crazy round here lately!

This month both Mummy and Daddy got new jobs which is exciting (maybe not for you now, but hopefully for your future!) I'm only working part time two days a week so I can be with you for the majority of the time and Grandma has stepped in as babysitter and is thrilled to see her "beanie man" for an extra couple of days a week.

You are growing and changing constantly and you are such a clever little boy. You love playing with the badges that I have on my work uniform and the one I have on my dressing gown which I left on from Christmas because you love it so much. You look for it straight away when I come in to you in the morning and when it's hidden, you pull my robe so that you can see and reach the badge!

You are now able to sit up unsupported for long periods of time but you prefer to recline where possible haha. You are showing a greater interest in more of your toys and are a lot quicker to reach and grab for things and can maintain interest in what you're playing with for longer than before. You are also a lot stronger on your arms and can keep yourself lifted up and you like to bounce up and down on your knees whilst leaning on someone. Today, you also stood on your own on the sofa and kept yourself upright by placing your hands on the back of the seat. I'm really starting to think you're not going to be a crawler and just go from sitting to standing and toddling in the next few months.

You have got a brand new car seat which is much bigger and more spacious for you and it is front facing which you love. You can see mummy and daddy and you love staring out of the window and watching the world go by.

You've had a bit of trouble with your teething this month and we've had to give you Calpol on a couple of nights to help you sleep but you've mostly been getting by on your teething granules which you seem to be a fan of. You pull a hilarious (I'm sorry, but it is) face when your gums are irritating you and so I know it's time to give you another sachet. I can see the little white ridges on your gums, its your two front teeth on the bottom which will be making their appearance soon!

You are still a huge fan of bath time, you kick and splash so much that we have to cover your bedroom floor with towels and even they the floor still gets wet as does everything else... Sometimes you prefer to flap your arm instead which is a lot less messy but you're like a little frog in the water, it's so cute.
You also love playing peek-a-boo with us, if we put your bib or a scarf over your head, you love to pull it off and then do a massive grin when you've done it! You also love it when one of us hides our face and then uncovers it.

Daddy kept saying that your fringe was too long and it needed a trim, so I decided to give it a little snip the other morning and I'm sorry Oscar, but it didn't come out as well as I was hoping so I'm afraid there might be a little teasing and possibly some pictures saved for embarrassing birthday cakes when you're older ;)

We love you more and more every day which we didn't think was possible! You are the best little person we could ever have wished for and so much more.

xxxxxx

The Mummy Tag

1. Are you a Stay at Home Mum, or a Working Mum?

I'm currently a SAHM but I'm looking to go back to work part time, it's harder than I thought to find a job that has flexible enough hours!

2. Would you have it any other way?

I think being at home most of the time and working a few hours a week is the right balance for me so yes, I'd like to find a job please!

3. Do you co-sleep?

No, we never have and never will. Oscar has been put down on his own in his own basket/cot from day 1 and it has worked brilliantly for all of us.

4. What is your one must-have item for your baby?

Ewan The Dream Sheep! 

5. How many kids do you plan on having?

At the moment, we're happy with just one. We might consider in the future having a 2nd but nothing's decided yet.

6. Date nights? How often do you have them? 

Not very often at all! We tend to just get a bottle or two of wine and enjoy that on a Friday evening.

7. Your child's favourite show?

Baby Einstein is the favourite at the moment but he also enjoys The Tweenies, anything with bright colours really!

8. Name one thing you brought before you had the baby and never ended up using?

I think most things we bought have been used, we didn't go crazy buying loads of things and only got items we thought would be useful. One item that we stopped using after a couple of months was our baby monitor that had a movement sensor pad, it worked fine in his Moses Basket but used to go off constantly during the night once he moved into his cot. It nearly gave me a heart attack at first and then we ended up just turning it off and getting a HD sound monitor instead.

9. Your child's favourite food?

Strawberry flavoured anything.

10. How many cars does your family have?

1.

11. Weight gain, before pregnancy, during, after and now?

I had lost 3 stone before I got pregnant and finally got to about 9.12, I went up to 12.4 at the end of my pregnancy and I'm currently about 10.3 when I last checked a couple of weeks ago. (I'm 5'7)

12. Dream holiday with your kids?

America Roadtrip! Obviously when he's a bit older so he can remember it and also give us time to save up for it haha!

13. Dream holiday without your kids?

Amsterdam probably.

14. How has your life changed since having kids?

We have less money, haha! And also have to plan things around nap and feed times which can make getting out trickier than it was before.

15. Finish the sentence "It makes heart melt when..."

We go into him after his nap/sleep and as soon as he sees your face he breaks out into a huge grin, so cute! 

16. Where do you shop for your kids?

Mothercare, Next and Sainsbury's TU range have some adorable pieces for really cheap.

17. Favourite make-up and skincare products?

I don't have a huge selection of skincare but I love my micellar water and my Origins masks. For makeup, Max Factor mascaras and Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation.

18. Huggies or Pampers?

Aldi Mamia nappies, they are half the price and do the exact same job, no leakage.

19. Have you always wanted kids?

No, when I was a teenager I was adamant I would never have children EVER. Then when I got to 20 I started to change my mind and started thinking I'd like one and at 21 I got pregnant.

20. Best part of being a mum?

Watching him learn new things and interact and his smiles and laughs.

I tag anyone who hasn't done it yet and wants to!

Five Among Friends - Get To Know Me

Five Among Friends is a blog feature running different Q&A's each month, I thought it sounded like a great idea so decided to pop up a post and answer the questions!

This week's theme is Getting To Know You.....

This week's questions were written by Hayley at Sparkles & Stretchmarks....

The Questions

1) Describe yourself in 5 words

Ooh, I hate trying to describe myself! Hmm, I'd have to go for friendly, optimistic, shy, caring and I can't think of a word but I love messing about and finding the funny side of things? Immature maybe, haha.

2) Why did you decide to start blogging?

I was reading lots of blogs and I really wanted to start my own but didn't know where to start. My beauty blog started off as a lifestyle/pregnancy type blog but then I found I enjoyed blogging about beauty and was a bit wary about posting a lot about myself. I tried mixing baby & beauty on my blog but it didn't feel right so I made Tiny Flutters and here we are!

3) How did you choose the name of your blog and why?

I wanted something that related to babies but wasn't too central around Oscar's name in case we have another baby in the future and I'm still blogging. Tiny Flutters seemed like a good fit because when I first felt them in my belly, it really hit home that I was carrying a little person inside me and our lives were going to change forever. 

4) Tell us something about yourself that you think might surprise us!

Hmm, I mention my boyfriend quite a lot but he is actually 14 years older than me. When people first find out they're always really shocked and ask how do we get along but we've known each other nearly 4 years and been together over 3 and we never even notice the difference. I've never gotten along better with someone in my whole life and we are always chatting away and have so much in common.

5) What is your favourite and least favourite thing about blogging?

My favourite thing is that I just love being able to write. I've always loved writing since I was little and when I left education, I couldn't really find anything to write about until I discovered the blogging world. It's nice when you think of something you want to write about and then just go for it, especially when people comment. My least favourite thing is not being able to come up with anything to write about or worrying about someone leaving negative comments on one of my posts.

Don't forget to check out these other girls answers too....

Alex - Bump To Baby

Emily - London Mummy Of Two

Hayley - Sparkles & Stretchmarks

Jessica - Our Baby Blog

Kerry - Lived With Love

Lauren - Mrs Hippo & Me

Louise - Confessions Of A Secret Shopper

Rachel - BeautyQueen UK

Ewan The Dream Sheep & Ewan Snuggly | Review

I just thought I'd pop up a quick review of Oscar's favourite little friend. We got Ewan The Dream Sheep when I was pregnant after reading lots of 5 star reviews saying that he was a brilliant sleep aid (plus, isn't he adorable?) and we have not been disappointed.

According to the site, Ewan emits soothing sounds at a low base frequency and has a calming warm pink glow which will help settle babies and toddlers to sleep. The womb and heartbeat sounds that Ewan plays are actually recorded from real life to help make them extra soothing. He also has rain, vacuum cleaner and harp options mixed in with the heartbeat sound to provide extra reassurance. 

When Oscar arrived, Ewan was put into action straight away. Even from a few days old, Oscar enjoyed the red glow that he gives and fell asleep happily listening to the heartbeat option. We have always put Oscar down awake when we can and never soothed him to sleep on us, so Ewan has been even more important in providing reassurance and a calm atmosphere for Oscar.

To change the sounds that Ewan plays, you simply hold onto the button for  2-3 seconds on one of his legs and the sound then plays for twenty minutes - usually enough time for your little one to have drifted off. If not, just pop him back on his cycle again and you should be good to go.

Ewan also has a velcro tail so that you can hook him around a Moses Basket or cot or you can even take him on your travels with you, we've attached him to Oscar's pram a number of times when we've gone out and it helps him drift off to sleep even if we're out somewhere a little noisier than he is used to.

Now that Oscar's older, he absolutely loves playing with Ewan when he goes to bed. As soon as he's zipped into his sleeping bag he turns to look for Ewan's glow and starts stroking him. He has now also figured out how to change the options so we often hear the sounds changing on the monitor as he clicks away, haha!

When my mum and I were out shopping, we spotted Ewan Snuggly and he was purchased immediately. As soon as we showed him to Oscar, he reached out for him and started squeaking happily and I don't think I've ever seen him so excited with a toy, he was playing with him the whole car journey back and then fell asleep with him under his arm. Ewan Snuggly has knotted legs for baby to play with and he's also the perfect size for tiny hands to grasp onto easily. Plus, this little guy has a velcro tail just like his friend, so we tend to fasten him onto Oscar's dummy strap so he doesn't go astray.

Overall, Ewan has definitely been one of, if not the best purchase we've made for Oscar and I couldn't recommend him highly enough. He's been loved  from Day 1 and he's still useful as he grows up through to toddler age (maybe longer!) he also won the Mother & Baby Gold Award 2014. If you want more info about Ewan, then click here.

Oscar's 8 Month Update

Hey Oscar!

Another month has gone by and we are getting closer and closer to your 1st birthday, I can't believe it's only one more month and then you will have been out in the world for as long as you were in my belly. It seems like you have been a part of our family for ever and we can't remember what it was like without you. You bring smiles to our faces every day and a little grin or laugh from you can brighten any day.

You are now able to sit up on your own unaided for short amounts of time, you like to sit on the sofa and play with your toys or sit on our bed. You still need a little support or else you might topple over but you are getting stronger every day.
You have started shaking your head from side to side and if someone shakes their head at you, you sometimes copy us and do it back! You also love to pull your socks off at every opportunity you get, I have a pile of odd socks due to them getting placed around the house. You are loving your bath time more and more and love kicking your legs like a little frog. I can see your personality developing all the time and you are getting better and better at expressing yourself and when you want something, you're not shy to let us know!

You are still on your Stage 2 weaning foods but we introduced you to mandarins a few days ago and it was love at first taste - you cried when Daddy was eating them without offering you any. You are now having them daily as a snack and we chop them up into smaller segments for you. You try and squash them a bit with your tongue so I think you might be getting accustomed to not swallowing everything whole... Raspberries and strawberries are next on the agenda!

You have had a slight change in your sleeping routine, you now tend to wake at about 8am and go down at 8pm but you just started getting tired earlier, so we changed the times and it's working much better for us all.
You don't seem to have any interest in your dummy at all these days and so they are very rarely used, you still prefer your thumb.

 I think you are teething at the moment as you are sporting some cute rosy cheeks accompanied by a lot of drooling and chewing on everything you can get your little hands on. You're also fond of pulling some hilarious faces (see last picture, haha) that look like it might be your gums irritating you but you've been a good sport so far and not complained much at all.

You are such a well behaved little man, we can take you out anywhere and you always sit quietly and patiently and never complain or kick up a fuss, you have the most lovely personality.
It's your Grandad's birthday tomorrow, so we will be visiting Grandma & Grandad tomorrow for a little celebration.

We love you so much.

xxxx

Next Boys Spring Collection Picks

Now the shops are beginning to introduce the Spring range of clothes, I couldn't help but have a little browse and see what cute things I could find for Oscar. He'll be in 9-12 month clothing by the time Spring properly comes around, so this year we'll be able to be a bit more adventurous with clothes for him as he was only a newborn when it was last warm.

As usual, I had a little peek at Next's offerings and these were the few pieces that really caught my eye. Oscar hates wearing bulky clothing, so this lightweight zipped green hoody will be perfect when the weather's warmer but there's still a little breeze in the air. I thought this World Explorer t-shirt was adorable, it also has a print on the back and I love putting Oscar in brighter clothes, I think they look so cute on babies and children.
For the earlier parts of Spring, you won't go amiss with with something a little warmer - this Stone Anorak will be great for any rainy days due to being shower resistant and having a hood now that Oscar will be in a new car seat meaning he'll be carried to and from the car with no protection.
I couldn't resist these Monster jeans, I absolutely love anything with dinosaurs or monsters on for Oscar so that's how the little set of 3 t-shirts caught my eye too.
Finally, these Denim look shorts are a must, I like Oscar wearing jeans when we're going out somewhere proper but if he's just having a lazy day then it's nice for him to feel comfy in something a little softer and lighter.