Keeping an Eighteen Month Old Entertained Indoors- Ten Fun Activities

My little Squish is growing up at lightning speed. He is learning to talk in caveman-like sentences, sing nursery rhymes and to engage in imaginative play. With all this rapid development, he needs more and more stimulation to keep him busy while I attempt to get some work done.

Here are our favourite indoor activities at the moment:

1. Tiny books

We have a big basket full of tiny toddler sized books. These are great for mommy to read to tiny sized toddler. However, their primary use in our house is different- the books get stacked, lined up, scattered or arranged in various other patterns. Emptying from the basket and throwing back in is also a favourite activity (though mommy does most of the re-packing).

2. Little plastic corner pieces

These little plastic bits came as protective covers on a new lounge suite (now an old lounge suite). They now get stacked and un-stacked and also get used to create obstacle courses.

3. Play dough

This is great for when I need to get some work done. I use an edible, home-made version. 

4. Wooden blocks

Building towers is a favourite at the moment.Breaking down towers is even more popular.

5. Camera phone

Ocassionally, I let my little man take selfies from my phone. You cannot tell that this is a blurry version of his tracksuit top and possibly his face, but aren't the colours pretty?

6. Bag of tricks

This one is always a hit. Fill a bag with random objects- an empty container, an old set of keys, a broken watch, some paper, a cloth, a calculator, a bangle or any other non-toys (adult stuff is way more fun apparently). Let toddler explore. Change items in the bag each time it is produced. (P.S. Old set of keys can be listed as a separate item as toddlers will find a myriad of uses for these.) 

A variation of this is to fill an old purse or wallet with business cards or other cards that you are no longer using (like those store cards that keep arriving in the mail that you have no intention of activating).

7. Cooking

Squish loves playing with Noodle's toy pots, pans and plastic toys. He whips up delicious meals for me- like this one. Sausages and cooked gherkin anyone? Real pots, pans and spoons are also very popular at the moment.

8. Pegs 

Yes, regular clothes pegs make great toys. I give Squish a little rod and he tries to pin all the pegs onto the rods. (This activity normally happens while I am hanging washing). 

9. Large buttons and a money box

Squish loves throwing coins into the slot of a money box and this is great for building fine motor skills. However, due to the choking hazard, I let him use large buttons, slightly bigger than a R5 coin.  

10. Sensory jars

Squish loves this at the moment. Read how to make it here.

How to Make Easy Peasy 5 Ingredient Cookies

You may have noticed two things by now about me:

1. I have a sweet tooth.
2. I like recipes that are quick, easy and simple.

Needless to say, when I stumbled across this very simple five ingredient cookie recipe, I knew I had to try it. 

This recipe is perfect for when you want something to dip in your tea or coffee but don't have basics like eggs or baking powder- the ingredients are all stuff that you probably have lying around anyway. Best of all, they only took about fifteen minutes in total, including baking time (prepping took only about five minutes).
 
The biscuits have more of a shortbread texture than a regular choc chip cookie one. When I made it, they were scoffed down by my family on the same day.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Cream the butter and castor sugar until well mixed. Stir in vanilla essence. Add in flour slowly and mix well until you have a soft crumbly mixture. Add chocolate chips.

Form into balls, flatten slightly and place on baking tray. Do not worry too much about expansion as there is no baking powder.

Bake for about 10 minutes (depending on your oven) at 180 degrees C. 

Decorate as desired, if you wish. (I just dusted them with icing sugar).  

Enjoy!

Leaving a Positive Beauty Legacy

One of the perks of blogging is that every now and then a company will contact you and give you samples of their products. When Dove contacted me saying that they would like to drop off a small gift, I thought, awesome, I am almost out of deodorant and body wash anyway (ha ha ha). What I got was even better. 

I must admit that I was a bit confused when I found a package with an empty jar and some post-it notes until I read on and discovered the purpose of the #BeautyLegacy Kit, which beats free products hands down (okay, there were two bars of soap in the package as well but those were incidental.) Thank you Dove SA!!!

In celebration of Women’s Month, Dove has launched a film to illustrate the importance of women seeing beauty in themselves. Watch the Youtube video here (I strongly recommend it). Dove's research shows that 71% of girls feel pressure to be beautiful, but are less likely to be anxious about this if they have a positive role model. Dove has thus asked women to make a difference to the next generation of women by leaving a positive beauty legacy. 

As a mother of daughter's, this means not passing on your own insecurities to your daughters. This of course made me think about whether I am doing anything which will make Noodle feel self-conscious about any aspect of her physical appearance. I know we have always emphasized inner over outer beauty but it has made me contemplate whether there are any non-verbal messages relating to body image and whether I am passing on any of my own body insecurities (which let's face it, most women have) to my daughter.

Despite being just four, I can already see signs of insecurity about certain aspects of her body, for example she hates her toes, which she says are boy toes (I have no idea why, her toes happen to be very cute). I have to wonder if the fact that I often blow dry her beautiful curly hair (more for convenience sake as it is less knotty this way) sends out a message that her curls are not beautiful. This jar serves as a reminder that we need to be positive influences in all aspects of building self-esteem in our daughters.

So what is the empty jar all about? The #BeautyLegacy Jar is to be filled with positive messages and affirmations on the post it notes- things that you would have loved for your younger self to hear and to pass these on to the next generation of girls in your life. When having negative thoughts, you can be inspired by these positive messages.You can also leave positive messages around the house or in your daughter's lunchbox. Noodle cannot read very well yet, but I will be filling the jar with positive messages that she can read when she is older.

Tips for leaving a Positive Beauty Legacy for Your Daughter

 Here are some excellent tips from Dr Colinda Linde:

• Make your daughter media literate and to develop a critical eye.
• Steer clear of competition with other mothers about how you or your daughters look.
• Steer away from negative talk about other girls' looks.
• Meet every compliment about your daughter's appearance with at least two about other aspects which are not based on appearance.
• Help her build skills that are independent of appearance.
• Talk about aspects of yourself that you genuinely feel good about.

The Dove Self-Esteem Project

The Dove Self-Esteem Project delivers self-esteem education to girls aged 7-17 years through lessons in schools, activities for mentors, online resources for parents and partnerships with youth organizations. 

Education programmes and fun interactive activities can be downloaded at  http://selfesteem.dove.co.za. You can also share your #BeautyLegacy story on Dove's Twitter (@Dove_ZA) or Facebook (Dove South Africa).

Solving the What to Cook Dilemma

We all have those days where the seemingly simple task of deciding what to cook for dinner seems more arduous than climbing Mount Everest. There is usually no use in throwing the decision out to the jury (your family), as this invariably gets met by a response of 'anything' or 'I don't know'. Or if I ask Noodle, we will be eating crumbed chicken seven days a week. 

Yes, these may be first world problems faced by us lucky folk who get food on our tables and a choice of what food at that, but the decision of what to cook each day remains an enigma for many.  

Here are my suggested techniques for how to handle those days. (I use a combination of the below).

SET MENU'S  

You could come up with a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly menu. This can save you a lot of hassle and can also save you some money if you shop strictly according to your own set menu. You can find some very creative menu planner ideas online. Put some thought into what goes on which days, for example if you know that there is always leftovers on roast chicken day, the next day it could be reinvented in chicken pasta. If that seems too boring and predictable, then try one of the below.

SUPPER ROULETTE

Come up with a  bunch of meal ideas, stick them on little bits of paper,  throw them in a hat and pick one. The kids will enjoy doing this for you! If you don't feel like the meal that came out, just throw it back in and pick another. You can split it into two bags, one for days when you are happy to cook up a storm and another with quick meals for days when you lack either the time or the inclination to cook.

GO ONLINE

Facebook recipe groups, foodie blogs or free daily subscriptions like Knorr 'What's for Dinner' could all provide much needed inspiration.There is also a site called myfridgefood.com that will come up with recipes based on the ingredients that you have.

FOOD APP'S

Yes, I am one of those people with a mobile app for everything and one of my favourites is MyCookBook. You can save all of your recipes here and have them available on all of your devices or on their website. You can also categorise recipes as you see fit and use clever search features, so if you have decided on, for example, a lamb dish for the day, you can search for one that meets that criteria.

MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST

Give the jury three choices and make them pick. I often Watsapp hubby A with a list of options, eg. a) burger and chips b) chicken curry and rice c) other (please specify).

TAKEAWAY MENU

Grab a Mr Delivery or similar menu catalogue, scroll through it, see what appeals to you that day and then COOK IT. 

If you have followed all the ideas which I have just listed and still lack inspiration then maybe  it is time to look at that menu again, pick up the phone and place an order.

Do you have any fresh ideas on how to decide what to cook? Please comment below!

Nine Strange Things I Spotted While Driving Around Jozi Today

True story- these are some of the things I observed on our Jozi roads while driving today... just a short trip on the creche route with a stop for groceries.

Johannesburg is nothing, if not unique. (Disclaimer: I have astute and well-honed female multi-tasking abilities so I also had my eye on the road at all times while observing the below).

1. A half naked man pushing a wagon twice his size along the road, being overtaken by a tuk tuk.

2. A bus being overtaken by the tuk tuk mentioned in point one above (which incidentally has a maximum speed of negative 20 km/hr). 

3. Bicycle lanes everywhere, some complete and some under construction. Total number of bicycles observed: zero.

 3. A man on the pavement taking huge bites out of a whole orange with the peel still on. Yum.

 4. A shop with a sign indicative of a hairdresser selling meat. Another shop with a takeaway sign selling what appeared to be appliances and toys.

5. A poster for Dr Nabil who can find your lost lover and cure pimples, acne marks or dark spots- clearly a man of many talents!

6. Students outside their university playing what looked like hopscotch.

7. A fire truck parked horizontally across two lanes of traffic opposite the fire station and blocking traffic in both directions. No apparent fire in site.

 8. A veld fire which seemed to be rapidly spreading (about 5km away from fire truck in point seven above, which was presumably still stationary and blocking traffic).

9. A Ferrari driver picking his nose. It is true- class cannot be bought!

Only in Jozi! Have you seen any strange sights in Jozi today? Please share!!!

Sister Act hits Joburg Theatre

If you haven't heard the super exciting news by now, Sister Act is currently on at the Mandela Stage of the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein. The well known 90's Whoopi Goldberg movie version of Sister Act holds special memories for me as it was the first movie that I ever watched as a tween with friends and no adults at the cinema (yes, giving away my age here) and I loved it back then. The theatre version of most productions beats the movie and with a Janice Honeyman production, you know it is sure to be a winner!!!

This story of a disco diva who finds herself in protective custody in a convent after witnessing a murder has all the elements I personally enjoy- a feel-good, family friendly story with lots of humor.

 You can catch a sneak peak and get a feeling of the sense of energy and excitement here.

 

Candida Mosoma plays Deloris Van Cartier (the disco diva nun played by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie version), while Kate Normington plays Mother Superior and Keith Smith the role of Monsignor O' Hara in this 'non-replica' production of the musical.

Candida and Kate

Critics already have glowing reviews of this production. Peter Feldman calls it a 'theatrical triumph, a magnificent production', Diane de Beer from the Star says it is 'a thrilling merry go round' and Gayle Edmunds from City Press hails it 'a glorious success'. 

Have you booked your tickets yet? If not, what are you waiting for? The show will run until 16 August, from Tuesdays to Fridays at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm and 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets range from R200 – R350 and are available from www.joburgtheatre.com or by calling 0861 670 670. 

New Pampers Pants- 5 Packs to be Won!!!

I never imagined that we would start potty training Squish yet, as he is a mere eighteen months old. To our surprise, for the past week he has actually been asking us to take him to the toilet.  Only a mom will understand the sense of pride when your baby makes that first pee and poo in the potty and for us that precious moment came last week (with a few repeats since). The timing could not have been better for our free sample pack of the new Pampers Pants to have arrived. 

We used the old Pampers Pull Up Pants for Noodle once she was potty trained in the day and just needed night nappies. Back then, they had Dora the Explorer pull ups (for girls) and Diego pull ups (for boys). In contrast, the new pull ups are unisex and look very similar to the regular Pampers Active Baby-Dry nappies, so your little one should feel right at home in them. Truth be told, I thought the Dora ones were more aesthetically pleasing, but the new ones look softer and more comfortable. 

Top: New Pampers Pants | Bottom: Pampers Active Baby-Dry

What makes the Pampers pants so unique? The new pull up pants are designed to be easy to use. They have two dry zones with an extra sleep layer that absorbs wetness and distributes it evenly across the core for twelve hours of dryness. They are breathable and non-bulky, with stretchy waistbands and leg cuffs

· 

Here is why I think pull ups are a great idea for toddlers:

1. They make potty training so much easier, as they can be pulled up and down easily and quickly when it is time to make a run for the toilet.
2. Changing a wriggly toddler lying down is just plain hard work. Pull ups are easier for mom.
3. It is a great transition between nappies and underwear and toddlers can learn independence as they are able to put these on themselves.

The Pampers pull ups have some great features:

My top tips for using pull up nappies (these views belong to Jozi WAHM and are not necessarily those of Pam):

1. Always make sure that the nappies are positioned properly (centred with no wedgies) to avoid leaks.

2. For changing wet nappies, simply pulling down and cleaning is easiest. However, if you need to change a poo nappy, I would suggest that you tear open the seams at each side of the nappy for easier clean up.

3. Ensure that used nappies are placed in a nappy bag or other recycled bag afterwards, as they cannot be resealed like the baby nappies with the sticky tabs.

Squish giggled with excitement the first time I pulled the nappy up his legs while standing, as opposed to lying down baby style. He loves being able to pull them down himself when going to the toilet.

 Do you have a toddler who wears size 4- 6 nappies? Have you tried out the Pampers pants yet? If not, read on.

How would you like to win a pack of these pull ups? Five lucky readers will win one pack each.*

Enter here to win #newpamperspants with #PampersSA:

The more steps you follow, the better your chances of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Entries only open to South African entrants and winners chosen randomly using Rafflecopter and random.org

**While this was not a paid post, sample nappies were provided to us for review by Pampers. Pampers is also sponsoring the prizes as mentioned above.

 

In the Dark- The Updated Loadshedding Survival Guide

We have spent the bulk of this weekend in the dark... again... thanks Eskom.

My Saturday night

I previously blogged on how to survive loadshedding here. However, that was when it was summer and loadshedding only occasional, so while a lot of it still applies,  it seems like a more aggressive guide is now needed. This weekend, which happened to be a cold, wet and windy one with temperatures below freezing, our power was off for about ten hours on Saturday and another five on Sunday. 

Side note: For my non South African readers, we have this bizarre system called loadshedding, which basically means that in order to save power (or for a variety of other reasons, some of which are plausible, as speculated by conspiracy theorists), our state owned electricity provider shuts off electricity to large areas, for several hours at a time. There are schedules drawn daily and various apps where you can check when you are due to be loadshedded, in theory anyway (these schedules are often inaccurate and not accessible anyway when all your device batteries are flat).

So here are my updated loadshedding tips: 

PLAN B:

If you have the means, consider getting a generator (you now even get silencers for them). Or even better, move to greener options such as solar power where possible.  Disclaimer: I have not done either, but these are becoming real considerations. 

Alternative to the above, invest in lots of bright, rechargeable LED lights. Find out if gas can be connected to your area and if it is economical to do so. Alternatively, gas canisters with those small cookers that you can attach can be an option.

Consider investing in a power bank so that you can keep crucial devices charged.  

SURGES:

Very important: invest in surge protector plugs for when the power does finally come back as I know of a few people who have suffered loss of appliances after a power surge following loadshedding. Unplug any appliances that are not connected to surge protectors during loadshedding. If you are affected by a power surge (in Johannesburg), you can contact the City Power Legal Department on 011 490 7546 and complete a claim form, after which a technical report will be submitted and a decision made on whether or not to settle the claim. Alternatively, it might be covered by your household insurance, depending on your policy wording.

CANDLES:

 Since loadshedding, we have taken candle light to a whole new level. Candles are calming, relaxing and loadshedding is the perfect time to indulge in their prettiness.

Noodle and I made  some candles out of old broken crayons (see here). They did not turn out as pretty as I had hoped, but they are functional.

In addition, I have been on a hunt for the best smelling candles in Jozi. Here are my finds:

1. Soy Lites: these are not just any candles. Made from soybean wax and essential oils, the candles are actually moisturisers too and can be used on your skin for for manicures, pedicures and massages. I have seen these used at a few exclusive spas. They are pricey but they smell divine. These can be purchased online.

2. Yankee candles: pretty to look at and they smell so good. These come in every scent imaginable. These are available online and at Yankee Candle stores.

3. Mr Price candles: these come in amazing scents. The ones pictured above are mandarin and berry. 

4. Prices candles- vanilla scented: these are available at local supermarkets and are dirt cheap. They are very ordinary to look at but smell like freshly baked yumminess.

(Note: I have no affiliation to any candle manufacturers.)

PATIENCE:

Bucket loads of patience. This is the number one tool for surviving loadshedding.

 What are your best loadshedding survival tips?